[LightDM] launch xvfb if no monitor detected

[Vojtěch Polášek]

Hello,

thank you all for replies. This setup is not something common, these 
users just have desktops and no monitors.

The strange thing is that it is probably distribution specific - Ubuntu 
works for them but Fedora 30 does not. So it might be something in the 
way in which distros configure X servers.

Vojta

Dne 09. 05. 20 v 15:25 Robert Heller napsal(a):
> At Sat, 9 May 2020 11:54:43 +0100 Dave Pawson <dave.pawson at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 9 May 2020 at 11:21, Adam Nielsen <a.nielsen at shikadi.net> wrote:
>>
>>> You probably won't be able to run a headless machine because they don't
>>> run a GUI.  This means they can't be used to run GUI programs like major
>>> web browsers.  True, you could restrict yourself to console only
>>> software, but console web browsers for example, tend to perform poorly
>>> on mainstream web sites which only ensure compatibility with a couple
>>> of popular browser engines.
>>>
>>> Running a GUI, so that you can run a mainstream web browser along with a
>>> screen reader, is probably going to provide a better experience.  I am
>>> only guessing though, as I don't have any experience myself in this
>>> area.
>> Some experience with low vision / blind users, I'd agree, since screen
>> readers will target mainstream browsers.
>>
>> So perhaps the question might be, how to configure x-windows to
>> target a null device?
>>     Or add a super cheap display -
>> Working 10 years with blind users, I never saw one *without* a screen,
>> which may be indicative? Or may just point to standard installations
>> with reader added?
> The only commonly available OEM machines that come *without* a monitor are
> server boxes.  If one visits the Dell, HP, etc. websites and look for a
> "desktop" computer, a monitor is *always* included, at least for typical
> consumer / home models.  So, probably the answer is "standard installations
> with reader added".  (It is of course imposible to get a laptop without a
> screen.)
>
> The closest one can get to a headless "workstation" would be a Raspberry Pi or
> similar. Note: modern ATX and ITX motherboards almost always now have an
> integrated GPU. Even "hi-end" Raspberry Pi clones (eg the Allwinner A64-based
> Banana Pi M64) have integrated GPUs. Actually even *servers* generally have
> some sort of integrated graphics (at least standalone office servers -- I
> don't know about blade servers).
>
>> HTH
>>
>>