Serving Applications from Linux server to Chromebooks/Browsers?

Question

I'm looking for a way to serve desktop applications (RemoteApp style) to a Chromebook (or other web browser), but running on a Linux server. All of the systems I've come across thus far (XenApp, VMWare HorizonView) are for virtualising Windows apps.

I'm aware I could do this with VNC/RDP for entire desktops, but I'm wanting to only send a single application rather than the whole desktop.

Cheers,

Solution

X11 has been doing this for AGES.

X11 allows for displays to run over the network. This can open the entire desktop or just a single program, and will act like that program were running locally. Security is an issue - usually X forwarding is done over SSH to provide encryption.

Chromebooks do provide some limited support for X forwarding over SSH. You will have to try it and see if it works well for you. This blog post is one example of someone using it on a chromebook: http://blog.tomtasche.at/2012/01/developing-on-chromebook-part-3-x.html?m=1

Comments

[askvictor]

I'm looking to run the virtualapps on a chromebook or inside a web-browser. X11 doesn't help me here...

[Grant]

@askvictor missed that somehow. Answer revised for chromebooks.