Still Unbuilt

All 100 ideasDesktop and OS

#21 of 100 · Desktop and OS

Remote desktop that feels local

A free or fair-priced open remote desktop, smooth as RDP on Mac and Linux, easy for helping relatives behind NAT.

15asks, each re-read
14separate threads
11of 19 years
4since 2024
2011first asked

Asks per year

’08’1011’122’141’161’182’2011’2212’242’26

What the askers want

  • Would pay7%
  • Want it local or private40%
  • Object to subscriptions13%
  • Want it open source or self-hosted20%
  • Want AI to do it0%

Share of the 15 asks that say so, as judged by Jev.

What exists on Show HN

Built, still asked for2 Show HN launches do this job, and 13 more do part of it. People still ask, so the launches are missed, unknown, or not what they want. Ask what they’re missing before you build.

Instead of: TeamViewer, VNC, AnyDesk, Parsec

The idea, as matched

A free or fairly priced, open, low-latency remote desktop that works across Windows, Mac and Linux, traverses NAT for helping family, and feels as smooth as Microsoft RDP.

Jev first matched 17 requests to this idea; a second reader kept 15 of 17.

Every ask, newest first

Each line is an AI paraphrase of what the writer wanted. The link goes to their own words on Hacker News.

Reader’s note. TeamViewer commercial-use lockouts drive many asks.

  1. Mar 2025Wants a free, quicker alternative to Mac Screen Sharing, which shows high latency and CPU on a LAN. Read it: a comment in “Why Apple's Severance gets edited over remote desktop software”
  2. Mar 2025Wants a lighter-client alternative to Parsec for connecting several home desks to one central workstation server. Read it: a post: “Ask HN: Lightweight Alternatives to Parsec for a Centralized Workstation Setup?”
  3. Jun 2024Seeks a TeamViewer or AnyDesk alternative working between Windows and Mac without free-tier limits. Read it: a post: “Remote desktop sofware for Mac and Windows”
  4. Apr 2024Wants a free, code-entry remote support tool that a 70-year-old can use, after TeamViewer flagged commercial use. Read it: a post: “Ask HN: Free alternative to Teamviewer?”
  5. Dec 2023Wants a trustworthy tool for relatives' Windows PCs that connects back to their Linux machine for support. Read it: a comment in “The Linux backdoor attempt of 2003 (2013)”
  6. Aug 2022Asks why Mac and Linux lack remote desktop as fast as RDP, since VNC lags even locally. Read it: a post: “Ask HN: Why is there no performant remote desktop for Mac/Linux?”
  7. Dec 2021Wants a free implementation of Microsoft-style RDP terminal services, since VNC falls short. Read it: a comment in “Show HN: P2P remote desktop – an alternative to TeamViewer / AnyDesk”
  8. Dec 2020Wants a better remote desktop client for Mac than Microsoft Remote Desktop, whose performance lags. Read it: a comment in “Ask HN: Will the dev tools that don't work on M1 chips be fixed next year?”
  9. Apr 2020Wants low-lag remote desktop with smooth text scrolling at 1080p60, like Parsec, including LAN support. Read it: a post: “Ask HN: What are the best screen sharing/streaming services?”
  10. Apr 2018Wants an open-source TeamViewer competitor with NAT traversal, uncomfortable giving a company root access. Read it: a comment in “Ask HN: What free-to-use software inspires you?”
  11. Jan 2016Wants RDP-quality remote access on Linux and OS X, including reaching a Mac from Windows without VNC. Read it: a comment in “Remote Desktop Protocol Improvements in Windows 10”
  12. Jan 2014Wants an affordable remote access tool with commercial licensing that is simpler than TeamViewer or LogMeIn. Read it: a comment in “LogMeIn to discontinue free remote access product”
  13. Jan 2014Would pay for a reliable remote access service for individuals with few clients, free of firewall trouble. Read it: a comment in “LogMeIn to discontinue free remote access product”
  14. Feb 2012Wants a robust, current, open Windows VNC server proven across varied networks, replacing crash-prone UltraVNC. Read it: a post: “Quick poll: Favorite VNC Server for Windows?”
  15. Dec 2011Wishes NX remote desktop existed for Mac to avoid Microsoft technology. Read it: a comment in “Tips for Remote Unix Work (SSH, screen, and VNC)”

Building this?

Read ten of the asks above first, because they say what the existing launches miss. If you ship it, post it as a Show HN so the next run of this list finds it.

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