[FreeNX-kNX] FreeNX clarifications/Bar CAMP Madison

[Gregory Carter]

Greetings list,

  I decided to post as I had a few observations about the freenx 
packages that are going around.   I recently attended a Madison BarCamp 
tech fest and was confronted by some interesting questions with regards 
to NX I couldn't answer.  I am reviewing the commercial version at my 
place of employment, so when I was trying the freenx packages at the 
tech fest I found some pretty bizarre "issues" with the packages I have 
never come across anywhere in the open source world.

1) I have been using the commercial client, and haven't paid much 
attention to the packages on the repos out there with regards to the 
free client.  I have noticed something very odd though, every package on 
every repo seems to be broken, and fundamentally doesn't work with 
regards to the client end of things.

I find this really odd that package maintainers would allow software 
that is fundamentally broken to be installed on end users machines.   By 
broken I mean, according to my testing anyway, the server end works 
"sort of" and the client simply doesn't work, even though it is 
installed.  This is in comparison to the commercial product no-machine 
sells which includes a client and server package set that when installed 
there is no question everything works.

2) In order for the "freenx" package to work, (I use freenx very losely 
here as depending on what linux distro you get your going to get a very 
different package...) you have to install the commercial NX client, 
which is very proprietary in order for the "nxclient" script that is 
installed with the freenx open source packages to work.  I understand it 
is free, but I find this relationship sort of "weird" given the fact 
that the software is not functional at installation time and is for all 
practical purposes worthless without the client.

Obviously lots and LOTS of people are very confused when they download 
the freenx package, type nxclient and find themselves looking at a OK 
button to press and thats it.

Personally, I think at the very least the client portion of the code 
should be removed, and the packages should be renamed "FreeNXServer".

Further some sort of notice should be put into the nxclient binary such as:

"This software is proprietary and non inclusive to the GPL.   To 
activate the client portion of this software you need to go to 
www.nomachine.com and download the client.   The nxclient included with 
this package simple calls the commercial version, without it, this 
package will not function."

That would be much more kind to the end user population for one, and 
eliminate a lot of frustration and time, given the size and number of 
google returns on the subject while I did my own investigation into this 
matter.

3) Given the above, I understand a client portion of the software is 
under development?   What sorts of help is needed to complete this work 
and is there a road map or time line/sponsor?

How many individuals are are currently involved in the development of 
the client at this time?

-gc