Discussion:
[Ltsp-discuss] slow performance, where to start?
Mike Cammilleri
2014-11-17 15:24:01 UTC
Permalink
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm definitely seeing
better performance when trying different desktops. I guess I'm just
surprised that LTSP documentation doesn't emphasize how useless an
out-of-the-box install is with Ubuntu. Unity would be the default for
anyone installing LTSP and it appears to be quite useless.

I started with Gnome Classic No Effects which is better and comes with
the default install of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I have also tried Xfce. I will
try MATE next since it has been recommended by many.

I would be curious to see a poll that shows what desktop most LTSP users
are using and which exhibits the best performance for multiple users. As
it stands, if I don't block YouTube streaming, one stream can cause
jumps up to 70mb/s through a gigabit connection which can slow down
traffic for everyone. This is has now become my main concern even with
these lighter weight desktops.

Thanks guys,
mike
Hi,
You will need to install a different window manager, for example MATE,
or LXDE, and then use it when logging in via LightDM, you can then set
this as the default. MATE and LXDE do not use Compiz as their backend,
so will not have the issues you are facing.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/08/install-mate-desktop-ubuntu-14-04-lts
The above link explains how to install MATE onto a vanilla install of 14.04.
Good luck!
I have tried setting up an LTSP server as a VM and I have the same
problems. So perhaps it is my thin-client.
A couple things regarding Harry's suggestions as well....
How does one get rid of compiz or disable it? If I apt-get remove compiz
it will also remove ubuntu-desktop. I think I need ubuntu-desktop, so
not sure how to get rid of compiz. I did have to install gconf-editor
and disable apps->metacity->general compositing_manager and
compositor_effects so that the gnome terminal wouldn't always be on top.
Are there other post-installation steps that should be done after
setting up an out-of-the-box LTSP server that is not really documented?
I'm using Intel GMA 3150 onboard intel graphics -- doesn't Ubuntu
already contain all Intel drivers? According to their site: "Most
versions of the Linux* operating system include Intel? graphics drivers.
Intel recommends checking with your Linux distribution vendor or
computer manufacturer for precompiled driver packages."
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.
I use xfce or lxde and never have the problem, but as an old fart I think bendy-streachy-flashy desktops are APITA.
James
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_____________________________________________________________________
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For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
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For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
Harry Lavender
2014-11-17 15:45:32 UTC
Permalink
Hi Mike,

It's worth noting that quite a lot of people aren't using Ubuntu, and if
they do, they install using the 64 bit 'Server' edition of Ubuntu,
located here: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/server

The above doesn't ship with a desktop environment, leaving people to
install their own. I don't think anyone uses Unity, like I said, because
of how unusable it is.

Keep us updated,

Harry
Post by Mike Cammilleri
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm definitely seeing
better performance when trying different desktops. I guess I'm just
surprised that LTSP documentation doesn't emphasize how useless an
out-of-the-box install is with Ubuntu. Unity would be the default for
anyone installing LTSP and it appears to be quite useless.
I started with Gnome Classic No Effects which is better and comes with
the default install of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I have also tried Xfce. I will
try MATE next since it has been recommended by many.
I would be curious to see a poll that shows what desktop most LTSP users
are using and which exhibits the best performance for multiple users. As
it stands, if I don't block YouTube streaming, one stream can cause
jumps up to 70mb/s through a gigabit connection which can slow down
traffic for everyone. This is has now become my main concern even with
these lighter weight desktops.
Thanks guys,
mike
Hi,
You will need to install a different window manager, for example MATE,
or LXDE, and then use it when logging in via LightDM, you can then set
this as the default. MATE and LXDE do not use Compiz as their backend,
so will not have the issues you are facing.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/08/install-mate-desktop-ubuntu-14-04-lts
The above link explains how to install MATE onto a vanilla install of 14.04.
Good luck!
I have tried setting up an LTSP server as a VM and I have the same
problems. So perhaps it is my thin-client.
A couple things regarding Harry's suggestions as well....
How does one get rid of compiz or disable it? If I apt-get remove compiz
it will also remove ubuntu-desktop. I think I need ubuntu-desktop, so
not sure how to get rid of compiz. I did have to install gconf-editor
and disable apps->metacity->general compositing_manager and
compositor_effects so that the gnome terminal wouldn't always be on top.
Are there other post-installation steps that should be done after
setting up an out-of-the-box LTSP server that is not really documented?
I'm using Intel GMA 3150 onboard intel graphics -- doesn't Ubuntu
already contain all Intel drivers? According to their site: "Most
versions of the Linux* operating system include Intel? graphics drivers.
Intel recommends checking with your Linux distribution vendor or
computer manufacturer for precompiled driver packages."
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.
I use xfce or lxde and never have the problem, but as an old fart I think bendy-streachy-flashy desktops are APITA.
James
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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from Actuate! Instantly Supercharge Your Business Reports and Dashboards
with Interactivity, Sharing, Native Excel Exports, App Integration & more
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_____________________________________________________________________
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss
For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download BIRT iHub F-Type - The Free Enterprise-Grade BIRT Server
from Actuate! Instantly Supercharge Your Business Reports and Dashboards
with Interactivity, Sharing, Native Excel Exports, App Integration & more
Get technology previously reserved for billion-dollar corporations, FREE
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_____________________________________________________________________
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss
For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
--
Regards

Harry Lavender
Systems Administrator
Severn Delta Limited
DDI 01278 726278
Tel 01278 428200
Fax 01278 458766

Showground Road,
Bridgwater,
Somerset TA6 6AJ
Company Number 4269451
VAT Registration GB793728185


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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_____________________________________________________________________
Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto:
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss
For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
Mike Cammilleri
2014-11-17 15:50:32 UTC
Permalink
I may have just confused myself by blindly installing ubuntu-desktop
package at the same time as ltsp-server using some online LTSP
installation instructions. So perhaps I'm just misunderstanding what the
'default' setup would likely be. I always struggle with finding the best
instructions for LTSP setup.

Besides Ubuntu, are the popular platforms Lubuntu and Xubuntu or are
there other more popular platforms from which to host LTSP?

This is clearing a lot of things up for me, thank you.
Post by Harry Lavender
Hi Mike,
It's worth noting that quite a lot of people aren't using Ubuntu, and if
they do, they install using the 64 bit 'Server' edition of Ubuntu,
located here: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/server
The above doesn't ship with a desktop environment, leaving people to
install their own. I don't think anyone uses Unity, like I said, because
of how unusable it is.
Keep us updated,
Harry
Post by Mike Cammilleri
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm definitely seeing
better performance when trying different desktops. I guess I'm just
surprised that LTSP documentation doesn't emphasize how useless an
out-of-the-box install is with Ubuntu. Unity would be the default for
anyone installing LTSP and it appears to be quite useless.
I started with Gnome Classic No Effects which is better and comes with
the default install of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I have also tried Xfce. I will
try MATE next since it has been recommended by many.
I would be curious to see a poll that shows what desktop most LTSP users
are using and which exhibits the best performance for multiple users. As
it stands, if I don't block YouTube streaming, one stream can cause
jumps up to 70mb/s through a gigabit connection which can slow down
traffic for everyone. This is has now become my main concern even with
these lighter weight desktops.
Thanks guys,
mike
Hi,
You will need to install a different window manager, for example MATE,
or LXDE, and then use it when logging in via LightDM, you can then set
this as the default. MATE and LXDE do not use Compiz as their backend,
so will not have the issues you are facing.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/08/install-mate-desktop-ubuntu-14-04-lts
The above link explains how to install MATE onto a vanilla install of 14.04.
Good luck!
I have tried setting up an LTSP server as a VM and I have the same
problems. So perhaps it is my thin-client.
A couple things regarding Harry's suggestions as well....
How does one get rid of compiz or disable it? If I apt-get remove compiz
it will also remove ubuntu-desktop. I think I need ubuntu-desktop, so
not sure how to get rid of compiz. I did have to install gconf-editor
and disable apps->metacity->general compositing_manager and
compositor_effects so that the gnome terminal wouldn't always be on top.
Are there other post-installation steps that should be done after
setting up an out-of-the-box LTSP server that is not really documented?
I'm using Intel GMA 3150 onboard intel graphics -- doesn't Ubuntu
already contain all Intel drivers? According to their site: "Most
versions of the Linux* operating system include Intel? graphics drivers.
Intel recommends checking with your Linux distribution vendor or
computer manufacturer for precompiled driver packages."
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.
I use xfce or lxde and never have the problem, but as an old fart I think bendy-streachy-flashy desktops are APITA.
James
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download BIRT iHub F-Type - The Free Enterprise-Grade BIRT Server
from Actuate! Instantly Supercharge Your Business Reports and Dashboards
with Interactivity, Sharing, Native Excel Exports, App Integration & more
Get technology previously reserved for billion-dollar corporations, FREE
http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=157005751&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
_____________________________________________________________________
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss
For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download BIRT iHub F-Type - The Free Enterprise-Grade BIRT Server
from Actuate! Instantly Supercharge Your Business Reports and Dashboards
with Interactivity, Sharing, Native Excel Exports, App Integration & more
Get technology previously reserved for billion-dollar corporations, FREE
http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=157005751&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
_____________________________________________________________________
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss
For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download BIRT iHub F-Type - The Free Enterprise-Grade BIRT Server
from Actuate! Instantly Supercharge Your Business Reports and Dashboards
with Interactivity, Sharing, Native Excel Exports, App Integration & more
Get technology previously reserved for billion-dollar corporations, FREE
http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=157005751&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
_____________________________________________________________________
Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto:
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss
For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
John Hupp
2014-11-17 16:21:58 UTC
Permalink
You have to see the right source reading, which is hard to find, but I
was aware that Alkis G and other prime movers don't much like LTSP with
Ubuntu 14.04.

Alkis' summary is (in Greek) at
http://alkisg.mysch.gr/steki/index.php?topic=5857.msg66678#msg66678

Google translates this roughly as (and I think 4.12 should be translated
as 12.04):
/
//Disadvantages of 4.14 compared to 4.12://
//- It does not support some ancient graphics cards as S3Virge, Trident,//
//Rage etc., whose drivers based on an architecture called XAA, which//
//repealed. At 14.04 they play with the driver VESA, which is much slower//
//and does not support all resolutions.//
//- It has various issues with the Greek. For example, I think it is
difficult to//
//write in Greek fullscreen SDL apps like tuxtype, should make the
nonfullscreen.//
//- It has some thematakia the panel (panel), icons (applets) and the//
//menu, but OK are not particularly serious.//
//
//Advantages of 14.04 compared to 4.12://
//Upon ... you tell me anything to write here. Okay, newer versions of//
//programs, but I did not need a specific feature of these ... The
kernel of//
//14.04 to 12.04 is available with the name linux-image-generic-lts-
trusty,//
//so new hardware is supported.//
//
//So I would suggest anyone who is not totally specific reason to do
update, can//
//not press upgrade.//
//If you find along the way so why do it.//
//A few days will get renewed and live CD installation 12.04.5 for those
who//
//make new facilities.//
//We live CD 14.04 and available, but for the above reasons probably
best not//
//to use those who do not have a specific reason ... At some point it
would be//
//written and wiki page for the action to make those who choose to upgrade./

In general I think they recommend staying with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS at this
point, and if you need more current hardware support, installing the LTS
Enablement Stack. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEnablementStack

------------------------------------------------------------------------

That said, I'm trying to work with Lubuntu 14.04 (LXDE) and LTSP, and I
have been trying to verify what can or cannot be done with video
streaming to thin clients. Especially Flash, but secondarily HTML5.

This is because I am hard-headed (and because I have a bunch of old thin
clients).

Because the brief advice I have seen here or there is that (in addition
to the 12.04 recommendation), if you want to run Flash on LTSP, use fat
clients. Video streaming in general would probably net the same advice.

And I think that I have pretty much proven that to be good advice (with
perhaps one exception, which I'll get to). I'm finding that to run
Flash, the thin client has to be very nearly at the same hardware spec
as one would need to run the machine standalone or as a fat client.

That is, a Pentium 4 at around 2.4 GHz is the approximate point at which
Flash runs decently in a default window size at 360p quality as a thin
client. But with that processor, you could also run the machine
standalone with a hard drive and get nearly the same performance.
(Though you might need more memory to run the machine standalone than as
a thin client.)

YouTube set to HTML5 mode performs a little better than Flash on the
same hardware.

I do wonder this -- which may be the exception I referred to -- would a
thin client graphics card with a bona fide GPU support a low-spec CPU
such that Flash would work well? (Granted, this would not scale well in
any case due to network bandwidth usage. I wonder nonetheless.)

But unless one could buy a bunch of graphics cards like that at
fire-sale prices, it may be an academic issue only.
Post by Mike Cammilleri
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm definitely seeing
better performance when trying different desktops. I guess I'm just
surprised that LTSP documentation doesn't emphasize how useless an
out-of-the-box install is with Ubuntu. Unity would be the default for
anyone installing LTSP and it appears to be quite useless.
I started with Gnome Classic No Effects which is better and comes with
the default install of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I have also tried Xfce. I will
try MATE next since it has been recommended by many.
I would be curious to see a poll that shows what desktop most LTSP users
are using and which exhibits the best performance for multiple users. As
it stands, if I don't block YouTube streaming, one stream can cause
jumps up to 70mb/s through a gigabit connection which can slow down
traffic for everyone. This is has now become my main concern even with
these lighter weight desktops.
Thanks guys,
mike
Hi,
You will need to install a different window manager, for example MATE,
or LXDE, and then use it when logging in via LightDM, you can then set
this as the default. MATE and LXDE do not use Compiz as their backend,
so will not have the issues you are facing.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/08/install-mate-desktop-ubuntu-14-04-lts
The above link explains how to install MATE onto a vanilla install of 14.04.
Good luck!
I have tried setting up an LTSP server as a VM and I have the same
problems. So perhaps it is my thin-client.
A couple things regarding Harry's suggestions as well....
How does one get rid of compiz or disable it? If I apt-get remove compiz
it will also remove ubuntu-desktop. I think I need ubuntu-desktop, so
not sure how to get rid of compiz. I did have to install gconf-editor
and disable apps->metacity->general compositing_manager and
compositor_effects so that the gnome terminal wouldn't always be on top.
Are there other post-installation steps that should be done after
setting up an out-of-the-box LTSP server that is not really documented?
I'm using Intel GMA 3150 onboard intel graphics -- doesn't Ubuntu
already contain all Intel drivers? According to their site: "Most
versions of the Linux* operating system include Intel? graphics drivers.
Intel recommends checking with your Linux distribution vendor or
computer manufacturer for precompiled driver packages."
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.
I use xfce or lxde and never have the problem, but as an old fart I think bendy-streachy-flashy desktops are APITA.
James
Mike Cammilleri
2014-11-17 20:48:12 UTC
Permalink
More info!

I was using a Zotac ZboxSD-ID13 for my thin client which has "Intel
Graphics Media Accelerator 3150" graphics.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856173036
I added 4GB of RAM when I was troubleshooting.

I also had Firefox and Google Chrome running as local apps. Although the
desktop environment ran smoothy with MATE and Xfce, the browsers were
still unbearable.

I switched now to a Dell Optiplex 7010 as my thin client with "Intel HD
2500 Integrated Graphics" and it works great. So, apparently there is a
huge difference between those integrated graphics sets that was giving
me terrible performance with my browsers, in addition to Unity. Keep in
mind my LTSP server is running 12.04 LTS now.

The problem now is upgrading the desks around the department that are
using the junky Intel GMA 3150.
Post by John Hupp
You have to see the right source reading, which is hard to find, but I
was aware that Alkis G and other prime movers don't much like LTSP
with Ubuntu 14.04.
Alkis' summary is (in Greek) at
http://alkisg.mysch.gr/steki/index.php?topic=5857.msg66678#msg66678
Google translates this roughly as (and I think 4.12 should be
/
//Disadvantages of 4.14 compared to 4.12://
//- It does not support some ancient graphics cards as S3Virge, Trident,//
//Rage etc., whose drivers based on an architecture called XAA, which//
//repealed. At 14.04 they play with the driver VESA, which is much slower//
//and does not support all resolutions.//
//- It has various issues with the Greek. For example, I think it is
difficult to//
//write in Greek fullscreen SDL apps like tuxtype, should make the
nonfullscreen.//
//- It has some thematakia the panel (panel), icons (applets) and the//
//menu, but OK are not particularly serious.//
//
//Advantages of 14.04 compared to 4.12://
//Upon ... you tell me anything to write here. Okay, newer versions of//
//programs, but I did not need a specific feature of these ... The
kernel of//
//14.04 to 12.04 is available with the name linux-image-generic-lts-
trusty,//
//so new hardware is supported.//
//
//So I would suggest anyone who is not totally specific reason to do
update, can//
//not press upgrade.//
//If you find along the way so why do it.//
//A few days will get renewed and live CD installation 12.04.5 for
those who//
//make new facilities.//
//We live CD 14.04 and available, but for the above reasons probably
best not//
//to use those who do not have a specific reason ... At some point it
would be//
//written and wiki page for the action to make those who choose to upgrade./
In general I think they recommend staying with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS at
this point, and if you need more current hardware support, installing
the LTS Enablement Stack. See
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEnablementStack
------------------------------------------------------------------------
That said, I'm trying to work with Lubuntu 14.04 (LXDE) and LTSP, and
I have been trying to verify what can or cannot be done with video
streaming to thin clients. Especially Flash, but secondarily HTML5.
This is because I am hard-headed (and because I have a bunch of old
thin clients).
Because the brief advice I have seen here or there is that (in
addition to the 12.04 recommendation), if you want to run Flash on
LTSP, use fat clients. Video streaming in general would probably net
the same advice.
And I think that I have pretty much proven that to be good advice
(with perhaps one exception, which I'll get to). I'm finding that to
run Flash, the thin client has to be very nearly at the same hardware
spec as one would need to run the machine standalone or as a fat client.
That is, a Pentium 4 at around 2.4 GHz is the approximate point at
which Flash runs decently in a default window size at 360p quality as
a thin client. But with that processor, you could also run the
machine standalone with a hard drive and get nearly the same
performance. (Though you might need more memory to run the machine
standalone than as a thin client.)
YouTube set to HTML5 mode performs a little better than Flash on the
same hardware.
I do wonder this -- which may be the exception I referred to -- would
a thin client graphics card with a bona fide GPU support a low-spec
CPU such that Flash would work well? (Granted, this would not scale
well in any case due to network bandwidth usage. I wonder nonetheless.)
But unless one could buy a bunch of graphics cards like that at
fire-sale prices, it may be an academic issue only.
Post by Mike Cammilleri
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm definitely seeing
better performance when trying different desktops. I guess I'm just
surprised that LTSP documentation doesn't emphasize how useless an
out-of-the-box install is with Ubuntu. Unity would be the default for
anyone installing LTSP and it appears to be quite useless.
I started with Gnome Classic No Effects which is better and comes with
the default install of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I have also tried Xfce. I will
try MATE next since it has been recommended by many.
I would be curious to see a poll that shows what desktop most LTSP users
are using and which exhibits the best performance for multiple users. As
it stands, if I don't block YouTube streaming, one stream can cause
jumps up to 70mb/s through a gigabit connection which can slow down
traffic for everyone. This is has now become my main concern even with
these lighter weight desktops.
Thanks guys,
mike
Hi,
You will need to install a different window manager, for example MATE,
or LXDE, and then use it when logging in via LightDM, you can then set
this as the default. MATE and LXDE do not use Compiz as their backend,
so will not have the issues you are facing.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/08/install-mate-desktop-ubuntu-14-04-lts
The above link explains how to install MATE onto a vanilla install of 14.04.
Good luck!
I have tried setting up an LTSP server as a VM and I have the same
problems. So perhaps it is my thin-client.
A couple things regarding Harry's suggestions as well....
How does one get rid of compiz or disable it? If I apt-get remove compiz
it will also remove ubuntu-desktop. I think I need ubuntu-desktop, so
not sure how to get rid of compiz. I did have to install gconf-editor
and disable apps->metacity->general compositing_manager and
compositor_effects so that the gnome terminal wouldn't always be on top.
Are there other post-installation steps that should be done after
setting up an out-of-the-box LTSP server that is not really documented?
I'm using Intel GMA 3150 onboard intel graphics -- doesn't Ubuntu
already contain all Intel drivers? According to their site: "Most
versions of the Linux* operating system include Intel? graphics drivers.
Intel recommends checking with your Linux distribution vendor or
computer manufacturer for precompiled driver packages."
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.
I use xfce or lxde and never have the problem, but as an old fart I think bendy-streachy-flashy desktops are APITA.
James
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download BIRT iHub F-Type - The Free Enterprise-Grade BIRT Server
from Actuate! Instantly Supercharge Your Business Reports and Dashboards
with Interactivity, Sharing, Native Excel Exports, App Integration & more
Get technology previously reserved for billion-dollar corporations, FREE
http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/clk?id=157005751&iu=/4140/ostg.clktrk
_____________________________________________________________________
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss
For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
John Hupp
2014-11-17 21:37:01 UTC
Permalink
Good to know. I was aware that graphics chipsets and drivers can make a
big difference, but it's always helpful to get specific info about what
works and what doesn't.

Someone may know how to make the Intel GMA 3150 perform better via
entries in LTS.CONF or otherwise, but I myself don't have a recommendation.
Post by Mike Cammilleri
More info!
I was using a Zotac ZboxSD-ID13 for my thin client which has "Intel
Graphics Media Accelerator 3150" graphics.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856173036
I added 4GB of RAM when I was troubleshooting.
I also had Firefox and Google Chrome running as local apps. Although
the desktop environment ran smoothy with MATE and Xfce, the browsers
were still unbearable.
I switched now to a Dell Optiplex 7010 as my thin client with "Intel
HD 2500 Integrated Graphics" and it works great. So, apparently there
is a huge difference between those integrated graphics sets that was
giving me terrible performance with my browsers, in addition to Unity.
Keep in mind my LTSP server is running 12.04 LTS now.
The problem now is upgrading the desks around the department that are
using the junky Intel GMA 3150.
Post by John Hupp
You have to see the right source reading, which is hard to find, but
I was aware that Alkis G and other prime movers don't much like LTSP
with Ubuntu 14.04.
Alkis' summary is (in Greek) at
http://alkisg.mysch.gr/steki/index.php?topic=5857.msg66678#msg66678
Google translates this roughly as (and I think 4.12 should be
/
//Disadvantages of 4.14 compared to 4.12://
//- It does not support some ancient graphics cards as S3Virge, Trident,//
//Rage etc., whose drivers based on an architecture called XAA, which//
//repealed. At 14.04 they play with the driver VESA, which is much slower//
//and does not support all resolutions.//
//- It has various issues with the Greek. For example, I think it is
difficult to//
//write in Greek fullscreen SDL apps like tuxtype, should make the
nonfullscreen.//
//- It has some thematakia the panel (panel), icons (applets) and the//
//menu, but OK are not particularly serious.//
//
//Advantages of 14.04 compared to 4.12://
//Upon ... you tell me anything to write here. Okay, newer versions of//
//programs, but I did not need a specific feature of these ... The
kernel of//
//14.04 to 12.04 is available with the name linux-image-generic-lts-
trusty,//
//so new hardware is supported.//
//
//So I would suggest anyone who is not totally specific reason to do
update, can//
//not press upgrade.//
//If you find along the way so why do it.//
//A few days will get renewed and live CD installation 12.04.5 for
those who//
//make new facilities.//
//We live CD 14.04 and available, but for the above reasons probably
best not//
//to use those who do not have a specific reason ... At some point it
would be//
//written and wiki page for the action to make those who choose to upgrade./
In general I think they recommend staying with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS at
this point, and if you need more current hardware support, installing
the LTS Enablement Stack. See
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEnablementStack
------------------------------------------------------------------------
That said, I'm trying to work with Lubuntu 14.04 (LXDE) and LTSP, and
I have been trying to verify what can or cannot be done with video
streaming to thin clients. Especially Flash, but secondarily HTML5.
This is because I am hard-headed (and because I have a bunch of old
thin clients).
Because the brief advice I have seen here or there is that (in
addition to the 12.04 recommendation), if you want to run Flash on
LTSP, use fat clients. Video streaming in general would probably net
the same advice.
And I think that I have pretty much proven that to be good advice
(with perhaps one exception, which I'll get to). I'm finding that to
run Flash, the thin client has to be very nearly at the same hardware
spec as one would need to run the machine standalone or as a fat client.
That is, a Pentium 4 at around 2.4 GHz is the approximate point at
which Flash runs decently in a default window size at 360p quality as
a thin client. But with that processor, you could also run the
machine standalone with a hard drive and get nearly the same
performance. (Though you might need more memory to run the machine
standalone than as a thin client.)
YouTube set to HTML5 mode performs a little better than Flash on the
same hardware.
I do wonder this -- which may be the exception I referred to -- would
a thin client graphics card with a bona fide GPU support a low-spec
CPU such that Flash would work well? (Granted, this would not scale
well in any case due to network bandwidth usage. I wonder nonetheless.)
But unless one could buy a bunch of graphics cards like that at
fire-sale prices, it may be an academic issue only.
Post by Mike Cammilleri
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm definitely seeing
better performance when trying different desktops. I guess I'm just
surprised that LTSP documentation doesn't emphasize how useless an
out-of-the-box install is with Ubuntu. Unity would be the default for
anyone installing LTSP and it appears to be quite useless.
I started with Gnome Classic No Effects which is better and comes with
the default install of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I have also tried Xfce. I will
try MATE next since it has been recommended by many.
I would be curious to see a poll that shows what desktop most LTSP users
are using and which exhibits the best performance for multiple users. As
it stands, if I don't block YouTube streaming, one stream can cause
jumps up to 70mb/s through a gigabit connection which can slow down
traffic for everyone. This is has now become my main concern even with
these lighter weight desktops.
Thanks guys,
mike
Hi,
You will need to install a different window manager, for example MATE,
or LXDE, and then use it when logging in via LightDM, you can then set
this as the default. MATE and LXDE do not use Compiz as their backend,
so will not have the issues you are facing.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/08/install-mate-desktop-ubuntu-14-04-lts
The above link explains how to install MATE onto a vanilla install of 14.04.
Good luck!
I have tried setting up an LTSP server as a VM and I have the same
problems. So perhaps it is my thin-client.
A couple things regarding Harry's suggestions as well....
How does one get rid of compiz or disable it? If I apt-get remove compiz
it will also remove ubuntu-desktop. I think I need ubuntu-desktop, so
not sure how to get rid of compiz. I did have to install gconf-editor
and disable apps->metacity->general compositing_manager and
compositor_effects so that the gnome terminal wouldn't always be on top.
Are there other post-installation steps that should be done after
setting up an out-of-the-box LTSP server that is not really documented?
I'm using Intel GMA 3150 onboard intel graphics -- doesn't Ubuntu
already contain all Intel drivers? According to their site: "Most
versions of the Linux* operating system include Intel? graphics drivers.
Intel recommends checking with your Linux distribution vendor or
computer manufacturer for precompiled driver packages."
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.
I use xfce or lxde and never have the problem, but as an old fart I think bendy-streachy-flashy desktops are APITA.
James
Mike Cammilleri
2014-11-18 03:52:16 UTC
Permalink
Another easy question (I'm assuming)...

I originally installed Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64-bit Server (Alternate CD) and
then I installed various desktop environments like Awesome, Xfce, MATE,
etc. Is there an advantage I'm missing out on by not installing Xubuntu,
Lubuntu, or some other flavor that is an actual distribution with the
desktop environments pre-packagesd and configured? Am I going to run
into issues or inefficiencies by installing these lightweight desktop
environments via PPA after the fact?

Thanks guys,
mike
Post by John Hupp
Good to know. I was aware that graphics chipsets and drivers can make a
big difference, but it's always helpful to get specific info about what
works and what doesn't.
Someone may know how to make the Intel GMA 3150 perform better via
entries in LTS.CONF or otherwise, but I myself don't have a recommendation.
Post by Mike Cammilleri
More info!
I was using a Zotac ZboxSD-ID13 for my thin client which has "Intel
Graphics Media Accelerator 3150" graphics.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856173036
I added 4GB of RAM when I was troubleshooting.
I also had Firefox and Google Chrome running as local apps. Although
the desktop environment ran smoothy with MATE and Xfce, the browsers
were still unbearable.
I switched now to a Dell Optiplex 7010 as my thin client with "Intel
HD 2500 Integrated Graphics" and it works great. So, apparently there
is a huge difference between those integrated graphics sets that was
giving me terrible performance with my browsers, in addition to Unity.
Keep in mind my LTSP server is running 12.04 LTS now.
The problem now is upgrading the desks around the department that are
using the junky Intel GMA 3150.
Post by John Hupp
You have to see the right source reading, which is hard to find, but
I was aware that Alkis G and other prime movers don't much like LTSP
with Ubuntu 14.04.
Alkis' summary is (in Greek) at
http://alkisg.mysch.gr/steki/index.php?topic=5857.msg66678#msg66678
Google translates this roughly as (and I think 4.12 should be
/
//Disadvantages of 4.14 compared to 4.12://
//- It does not support some ancient graphics cards as S3Virge, Trident,//
//Rage etc., whose drivers based on an architecture called XAA, which//
//repealed. At 14.04 they play with the driver VESA, which is much slower//
//and does not support all resolutions.//
//- It has various issues with the Greek. For example, I think it is
difficult to//
//write in Greek fullscreen SDL apps like tuxtype, should make the
nonfullscreen.//
//- It has some thematakia the panel (panel), icons (applets) and the//
//menu, but OK are not particularly serious.//
//
//Advantages of 14.04 compared to 4.12://
//Upon ... you tell me anything to write here. Okay, newer versions of//
//programs, but I did not need a specific feature of these ... The
kernel of//
//14.04 to 12.04 is available with the name linux-image-generic-lts-
trusty,//
//so new hardware is supported.//
//
//So I would suggest anyone who is not totally specific reason to do
update, can//
//not press upgrade.//
//If you find along the way so why do it.//
//A few days will get renewed and live CD installation 12.04.5 for
those who//
//make new facilities.//
//We live CD 14.04 and available, but for the above reasons probably
best not//
//to use those who do not have a specific reason ... At some point it
would be//
//written and wiki page for the action to make those who choose to upgrade./
In general I think they recommend staying with Ubuntu 12.04 LTS at
this point, and if you need more current hardware support, installing
the LTS Enablement Stack. See
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/LTSEnablementStack
------------------------------------------------------------------------
That said, I'm trying to work with Lubuntu 14.04 (LXDE) and LTSP, and
I have been trying to verify what can or cannot be done with video
streaming to thin clients. Especially Flash, but secondarily HTML5.
This is because I am hard-headed (and because I have a bunch of old
thin clients).
Because the brief advice I have seen here or there is that (in
addition to the 12.04 recommendation), if you want to run Flash on
LTSP, use fat clients. Video streaming in general would probably net
the same advice.
And I think that I have pretty much proven that to be good advice
(with perhaps one exception, which I'll get to). I'm finding that to
run Flash, the thin client has to be very nearly at the same hardware
spec as one would need to run the machine standalone or as a fat client.
That is, a Pentium 4 at around 2.4 GHz is the approximate point at
which Flash runs decently in a default window size at 360p quality as
a thin client. But with that processor, you could also run the
machine standalone with a hard drive and get nearly the same
performance. (Though you might need more memory to run the machine
standalone than as a thin client.)
YouTube set to HTML5 mode performs a little better than Flash on the
same hardware.
I do wonder this -- which may be the exception I referred to -- would
a thin client graphics card with a bona fide GPU support a low-spec
CPU such that Flash would work well? (Granted, this would not scale
well in any case due to network bandwidth usage. I wonder nonetheless.)
But unless one could buy a bunch of graphics cards like that at
fire-sale prices, it may be an academic issue only.
Post by Mike Cammilleri
I want to thank everyone for their suggestions. I'm definitely seeing
better performance when trying different desktops. I guess I'm just
surprised that LTSP documentation doesn't emphasize how useless an
out-of-the-box install is with Ubuntu. Unity would be the default for
anyone installing LTSP and it appears to be quite useless.
I started with Gnome Classic No Effects which is better and comes with
the default install of Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I have also tried Xfce. I will
try MATE next since it has been recommended by many.
I would be curious to see a poll that shows what desktop most LTSP users
are using and which exhibits the best performance for multiple users. As
it stands, if I don't block YouTube streaming, one stream can cause
jumps up to 70mb/s through a gigabit connection which can slow down
traffic for everyone. This is has now become my main concern even with
these lighter weight desktops.
Thanks guys,
mike
Hi,
You will need to install a different window manager, for example MATE,
or LXDE, and then use it when logging in via LightDM, you can then set
this as the default. MATE and LXDE do not use Compiz as their backend,
so will not have the issues you are facing.
http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/08/install-mate-desktop-ubuntu-14-04-lts
The above link explains how to install MATE onto a vanilla install of 14.04.
Good luck!
I have tried setting up an LTSP server as a VM and I have the same
problems. So perhaps it is my thin-client.
A couple things regarding Harry's suggestions as well....
How does one get rid of compiz or disable it? If I apt-get remove compiz
it will also remove ubuntu-desktop. I think I need ubuntu-desktop, so
not sure how to get rid of compiz. I did have to install gconf-editor
and disable apps->metacity->general compositing_manager and
compositor_effects so that the gnome terminal wouldn't always be on top.
Are there other post-installation steps that should be done after
setting up an out-of-the-box LTSP server that is not really documented?
I'm using Intel GMA 3150 onboard intel graphics -- doesn't Ubuntu
already contain all Intel drivers? According to their site: "Most
versions of the Linux* operating system include Intel? graphics drivers.
Intel recommends checking with your Linux distribution vendor or
computer manufacturer for precompiled driver packages."
It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.
I use xfce or lxde and never have the problem, but as an old fart I think bendy-streachy-flashy desktops are APITA.
James
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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_____________________________________________________________________
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss
For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Download BIRT iHub F-Type - The Free Enterprise-Grade BIRT Server
from Actuate! Instantly Supercharge Your Business Reports and Dashboards
with Interactivity, Sharing, Native Excel Exports, App Integration & more
Get technology previously reserved for billion-dollar corporations, FREE
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_____________________________________________________________________
Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto:
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For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
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