[Info-vax] VMS on remote desktops

[FredK]

There has been talk (here) about how VMS is used in the wild by the 
"developer" and small user community that c.o.v. represents fairly well. 
And how we don't listen.  I took it to heart.

For years, as needed (and not often) - I run DECwindows applications to a PC 
X11 emulator.  I telnet to VMS from my PC.  But for the most part - I still 
use DECwindows with local graphics for VMS development - after all I am a 
VMS engineer :-).

PC emulators (or at least the one I use) seems to pretty much do what I want 
when I need to.  But something that I don't do - and many of you do - is to 
use other X11 clients - in particular Linux desktops (and others - OS/X, 
UNIX...) to do your work on VMS.

So, I have set myself a modest goal to look at providing a more seamless 
integration of the remote desktop (Linux PC, thin client, etc) for the VMS 
developer and user - with input from the community and without blindly 
making my own assumptions about useage.  From a "cookbook" to changes to the 
DECwindows code, setup, or documentation, or more.  We'll see where it goes.

So.  If you have the desire, time and knowledge - on say what it took to 
setup your Mac, or your Linux PC, or other X11 client.  The more detailed 
the better.  Not just "I used xmodmap to hack the keycodes" - but the 
specifics.  What fonts were missing?  Motif errors?  How did you end up 
solving the problems?  What were the tradeoffs you had to live with?  What 
would have helped?  What changes would help now and in the future?

Note that from my perspective Alpha and Integrity is my target as opposed to 
VAX.  The "new" desktop as opposed to the "old" (but I am interested in 
understanding how many people don't use CDE and why).  "Recent" versions of 
DECwindows.  Types of usage - exporting VMS applications or the VMS desktop. 
Mixing native remote desktop applications (Linux/UNIX/etc) and VMS 
applications.  Keyboard issues.  Font issues.  Locale issues (and non-US 
country issues).  Setup issues.  Security issues.  Even testing issues :-)

I have lots of information and ideas of my own...  but here's your chance. 
All I do ask is that it doesn't become an excuse for bashing and long 
standing rants.  Nor am I suggesting anything leading to some new focus on a 
VMS desktop or graphics... Nor should it be taken the other way - every 
system we ship today has integrated 2D graphics - which are not going away. 
This is specific to integration with remote desktops.