[X2go-dev] Looking for information on the future of x2go (and some other x2go-related stuff)

[Stefan Baur]

Hello Heinz,

[lots of useful info snipped]


I will rearrange the sequence of my questions below, as I feel the 
answers you gave will allow for a few new suggestions when rearranged. ;-)
> In the past we've been two people developing x2go and at the moment Alex
> and I ares still interested in x2go. But during the last year more and
> more people have been joined this list [...]
Sounds like a good time to formalize tasks and responsibilities, just 
like Mike did in his reply.

> >/  2) I read that Univention is using x2go for their desktop virtualization
> />/  (see
> />/  <http://wiki.univention.de/index.php?title=UCS_Desktop_Virtualization_Services>).
> />/  Are they active supporters of x2go (i.e. donating money or manpower to
> />/  the project)?
> />/  (I ask because I'm hoping that a company planning a large-scale
> />/  commerial deployment like Univention seems to be doing would have an
> />/  interest in the x2go project staying alive and expanding.)
> /
> I didn't even know that they are using x2go. There were some contacts in
> the past, but it was never mentioned that x2go would be a component of ucs.

Well, if Mike and/or you can establish contact with them, it might be a 
good idea to point the following out to them:
> >/  1a) As far as I understand, x2go uses parts of the GPL'ed Nomachine
> />/  code, which will remain available in its current state due to the GPL,
> />/  but will not be maintained by Nomachine any more. Are the x2go
> />/  developers willing - and able - to maintain this part of the code, in
> />/  case it requires maintenance and / or security patches?
> />/  1b) Or are you going to do a re-write of the Nomachine code currently
> />/  in use?
> /
> The used used XOrg code isn't maintained since a long time. The only way
> to get this construction supportable would be porting the functionality
> as modules to a recent XOrg Version. We've been talking about this for a
> very long time now. This all should be possible, but would take a lot of
> time. It would be a decision about neglecting other parts of x2go for
> some time. As Mike already mentioned, it will be a good idea to collect
> some people to do this task.
>
> I would suggest to discuss this topic after baikal (upcoming release) is
> released.
As a company, they should have a vested interest in the development of 
x2go, so maybe they can provide the neccessary manpower for this task?


> >/  3) I heard of legal issues regarding the project name and some other
> />/  stuff. That was back in December. Since the project is still named x2go,
> />/  and Univention is openly using this name, I was wondering if these
> />/  issues have been resolved?
> /
> Yes and no, there is still a person left who claims x2go as
> "werktitelschutz". A new name is the way to go if this problem can't be
> solved.
I decided to search for x2go entries in the DPMA database and found only 
two entries:
http://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/marke/register/3020100035404/DE - 
"X2GO!"
and
http://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/marke/register/3020100035412/DE - 
"X-2GO"

Both are only protected in the categories 09 - computer programs for 
trading at electronic stock exchanges and 36 - financial services, 
execution and processing of stocks at electronic stock markets.

Now, these are only approximate translations from German, and this is by 
no means legal advice, but I don't see how x2go could infringe on these 
registrations - x2go is not a trading application in itself. While it 
could be used to display the output of one, so could a web browser. And 
I doubt calling a web browser "x2go" would collide with these registrations.
Again, I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice - but my guess is 
that if you ask a competent lawyer, s/he will tell you the same.

[snip]


> >/  5) I understand that you need some sort of full-screen application
> />/  (similar to xdm/kdm/gdm) when running in thin client mode, and that this
> />/  is why the current x2go client looks the way it looks, but I would
> />/  really like to see a client that doesn't take up as much screen space,
> />/  especially on Windows.
> /
> There are typically 3 Use Cases of x2goclient:
>
> 1.) You are sysop or supporter and you are required to have a lot of
> sessions preconfigured. X1go will offer you a interface with easy
> session management and search feature.
>
> 2.) You are a user of a device running the TCE (thin client
> environment). You'll need to have a display manager to log into your
> session.
>
> 3.) You are a desktop user and you only need one session configured.
> Often the sysop has configured x2goclient using the "hidden mode" in
> this case. This means, you only have an icon of the session/remote
> application and if you use this desktop symbol, the remote application
> will be started without showing x2goclient.
Well, there's
4.) You are a desktop user that needs multiple session configured, and 
you have
4.a) No write permissions to your desktop, because of an anal-retentive 
admin (don't laugh, I've seen that)
4.b) Way too many icons on your desktop, and want to reduce clutter (1 
icon w/ dropdown instead of 5 or 10)
4.c) No non-standard icons on your desktop, and want to keep it that way
4.d) Previous experience with the Nomachine NXclient and don't want to 
change

4.a) - 4.c) are usually solved by placing the link to the client 
application in the start menu;
4.b) can also be solved by placing a link to the main application on the 
desktop;

However, I see 4.d) as the main point:
*Usability* for users migrating from Nomachine to x2go.
The general user attitude is "change is bad" - anything that changes 
from their previous user experience will reduce their willingness to switch.

> >/   when the session file was
> />/  stored with a password, directly start the login process?
> /
> Maybe it is a better idea to work on a more usable solution for key
> authentication.
Actually, that is something I don't worry about, as the users I'm 
currently dealing with either have no strict security requirements or 
their configuration file is stored in their home directory, which is not 
accessible to other users.
I won't complain about a key file authentication system being present, 
though. ;-)

> It is very easy for us (I think I can speak for Mike too) to offer and
> accept "orders - especially if the result can be used as part of the
> mainstream distribution. Donations are somewhat critical, as they are
> not addressed to a supply of service or product (as we need to pay tax
> on the spend money).

Well, Mike is too far away to accept this type of donation, but since 
you and Alex are not too far away from me, I wouldn't mind "donating" a 
beer keg from our local micro-brew and a few Weisswursts and steaks when 
you show up. ;-)

> Thank you for your mail and your questions. This way we've summarized a
> lot of things into one place.
Well, as suggested before: This stuff should end up in the FAQ, or in 
the Wiki, or whereever newbies interested in the project will easily 
find it.
Who will take care of that? :-)

Kind Regards,
Stefan