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JohnVUB
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Petition towards a Linux View Agent - Sign/drop a line if interested!!

In this community you can find a couple of threads where people are asking the development of a View Linux agent.

This agent would make the option of a linux desktop pool in View manager available.

I understand this is not as easy as it sounds, there are many linux distro's and technical difficulties to achieve this goal.

On top of that, if we ever get this agent, we will expect it to works as good as the Windows version, have PCOIP and USB redirection, ...

Therefor I would like to make a suggestion to VMware to develop a virtual appliance where one or two of the most used linux distro's are prepared by VMware. Limited support is acceptable if you tampered with the virtual appliance and broke the view addon. In my opinion Ubuntu LTS is a strong candidate to have such a virtual appliance.

I ask everyone who would like to see this suggestion developed to drop a line in this thread  AND sign the petition.

"I second the request" would be enough to let VMware know how many of you are out there requesting this feature.

SPREAD THE WORD AND SIGN!!

http://www.change.org/petitions/view-development-department-development-of-a-view-desktop-agent-for-...

View-petition.jpg

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dvhorvath
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I think this would be a great move for VMware, especially with the evolution of cloud computing and the shift toward web-based applications that would remove the need for a Windows OS for a lot of users. Obviously there would still be some cases where Windows would still have to be used, but this would be a great solution for pools created just to allow internet access, for example. I'm in. And thanks for getting this discussion started.

Dave

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JohnVUB
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Because other threads indicate people mistaking the agent for the client: YES WE NOW A CLIENT IS AVAILABLE FOR LINUX, we are really talking about a linux agent that makes it possible to login to a linux desktop pool using the client on Windows, Mac or Linux...

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dvhorvath
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I think this would be a great move for VMware, especially with the evolution of cloud computing and the shift toward web-based applications that would remove the need for a Windows OS for a lot of users. Obviously there would still be some cases where Windows would still have to be used, but this would be a great solution for pools created just to allow internet access, for example. I'm in. And thanks for getting this discussion started.

Dave

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JohnVUB
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Hi dvhorvath,

you are absolutly right...

In our case @ Brussels university the need for a linux desktop arises when teaching computer science to the freshmen. We show them there is more then what comes pre-installed on most computers. We let them choose what they like the most and learn them to work with both technologies.

We have equiped our classrooms with thin clients and invested a lot of budget in vSphere servers and View licenses. We keep the thin clients installed with a winxp embedded, where the shell is replaced by viewclient only, so all feature stay available (usb redirection for example).

This setup restricts us to install a linux ltsp setup for example.

Well, we would like to see the option to approach windows and linux desktops after logging in to the view client, instead of first logging into a windows desktop to make a remote desktop connection to Linux. It's not ecologic, it is not practical, ...

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JohnVUB
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11 signatures over the weekend to support the idea...

I know lot's of people are requiring this linux agent development.

Spread the word over y'r facebook and workplace!

=> http://www.change.org/petitions/view-development-department-development-of-a-view-desktop-agent-for-...

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JohnVUB
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*bump*

SIGN SIGN!!

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green0vm
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sign

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JohnVUB
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I've learned that a MAC agent is beeing developed voor usage in View.

This is already a step forward.

I keep thinking that a Linux agent is needed to, so once again, keep signing the petition please.

SIGN: http://www.change.org/petitions/view-development-department-development-of-a-view-desktop-agent-for-...

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ftiadmin049
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signed. Also on changed.org. We need this!

50% Linux Development Clients (RH, OpenSuse, couple of Debian/Ubuntu)

50% WinXP/7 Clients

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johnhearns
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If anyone from VMware reads this thread, a small suggestion if I may.

If the sticking point for a View Agent for Linux is authentication you should look at Centrify http://www.centrify.com/

Centrify works very well and enables Linux (or Unix) machines to authenticate against Active Directory.

Maybe some sort of collaboration with Centrify could produce a really cool View Agent?

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JohnVUB
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Hello John,

thank you for your suggestion, there are indeed many ways to join a Linux server to a AD domain.

It can be done with some simple changes in the system and doesn't even need extra software.

But that doesn't change the fact we cannot offer the linux desktop through a view portal, and that is what this petition stands for.

If not already done, I invite you and others to sign the petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/view-development-department-development-of-a-view-desktop-agent-for-...

Regards,

John

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johnhearns
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John, I agree with you. I have signed!

My reason - we have Linux graphical workstations with host cards.

My users are crying out for the capability to access these out of hours from home or remote locations

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JohnVUB
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It is good to know a MAC agent is coming soon, but that doesn't change the fact people will have to pay for OS licenses when deploying a desktop pool.

So once again I have to ask to keep signing the petition so VMware can see a linux agent is needed!!

http://www.change.org/petitions/view-development-department-development-of-a-view-desktop-agent-for-...

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gjimenez
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We are a University with a deployment of view lending laptops in the library to the students.

We would like to offer to the 10000 students we have a linux desktop so we sign this petition and encourage vmware to make this available as soon as possible.

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MrBaba
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Sign !

Market Exist ! There's money to make here VMWare People !!!!

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VMBobster
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SIGN!!!

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dvhorvath
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I will be out of the office starting on Monday, August 27, and will return on Monday, September 3. I will have limited access to email during that time, but will attempt to respond as time and network connectivity allow.

Thank you,

Dave Horvath

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JohnVUB
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I just learned on VMworld Barcelona that a taskforce is created by VMware to develop a linux agent. Finally the linux agent is on the roadmap!

We will have to wait for at least two years. Way to long if you ask me... so once again I ask you all: sign the petition please.

http://www.change.org/petitions/view-development-department-development-of-a-view-desktop-agent-for-...

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vedeht
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Have you ever wanted to see Ubuntu linux running as a VDI with VMware View?

It isn't pretty but it works!  Now if you give me a few days I'll tell you how I did it.

http://www.virtualdojo.com/content/watch-us-connect-ubuntu-linux-desktop-using-pcoip-vmware-view

Try our VMWare View Demo on www.virtualdojo.com
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JohnVUB
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So you took a windows machine and use vmwareplayer fullscreen autostart with Ubuntu

I have to tell you, you did it... but indeed running vmwareplayer on a virtual windows is really "yuck"

Thanks for your input tho Smiley Wink

J

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