Switching between desktop modes with one user account

[Tim Tebbit]

Dave M G wrote:
> Ubuntu Users,
> 
> There has to be a decent way of doing this:
> 
> Every couple of days I have to use Remote Desktop Viewer to allow a
> coworker to see my desktop so we can collaborate on a project.
> 
> Unfortunately, Remote Desktop (VNC), can not handle Compiz, which I
> prefer to use. So I have to switch window managers to Metacity (Gnome)
> or Xfwm4 (Xubuntu).
> 
> One of the effects of doing this is that all the windows that I have
> laid out over my four different desktops all lose their place. They all
> bunch up over on one desktop, and if they are not in full screen mode,
> they tend to move around. This seems to happen both when I switch in and
> out of Compiz.
> 
> I think an ideal solution, since I only use specific applications when
> collaborating via Remote Desktop, is if I could switch to another log in
> session. One that would leave my usual environment as is, and start a
> second one that was optimized for Remote Desktop. Then when I was done
> collaborating, I could just close the session and return to normal.
> 
> The thing is that I know I can create another user, and maybe switch
> sessions (though I'm not clear on how to run a second user session while
> leaving the first in the background). But the problem is that I have to
> create different home directories, move files around, and fiddle with
> file sharing and permissions, which is a huge hassle.
> 
> I really just want the same user account to have two different "modes"
> to toggle between.
> 
> Is that possible?
> 
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 

Make the new user with the settings needed to use VNC and link the file
you keep stuff shared with your co-worker to the new users /home. Then
you'll have a real time copy for both users. The fast switching between
users is a nice feature.