... could be on the same node (different X servers) or from different node (same home dir via nfs). Currently, I've tried both kde and gnome and have had problems although I have not done any configuration to address the issue. The issue/situation is this: I want to be able to log onto a physical console and also (while still logged onto the physical console) start a vncserver (same user, hence same home dir where configuration is stored) which will have the same (kde or gnome) desktop/window manager as the physical console. A similar situation would be if I wanted to control a set of operator consoles. A group of computers all of which mount a group/operator account home area from some nfs server (so it's the same home area access from several computers). On each of the systems, an operator logs on using a group/common account. The goal would be that all operator consoles have the same look (i.e the same Desktop icons) and if an icon is create on one console it will show up on all consoles. Using kde, I've seen this happen, but I've also seen some wackiness. Perhaps the answer is "you can't do that -- you'll have to have a periodic job syncing configuration directories that are per-node (or something like that)" I know that at least part of the kde environment creates and uses the _file_: .DCOPserver_${HOSTNAME}_${DISPLAY} but I don't know if this is applicable. Anyway, does anyone out there have an experience with this situation or similar? Oh, one answer could be to use a less sophisticate desktop/window manager environment (i.e fvwm2) and not use icons but just have desktop-click-pop-up-menus. Thanks, Ron