connect to active desktop session with VNC

Problem

I mainly work on a mac laptop, but sometimes I have some tasks on an ubuntu desktop. ssh works well for some non-GUI tasks, but for those tasks with GUI on ubuntu desktop, I have to move my hands to desktop’s keyboard away from laptop’s keyboard, back and forth. Many times I pressed laptop’s keyboard while I intended to input for desktop, or vice versa.

Solution

If I could connect to the active session on ubuntu desktop from my laptop, then I could only type on my laptop’s keyboard, which apparently solves the problem.

That is x11vnc.

1. apt-get install x11vnc

2. run x11vnc on ubuntu

   x11vnc -display :0 -usepw -allow ip_of_laptop -shared

3. From Mac laptop, Command + k in Finder to connect to:

   vnc://ip_or_hostname_of_ubuntu:5900