From owner-chemistry@ccl.net Fri Apr 30 11:02:00 2010
From: "David Watson dewatson-#-olemiss.edu" <owner-chemistry**server.ccl.net>
To: CCL
Subject: CCL: Mac/Windows remote desktop question
Message-Id: <-41764-100430001720-30312-iYojhSRCLxzS1BfyIEW5/Q**server.ccl.net>
X-Original-From: David Watson <dewatson[#]olemiss.edu>
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Date: Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:16:53 -0500
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Sent to CCL by: David Watson [dewatson*|*olemiss.edu]
On Apr 29, 2010, at 3:03 PM, Igor Filippov Contr =
filippovi_._mail.nih.gov wrote:

>=20
> Sent to CCL by: "Igor Filippov [Contr]" [filippovi*|*mail.nih.gov]
> Just saw it today -=20
>=20
> =
http://infoworld.com/d/mobilize/infoworld-review-free-remote-access-tools-=
windows-and-mac-018
>=20
> Igor
>=20
> P.S. Not sure what kind of work would require gigabit ethernet. I'm
> connecting using Remote Desktop from home. Works fine over 2Mbps (or
> whatever Comcast is letting me use this days).
> I wouldn't recommend 3D graphics over the net though of course.

I was referring specifically to "running 3D graphics such as PyMOL", a =
la:

>>>=20
>>> Has anybody successfully used remote desktop software from a Mac =
(Snow Leopard) to a headless PC (Windows XP or 7), especially for =
running 3D graphics such as PyMOL?  While I am a mac-o-phile, there are =
various programs that aren't available that I am interested in.  There =
are also a lot of interesting little machines appearing (Nvidia ION =
desktops, etc).  If I could have the machine and not have to worry about =
KVM switching, that would be a win.

>>=20
>>=20
>>> What software did you use, and did it work over WIFi or was a cable =
connection required?  Inquiring minds want to know!
>>>=20

I have used PyMOL in this sort of fashion on Vista to Mac OS X, and =
Xwindows tunneled over ssh from Linux to Mac, both over Gigabit =
ethernet.
I would regard it as too slow to do the things the original poster =
wanted to perform, such as "running 3D graphics such as PyMOL". (see =
above)

>>=20
>> You won't be able to do modeling without a high speed connection.
>> Gigabit ethernet is the way to go, unless by some magical chance you =
have a fiber network card in your mac and a fiber switch in your lab.
>> Of course you can remotely log-in over wireless, but I think you will =
soon tire of the time it takes to get any work accomplished.
>>=20

For work that merely required computational effort, such as running MOE =
or Sybyl, then the speed of the connection doesn't matter at all.
But you can always run PyMOL, MOE or Sybyl on Mac OS X, so ????

Perhaps running quantum chemistry packages such as Firefly would benefit =
> from running natively under Windows?