Hi,
Here is how VNC actually works:
When running on an X-based system (such as Linux/*BSD), it provides an X server
back end. That is, programs can connect to it as though they were connecting
to an X server. This program is called Xvnc (appropriately enough). However,
it does not display anything, but instead stores it into a block of memory (a
virtual frame buffer, if you will). This is why I compared it to Xvfb (X
virtual frame buffer).
Now, when a VNC client connects (over their non-standard, but also
non-proprietary (since its under GPL) protocol) to the VNC server on a
different port, the VNC server sends it’s current frame buffer to the client.
(And again sends parts of the frame buffer whenever the client requests it).
However, my proposal for building an X server based on VNC was, to use the back
end of Xvnc to build your back end of your X server. But, you’d strip out
the code which handles VNC client connections. Then, you’d retarget the frame
buffer (in RAM) to use the frame buffer provided by VNC.
The other alternative I proposed, was to use Xvfb instead. If I were doing
this, I’d look at both code bases, see which one was smaller and simpler to work
with, and pick that one.
Cheers,
Warren
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________Subject: [SDL] http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/
Author: at internet-mail
Date: 8/27/99 1:00 PM
From a brief scan of this site my understanding is that the project is
not an Xwindows clone, just something that performs a similiar function
to Xwindows. And that there are servers that exist to work on various
configurations, including Xwindows itself.
It is just a protocol like Xwindows that allows a machine to dictate what
a display should look like in a network transparent manner. Same
client/server system as Xwindows. They’ve got versions of their "server"
that run on Xwindows.
What this means is a new protocol that hasn’t taken off and might never
do so. I didn’t see anything that made it an Xwindows killer in the little
I read. Since it doesn’t provide an Xwindows server (according to my
understanding) I’m not interested in it and I doubt if many will be for
some time to come.
If my understanding of this is incorrect someone please correct me.
-Dave