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ID:RX DESQview/X: Remote Computing
Quarterdeck Technical Note #263
by Michael Bolton
Last Revised: October 13, 1992
Q. What is remote computing? How does DESQview/X provide it?
One of the fundamental aspects of the X Window system is its ability to
separate the processor on which an application is running from the screen, the
keyboard, and the pointing device (usually a mouse). This allows a user
sitting at one workstation (a local machine) to start a process running on a
machine elsewhere on the network (a remote machine), and to have the display
of that remote application directed to the the local machine. The user need
not know or care which machine the application is actually running on, nor
what operating system that machine is using. DESQview/X provides this
powerful technology to the DOS world. This allows users at DOS computers,
Unix workstations, or any other machine running an X Server (possibilities
include VAX, Macintosh, or ultimately any other type of computer that supports
the X Window System) to run programs remotely on any machine capable of
supporting X Clients. So long as both the local machine and the remote
machine are running an X server (either DESQview/X or any other implementation
of an X Server), X programs (called X Clients) can display on the local
machine.
DESQview/X turns DOS text and Microsoft Windows applications into X Clients,
enabling these applications to run remotely, just as if these programs had
been written specifically for X. These applications do not have to be
rewritten or modified to run in an X Window or to run remotely.
Q. What do I need for remote computing with DESQview/X?
Your machines must be networked together; your networking software must be
installed before you run DESQview/X. In order to provide remote computing
facilities, DESQview/X requires a suitable Network Manager to be installed and
running. The Network Manager enables the local copy of DESQview/X to
communicate through the network with other workstations running an X Window
system.
DESQview/X on IPX or NetBIOS Networks
The basic DESQview/X package includes the DESQview/X Network Manager,
DESQview/X to DESQview/X. This allows DOS workstations, running DESQview/X on
Novell or NetBIOS networks, to communicate with other DOS-DESQview/X
workstations, to run DOS and Microsoft Windows applications remotely, to
participate in peer-to-peer file transfer, to support DESQview/X's multi-user
BlaqJaq game, and the like. DESQview/X's Setup program will detect which kind
of networking software you are using, and will offer you the choice of
enabling the various networking features.
DESQview on Other Networks (TCP/IP)
When you wish to use DESQview/X to communicate with other X systems (typically
Unix-based workstations such as Sun SPARCstations, Hewlett-Packard HP 700s,
IBM RS/6000s, Silicon Graphics, but also any other X platform), two additional
elements are required:
First, you need an implementation of TCP/IP transport services.
Currently FTP Software's PC/TCP and Novell's LAN WorkPlace for DOS are
supported with DESQview/X. These must be installed on the PC BEFORE
setting up DESQview/X to connect with other X systems. They are
available from their respective vendors. As of this writing, you are
required to have either:
PCTCP, Version 2.03, or Version 2.05, Patch Level 3 or greater (from
FTP Software, Inc.)
OR:
Lan WorkPlace for DOS, Version 4.01 or greater (from Novell, Inc.)
Additionally, as of this writing, Quarterdeck is in beta test for the
following TCP/IP transports:
PathWay Access (from The Wollongong Group Inc.)
BW-TCP and BW-NFS (from Beame & Whiteside Software Ltd.)
PC-NFS (from Sun Microsystems)
Support for other networking systems is anticipated, but not yet announced as
of this writing.
Second, to enable DESQview/X to interact with your TCP/IP package and to
communicate with your Unix workstations, you require the "DESQview/X Network
Manager: DESQview/X to Other X Systems." The Network Manager provides the
link between DESQview/X and your TCP/IP implemenation (as described above).
This package is produced by Quarterdeck and should be available from the same
source from which you obtained DESQview/X.
When DESQview/X's Setup program detects that you are running a supported
TCP/IP transport protocol, or Novell's LAN WorkPlace for DOS, it will prompt
you for the diskette for the DESQview/X Network Manager: DESQview/X to other
X Systems, and as above will offer you the choice of enabling DESQview/X's
network services. When these services are enabled:
1) You may, as above, connect to other workstations running DESQview/X,
run DOS applications and Microsoft Windows on those workstations, and
display them on and control them from your machine.
2) You may connect to non-DOS workstations running the X Window
system, and run X Window applications on these workstations,
displaying them on and controlling them from your machine.
3) You may sit at a workstation running an X Window server and run DOS
applications and Microsoft Windows on remote machines, displaying them
on and controlling them from a non-DOS platform.
4) You may transfer files, peer-to-peer, amongst the various machines
around the network, regardless of the operating system that a given
machine may be running.
...and you may take advantage of the many other features of DESQview/X and the
X Window System.
Q. I don't have a TCP/IP implementation? What do I do?
If you do not own any of the TCP/IP implementations described above,
Quarterdeck has licensed Novell's TCP/IP Transport for DOS and is now
including it with the DESQview/X Network Manager: DESQview/X to Other X
Systems. Novell's product is a TCP/IP network driver used to interconnect DOS
PCs with UNIX and other X workstations. As an introductory offer the Novell
TCP/IP Transport for DOS will be made available free of charge to TCP/IP users
of DESQview/X. Current users of the DESQview/X Network Manager (to Other X
Systems) will receive a free copy of the new drivers on request; proof of
purchase is required. Copies of the DESQview/X Network Manager that are sold
through March 31, 1993, will contain a coupon that Quarterdeck will redeem for
a free copy of the Novell driver.
The TCP/IP network driver, a $100 value, combined with DESQview/X and the
DESQview/X Network Manager enables DOS PCs to use programs running on remote
workstations as described above. The Novell TCP/IP Transport for DOS is a
subset of Novell's LanWorkPlace for DOS, and includes Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) files, the Open Datalink Interface (ODI)
driver set and the Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) file for ODI. The ODI
driver set supports multiple network protocols such as IPX and SPX as well as
TCP/IP running at the same time on a single network board, and thus enables PC
users to communicate with a variety of workstations, file servers, and mini
and mainframe computers via different protocols.
************************************************************************
* Trademarks are property of their respective owners. *
*This technical note may be copied and distributed freely as long as it*
*is distributed in its entirety and it is not distributed for profit. *
* Copyright (C) 1992 by Quarterdeck Office Systems *
************************ E N D O F F I L E *************************