My PI works, right out of the box!

This is similar to my experience, except it took me a bit longer, though in my defense I had an early model that crashed randomly and I had to return it for an updated model. My problem now is apparently a firewall setup that's keeping me from contacting the x-server on the Pi, but that's just that I haven't had any time to play with it. Otherwise I'm running VM/370 on it just fine.

Have you enabled X11 forwarding? It needs to be enabled in /etc/ssh/ ssh_config on all Linux hosts where you'll login from with ssh and in /etc/ssh/sshd_config on the remote host you're logging in to. If this isn't done the X11 session can't be connected to your local x-server because the remote sshd won't forward it and the local ssh process won't connect it to your local x-server.

I tend to enable X11 forwarding for both ssh and sshd at both ends because, although I generally run graphical programs on my house server from my laptop, every so often its convenient to do the opposite.

I thought I did, but perhaps it was a temporary change. As I said, I haven't had much time to play lately. Thanks.

Mine still hasn't arrived (gloomy face icon)

Don't forget "xhosts +"

I used a third-party source, increasing the price by about $4. (cdon.com) It arrived as a letter three days after I ordered it.

I also ordered a Sandisk Extreme card (30/200x speed, as stated on the packaging. This is really noticable when doing disk work).

It performs well at 900 MHz, 500 Mhz ram; that is as far as I have gotten. It is a bit sluggish on compiles, about as you would expect Mhz by Mhz; it shows up with around 635 mips in the (in)famous dhrystone benchmark. The desktop is very fast, though, and it came right up on this 18xxx10xx monitor.

(as a comparison, my 1.7Ghz i5 shows up with 7000 mips, the 1Mhz trimslice 4500, the 1.6 GHz eee at about the same, and the trusty old HP celeron 4100)

With rdesktop, ssh etc it is a stellar thin client, and it is _quiet_.

And, yes, all the debian/ubuntu stuff is there, one apt-get away.

-- mrr

Actually, do forget that.

1. it's potentially dangerous, you've just let anyone connect to your X server (if they can find you, easier said than done)

1. if you set up the ssh forwarding correctly, the display is automatically and correctly set