[arch-general] Why does kde4 over vnc look bad if host is Arch, looks fine if suse?

[David C. Rankin]

Guys,

  This has puzzled me for a while now. If I need to do something on a remote 
host that is something more than what I want to do over ssh (something that 
requires 4-5 windows or apps or configuring the actual remote desktop) I use 
vncserver/vncviewer. If I need a kde4 app and the remote host is opensuse, 
then there is no problem at all running the app. If the remote host is arch, 
then I am kind of screwed because there is some setting causing kde4 (which I 
understand uses native 24bit color) to look terrible. The vncserver setting on 
both suse and arch are identical. The start script I use for vncserver is:

20:24 dcrgx2:~> cat bin/vncs
#!/bin/bash

GEOMETRY=${1:-1280x800}
DEPTH=${2:-24}
SCREEN=${3:-1}

vncserver -geometry $GEOMETRY -depth $DEPTH :$SCREEN &

echo -e "\n    vncserver returned $?\n"
exit 0

  The xstartup scripts are the same as well:

Archlinux:

20:29 dcrgx2:~> cat .vnc/xstartup
#!/bin/sh

xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey
xterm -geometry 80x24+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
#twm &
startkde &
#e16start &
#enlightenment_start &

suse:

20:19 dcrgx:~> cat .vnc/xstartup
#!/bin/sh

xrdb $HOME/.Xresources
xsetroot -solid grey
#xterm -geometry 80x24+10+10 -ls -title "$VNCDESKTOP Desktop" &
#twm &
startkde &
#openbox &

  However, the resulting vncsession with Arch looks all garbled (pixilated) 
while the suse session looks great:

Arch:

http://www.3111skyline.com/download/screenshots/archlinux/arch-kde4overvnc.jpg

suse:

http://www.3111skyline.com/download/screenshots/archlinux/suse-kde4overvnc.jpg

  There must be some setting that controls this behavior. I would like to 
figure out what it is, because even if I use enlightenment or openbox on arch 
as my desktop over vnc, if I have to call a kde4 app, everything looks 
terrible. Where should I start looking to find the difference?

-- 
David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
Rankin Law Firm, PLLC
510 Ochiltree Street
Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
Telephone: (936) 715-9333
Facsimile: (936) 715-9339
www.rankinlawfirm.com