VNC exports a whole session, desktop and all, while ssh will run a single program and show its windows on your workstation. The VNC server exports a session that survives even when you disconnect your screen, and you can reconnect to it later with all the windows open etc. This is not possible with an ssh X tunnel, since when your X server dies, the windows go away. 1. That's the biggest reason I always use VNC, never direct X window. (I use VNC over a ssh tunnel). When I close the lid on my laptop, the connection is broken. With ssh -X, there is no way to resume -- I have to re-start the application from the beginning. With VNC (both direct and over a ssh tunnel), I can reconnect and resume. 2. If an actual GUI app is not required, and just basic shell access will do (e.g., xterm), then do “ssh“ followed by “screen bash“. If disconnected (laptop closed,vpn disconnected, etc), the remote shell stays active. Re-login & re-connect via “screen -r“. I only bring this up since I've seen people run vnc just for basic shell access (or run a remote xterm displayed locally); most of the time (but of course not always), simple shell access will suffice. @simona after the successful ssh login, then run screen: ssh user@host ; and after logged in: screen bash ; to disconnect, ctrl+a followed by ctrl+d. You can logout and login again, then: screen -ls and screen -r. Exiting bash exits the screen session. See screen tutorials

Krfb is equivalent to VNC server, Krdc is equivalent to VNC client