Can I install X applications on Ubuntu Server to run on a remote display?

[Chris G]

On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 05:55:36PM +0000, Chris Jones wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Chris G wrote:
> > I have Ubuntu Server 9.10 (late release candidate, will update soon)
> > installed on an Acer Aspire Revo.  If I install some X applications
> > will it try and install display drivers and such?  I don't want to run
> > a local display on the Revo but it would be convenient to do some
> > configuration with a GUI from my main desktop machine if I can.
> 
> Yes, it should be possible to install any X application without 
> triggering the installation of X.org itself, which you don't need if you 
> don't plan on running an X server on your remote server.
> 
> Just try running
> 
>   > apt-get install XYZ
> 
> to install whatever it is you want, and if you don't like the look of 
> the dependencies that tries to drag in, just decline the installation 
> and post them here.
> 
I just got a bit carried away and tried:-

    sudo apt-get install synaptic

It does install a *lot* of stuff but I have to admit it doesn't seem to
install X.

So I declined the synaptic installation and tried:-

    sudo apt-get install rxvt

... and that installed *nothing* more than rxvt, so I let it do it and
rxvt run on the remote 'server' works perfectly.  Excellent.  I'll go
ahead and install other things that will make it easy to do remote
configuration etc.


-- 
Chris Green