VNC Client

From realvnc.com: ``VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing. It is remote control software which allows you to view and interact with one computer (the "server") using a simple program (the "viewer") on another computer anywhere on the Internet. The two computers don't even have to be the same type, so for example you can use VNC to view an office Linux machine on your Windows PC at home. VNC is freely and publicly available and is in widespread active use by millions throughout industry, academia and privately.''

Most viewers are available for both Windows and other OSes from the same site, so I don't break out by OS here. I only list free clients and servers below. Also note that most sites provide both the viewer and the server (or 'service') component. You only need the viewer.

• TightVNC (preferred) (download from http://www.tightvnc.com/download.html) improves on the compression algorithm, and may allow for scaling of desktops. (direct link here). For quick setup, the viewer-only link can be used, which does not require any installation - simply download to your desktop and execute.
• RealVNC (download from here) is from the people who originally created it.
• KDE (Linux only) comes with an integrated VNC viewer, look for ``Remote Desktop Connection'' in the KDE menus, or from a command line, type 'krdc'
• There are several Mac OS X clients:
  • VNC Viewer
  • VNC Carbon
  • Chicken of the VNC

A note: VNC should not be confused with what under Windows is called a ``Remote Desktop Connection'' or ``Windows Terminal Services'' (WTS). The two types of remote connections are incompatible with each other. WTS viewers exist for Macintosh and Windows computers (an unofficial one exists for Linux computers), but only allow access to Windows servers, not the Linux servers of the VirtualRDC.