Moving over
What it takes
Keep VNC where the far side only speaks VNC; everything else belongs on a record that also opens a shell.
You already accept a plain protocol over a clever one
VNC's virtue is that it is simple and everywhere. Vandle keeps that spirit and gives you a client where the simple protocol is not the only thing in the window.
Credit where it is due
VNC is an open protocol with an implementation for everything, and for a headless box on a local network it is often the least complicated thing that works.
What changes
Four things you get that you did not have.
- A shell and a file surface on the same record as the screen, which is usually the faster route to the fix.
- A route per connection, including a tunnelled path, instead of an SSH tunnel you start by hand first.
- An inventory with one row per protocol, so you can see what each machine actually offers.
- One consistent client on all three desktop platforms.
Side by side
RealVNC, TigerVNC and other VNC clients and Vandle
| Aspect | RealVNC, TigerVNC and other VNC clients | Vandle |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | VNC | RDP on the pixel surface, plus SSH, files and the web |
| Tunnelling | An SSH tunnel you set up separately | A route on the connection, opened with it |
| Beyond the screen | Not covered | Terminal and file surfaces on the same record |
| Inventory | A list of addresses | Connection records grouped in folders |
And the rest of it
Four more protocols came along
Replacing one tool gets you five. Whatever else that machine speaks is already a row on the same record - and every one of them takes the route you assigned.
Web
Real browsing, properly routed
SSH
A terminal that keeps up
SFTP
Two remote panes, no detour
WebDAV
The other half of file transfer
RDP
Desktops on a native surface
Local
Your own machine, in the same list
Also compared