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Date:      Wed, 24 Jun 2015 21:18:26 -0600 (MDT)
From:      Warren Block <wblock@wonkity.com>
To:        kpneal@pobox.com
Cc:        Quartz <quartz@sneakertech.com>, FreeBSD questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: Any utils worth installing a GUI on a server for?
Message-ID:  <alpine.BSF.2.20.1506242036050.57542@wonkity.com>
In-Reply-To: <20150625014331.GB51828@neutralgood.org>
References:  <558B3F60.7060809@sneakertech.com> <20150625014331.GB51828@neutralgood.org>

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On Wed, 24 Jun 2015, kpneal@pobox.com wrote:

> On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 07:38:08PM -0400, Quartz wrote:
>> Traditionally I have always run fileservers headless, with any
>> administration being done through ssh. However, I'm currently working
>> with a system that's somewhat overpowered for its job and I'm
>> considering throwing a window manager on there just to have access to
>> more stuff. Are there any utilities out there that require or really
>> benefit from a window manager that are worth installing one for? The
>> system's main function is a sort of NAS that can have usb drives plugged
>> directly into it, so I'm only really interested in stuff that would
>> relate to that: for example disk partitioning/repair programs or fancy
>> shells for messing with samba/nfs/zfs, etc.
>
> Would you benefit from having multiple xterms open? You know, a couple
> of command lines for your use, a couple for showing the status of the
> machine, etc. All on screen at the same time.

tmux can do that without X. :)  No, I don't use it that way, but it can 
split the screen into multiple consoles.

> If you run just an X server plus twm plus xterms then I guarantee that
> no user will ever notice.

True, but there are some pretty big security implications with X.  If 
the utilities and X can be kept on a client machine, it makes things 
easier.



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