How to remote into a windows environment from Linux

Our department offers remote desktop to access special software that is to expensive for me to buy. Like SAS, which has a $10K site license. Gah! I'm a poor grad student. Of course I am willing to suffer to remote desktop for free access.

IT offers some very nice instructions for Mac and Windows users. However, if you're a Linux user, SOL.

" If you are using a Linux you don't need any help from me "

Seriously? I use Linux 'cause I'm cheap. and stubborn. and willing to DIY. Not because all information is already stuffed into my brain cells. hrmph.

Here's what to do:

1. know the address of the target windows server. duh!
2. install rdesktop
• open a terminal window
• type: sudo apt-get install rdesktop
• you will be prompted for your admin password.
3. connect
• type: rdesktop dept.server.address.edu

I guess that was easy.

To practice blogging....

One must post. And while school is in session and the bf is around, there is simply no way I can keep this blog 'purely craft' and have any sort of publication volume. Science audience, deal with the craftiness. Crafty types, deal with the science.

Today I learned: 'Hello World!' using PyQt (more info can be found here and here). There are a lot of well-written tutes that cover actual lessons. The snippet below is more for testing that your system works.

Code:

import sys
from PyQt4.QtGui import QLabel, QApplication
App = QApplication(sys.argv)
Label = QLabel('Hello World!')
Label.show()
App.exec_()

Voila!

Note: I had to paste code line-by-line into idle because it is fussy about carriage returns