Ask Slashdot: Options For FOSS Remote Support Software?

Albanach writes "I'm sure I'm not alone in being asked to help friends and family with computer issues. These folk typically run Windows (everything from XP onward) or OS X (typically 10.4 onward). Naturally, desktop sharing is often much easier than trying to talk the other end through various steps. I've found free sites like join.me but they don't work with OS X 10.4, neither does the Chrome plugin. I'd also prefer not to compromise security by using a third party in the middle of the connection. Is there a good, free solution I can run on my linux box that supports old and new clients that run Windows, OS X and possibly linux? I'd love it if the users could simply bring their systems up to date, but that doesn't solve the third party issue and it's not easy when it requires a non-trivial RAM upgrade on a Mac Mini."

Comments

[PSA] Ken Starks of HeliOS fame has 2-3 weeks left

[arielCo]

This is one of those put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is situations. Ken Stark and his buddies have refurbished ~1,500 computers, putting Linux on them, and donating them to poor kids in central Texas since 2005 (interview at LXer.com). Now he's battling throat and neck cancer. From his blog at http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2012/08/this-is-where-we-are.html (written by her partner Diane):

Ken's cancer has just recently begun to spread to his right lymph node but his Oncologist has assured us that this is 80 percent curative if he gets the needed surgery in time.

Unfortunately, his 1100 dollar a month SSI disability disqualifies him for Medicaid care and the local county low-income insurance he was receiving. This leaves us with about 2 weeks to either raise enough money for at least the OR for the surgery (we are hopeful of finding a surgeon to do the work pro bono) or raise enough money for the entire procedure. We've spent hours upon hours researching and contacting the links some of you have provided but they are so limited in scope that 90 percent of them are not helpful at all.

We are looking at two weeks, maybe three before the cancer spreads past the point of surgery being an option. After that, we've been told just to make him as comfortable as possible until he passes. I'm not ready to accept that.

Stupid, this Medicare exclusion. More about the guy, by Steven Vaughan-Nichols of ZDnet fame:

+Ken Starks is a Linux and open-source supporter. He also runs a non-profit that's donated thousands of PCs to low-income households. Now, he needs help to fight cancer. For more on what's happening with him see:

http://thomasaknight.com/blog.php?id=71

https://plus.google.com/113169713749496726739/posts/aXdV6DZivhS

There's a donation page at Indiegogo, or you can do it directly from his blog. They have gathered about $7,700 and just reserving the OR costs about $50,000. Pitch in if you can. Anyway, spread the word.

Thanks for reading. I don't even know the guy; I only learned about it through an unsuccessful Firehose submission and decided to do something.

Re:Simple solution

[hobarrera]

Someone please mod this funny!

Re:You've really never heard of VNC?

[zhouren1989]

monster beat by dre monster beat by dr dre dre beat studios dr dre beats studios beat by dre monster beats by dr dre studios monster beat by dre