• Registered: 2008-12-02
  • Posts: 11

Topic: Idea for Crunchbang?

Hey guys, I'm fairly new to linux but I know enough to know that #! is right for me!  Anyway, #! has inspired me and maybe you guys can help.

What I want to do is:

1)  Create a computer with crunchbang that acts as a server
2)  Have two or three other computers that are basically thin clients
3)  Have them all communicate via ethernet (or wireless maybe?)
4)  Learn enough about what I'm doing so that I can help someone else after this project

Thanks so much.  If anyone could help me figure some of this out or even point me in the right direction, I would be greatly appreciative.

  • From: Scotland, Cold
  • Registered: 2009-01-17
  • Posts: 850

Re: Idea for Crunchbang?

one of  the best methods is network booting.

Now I haven't ever got around to doing this myself, but I'm sure people on here have various techniques for network booting, or any other options they think are better.

Also: welcome [=

Ex-KDE user.
Collects old PC's (Coz he can't afford new ones =P)
Crunchbang @ Distrowatch
My Blog (updated infrequently, and on the #! Planet too.)

Mehall's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-13
  • Posts: 1,480

Re: Idea for Crunchbang?

If you want to set them up as actual thin clients then you will want to look into LTSP all the stuff you need for it is in the repos, but you won't be able to use wireless, heres some info on that https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuLTSP . If the non-server machines are good enough to be fat clients(they can log in and run basic stuff) then you could look into using ssh with X forwarding to run cpu intensive programs, that way they could connect using wireless, info here http://www.ssh.com/support/documentatio … rding.html . There are probably other options but those are the two easiest I can think of.

edit: heres a little more user friendly guide on x forwarding https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SSHHo … 20Programs

Last edited by iggykoopa (2009-01-22 20:16:29)

I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.
  • Registered: 2008-12-02
  • Posts: 11

Re: Idea for Crunchbang?

Thanks so much.  All of the machines I would be running as clients can run crunchbang on their own.  My reason for wanting them to act as thin clients would be so that a process could run centrally on the server (faster computer) and be controlled through the "clients" (slower computers).   The main implementation idea i had for this was for a jukebox-type setup for music (maybe music videos/low-bitrate movie files?) with web browsing from each "client" (perhaps done locally).

Any ideas on which method I should look into?

  • From: Scotland, Cold
  • Registered: 2009-01-17
  • Posts: 850

Re: Idea for Crunchbang?

X11 would be best for the Jukebox imho.

A nice vlc/media player of choice through x11 would work perfectly for that I think.

Ex-KDE user.
Collects old PC's (Coz he can't afford new ones =P)
Crunchbang @ Distrowatch
My Blog (updated infrequently, and on the #! Planet too.)

Mehall's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-13
  • Posts: 1,480

Re: Idea for Crunchbang?

for the music you can look into mpd http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Music_Player_Daemon_Wiki . For web browsing you can run firefox with x forwarding. you can also use vlc to stream music and videos http://www.videolan.org/doc/streaming-h … /ch02.html .

I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.
  • From: Scotland, Cold
  • Registered: 2009-01-17
  • Posts: 850

Re: Idea for Crunchbang?

Thats a fair point actually, you don't even need x11 with vlc.

Ex-KDE user.
Collects old PC's (Coz he can't afford new ones =P)
Crunchbang @ Distrowatch
My Blog (updated infrequently, and on the #! Planet too.)

Mehall's Website

  • Registered: 2008-12-31
  • Posts: 331

Re: Idea for Crunchbang?

I could see this as a reasonable use for using mpd.
The clients for mpd are really lightweight

All in an effort to learn...
Delves deeper into code...
  • Registered: 2008-12-02
  • Posts: 11

Re: Idea for Crunchbang?

Thank you all so much!  I had forgotten about VLC's whole purpose!  I'll see what I can do from here...


Thanks again!