newbie wanting to switch to FreeBSD - planning stage question

[Kevin Kinsey]

Barnaby Scott wrote:
> I am new to FreeBSD (or any other Unix operating system) but am very 
> keen to make the switch. I have read as much as I can over the last 
> couple of years, and am very nearly ready to ditch the various Windows 
> versions on my network - however there is one Windows-only application I 
> really cannot find a replacement for, and that is Rhino3D 
> (http://www.rhino3d.com/). Looking at the CAD section of the ports 
> collection does not offer any alternative that is at all comparable, so 
> I fear I'm stuck with it.
> 
> I believe Rhino does not work with any Windows emulators either, so I 
> imagined I had only 2 options left - have completely separate computers 
> and retain Windows on one - no good because my desk is cluttered enough 
> already, or to go for a dual-boot one - no good either as I would 
> constantly be rebooting (or would in practice revert to Windows and 
> never get to learn FreeBSD which is what I want to do!)
> 
> However, I don't mind having a Windows machine running somewhere on the 
> network out of the way, but would want to use the keyboard, monitor and 
> mouse attached to my FreeBSD machine. Does anyone know if it is possible 
> in principle to drive a Windows program on a Windows machine, but from a 
> Unix computer? If this is not an idiotic question, and this sort of 
> thing is possible, where would I find some fairly idiot-proof 
> instructions on how to set it up, or at least some reading to get me 
> started?
> 
> I realise that a common bit of advice is to try stuff out and see, but 
> if I cannot see a way forward, the time invloved in installing and 
> learning FreeBSD would be very hard to justify, so please bear with me - 
> I would be grateful for any advice at this stage.
> 

I use rdesktop (/usr/ports/net/rdesktop) to control Win XP and
Win2k3 boxen, with good success, although I've had some trouble
with games and other things that want to directly control the video
hardware.  But I can't do these games with the built-in Windows
remote control either, so I'd guess that you'd be able to run
your software remotely with rdesktop (unless, as I said, it want
to take over the display hardware).  Of course, YMMV.

Kevin Kinsey

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