[lotuseclat79]

Here.

In this article Treadstone describes a very useful program: GNU Screen. Usually this program is used by people who have a shell account on a Unix server. But it can be also helpful to people who haven’t yet started to use a terminal or even Linux/Unix at all. Screen — simply — is a program which enables users to create more system shells without the need of logging in multiple times. Moreover it allows to leave programs running after you’ve logged out. What can it be useful for? For example to continue compiling or downloading something when someone wants to use the computer, or to run more than one terminal for one ssh connection. There are many more possible ways of using it…

-- Tom

[WARnux]

Looks interesting but are you restricted to only terminal based use? Or does it handle running an x server?

[lotuseclat79]

You could run an X server from within a Gnu Screen terminal, after all, X server is just a program. a server program, but still just a program.

GNU Screen can be thought of as a text version of graphical window managers, or as a way of putting virtual terminals into any login session. It is a wrapper that allows multiple text programs to run at the same time, and provides features that allow the user to use the programs within a single interface productively. Ref: Wikipedia.

It is a tool that can be useful in situations where there is a bare or limited environment - so, what are ya gonna do - call ghostbusters? No, you look into your toolbox to see what fits the situation. It's a good tool to have in your toolbox for when you really, really need it.

The more experience you have, the more specialized the tools become in your toolbox. Like old friends - they come and go as newer ones take their place and you get more experience. You never replace the tried and true ones, however, just like your real true friends.

-- Tom