====== Headless Ubuntu server with a thin VNC GUI ======
===== Ubuntu 10.04 =====

As root, do:
<file>
# apt-get update
# apt-get dist-upgrade
# apt-get install --no-install-recommends xfce4 vnc4server xfce4-terminal xfonts-base xubuntu-icon-theme gksu synaptic
</file>

Run vncserver once to create the initial setup.  You can connect to it now and see a pretty minimal interface -- just a terminal window.  Kill it with "vncserver -kill :1".

Edit ''~/.vnc/xstartup'', comment out or delete what's there, and put:
<file>
xfce4-session
vncserver -kill $DISPLAY
exit
</file>
This way the VNC session is destroyed when you log out.

To run the vnc server:
<file>
$ vncserver
</file>

You can also use X-forwarding with SSH to launch GUI apps from the command line.  On Windows, first install an X client such as [[http://sourceforge.net/projects/xming/|Xming]].  Then set PuTTY to connect to the server with "X11 forwarding" enabled within the SSH options.  For Linux clients, connect with the -X option.  Either way, you'll be able to run GUI apps and have them appear on the local machine.
<file>
client$ ssh -X server
server$ xfce4-terminal &
(it appears!)
</file>

===== Ubuntu 9.04 =====

Install Ubuntu.  I used 9.04.  Then, as root, do:
<file>
# apt-get update
# apt-get dist-upgrade
# apt-get install --no-install-recommends xfce4 vnc4server xfce4-terminal xfce4-icon-theme gksu synaptic
</file>

Edit ''~/.vnc/xstartup'', comment out or delete what's there, and put:
<file>
xfce4-session
vncserver -kill $DISPLAY
exit
</file>
This way the VNC session is destroyed when you log out.

To run the vnc server:
<file>
$ vncserver
</file>