[NCLUG] Moving exported window / ATX PS

[Michael Dwyer]

> Q#1. Let's say you log in via `ssh -X` to a remote box that is running
> X-windows. You run `gimp` or whatever and the display gets sent back
to the
> local box. How do you, without closing the application, then switch it
to
> display on the remote host? I know if I set DISPLAY=0:0 /before/ I ran
the
> application, I could get it to display on the remote box. But what if
I want
> to switch on the fly?

VNC handles this nicely.  You use VNC to reach your X box remotely,
then when you are local, you use VNC to reach yourself over the
local socket.  It is relatively quick, but if you are doing heavy
GIMP work, you might feel some pain.  I sort of doubt that the VNC
X server supports some of the higher forms of acceleration.  Indeed,
some Java apps (JProbe, eg) behave downright badly under the VNC
X server...

Other than that, I don't know a way to move an app across displays.

> Q#2. Has anyone ever seen/built an ATX powersupply that can drive
multiple
> motheboards? I'm picturing 8 or so rack-mounted motherboards with one
larger
> power supply. Anyone seen a rack that can mount motherboards alone (no
hd)?
> Here I'm picturing something that looks more like a bunch of
cards/blades
> (motherboards) plugging into a backplane, but without the backplane.
It would
> be higher density than doing 1U per node.

You might want to look into the PC-104 and other industrial boards.
They often take a single 12V source, and are often intended to be
mounted in a backplane like you describe.  That would solve both
the mounting and power issues you describe.

John Bass, I believe, has a lot of experience with industrial setups
like this.