How to setup FreeRDP from Linux (Ubuntu) to Windows 7

This one's for all those tech geeks out there...

There's finally a working solution to use RemoteApp from Windows - that means you can finally have a RELIABLE seamless desktop with a remote Windows PC on you linux machine.

First off: why do this?

I was using VirtualBox with their great seamless mode for a while with Ubuntu, but it was never really stable. After a few hours it would crash every time. When it was running, it ran well. But it never worked for very long.

The xFreeRDP solution lets you connect to a remote computer and use windows programs seamlessly with Microsoft's RemoteApp (which is built in to Win7, Vista, Server)

How...

1. Make sure you have Windows 7 ENTERPRISE or ULTIMATE or Windows Server.  This won't work on Windows 7 Pro.

2. Download the latest version of FreeRDP from here: https://github.com/FreeRDP/FreeRDP

3. Setup your system for compiling it - on Ubuntu you need to do the following:

$ sudo apt-get install build-essential git-core cmake libssl-dev libx11-dev libxext-dev libxinerama-dev libxcursor-dev libxdamage-dev libxv-dev libxkbfile-dev libasound2-dev libcups2-dev

$ sudo apt-get install libavutil-dev libavcodec-dev 

$ cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -DWITH_SSE2=ON .

$ make

$ sudo make install

$ sudo cat > /etc/ld.so.conf.d/freerdp.conf 
/usr/local/lib/freerdp
/usr/local/lib

$ ldconfig


4. On your Windows 7 machine, run Regedit and under HKLocalMachine\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT add a key named "Terminal Services"

5. Under that, add a DWORD32 value named "fAllowUnlistedRemotePrograms" and set the value to 1

If you don't do this, you will get the following error: RAIL exec error: execResult=RAIL_EXEC_E_NOT_IN_ALLOWLIST NtError=0x15


6. run the following command on your Linux box

$ xfreerdp -u <username>  --app --plugin ./usr/local/lib/freerdp/rail.so --data "%windir%\system32\cmd.exe" -- <ip of your windows machine>

Note your rail.so path may be different, so you may have to search for it.

That's it... you can now launch programs from the cmd shell.

Could SoLoMo Be the Key to Powering Your Mobile Strategy?

The most recent buzz on mobile is that branded mobile apps could be the most powerful form of advertising yet, specifically because they relay a company’s message in a much more active way than just print ads or websites. In fact, downloading a mobile app that is informational or provides a specific utility has been shown to engage consumers even more than entertainment or gaming. How? The answer could be SoLoMo.

Broadly speaking, SoLoMo refers to the new generation of technologies that integrate social media (network content and shareability), local (location-based technologies such as GPS and real-time activity) and mobile (smartphones capabilities that render technology useable anytime, anywhere).
  
So what are we talking here?  Sending your customers push notifications on special deals or coupons when they happen to be in your neighborhood?  It may not be as complicated as that. 

If you’re thinking of creating a branded mobile app for your company, consider SoLoMo as a way to devise your mobile strategy. 

For instance, if you’re a retailer, you may already be using social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.  You probably also have your own blog. So consider integrating these as a tab into your app, to offer your customers valuable content in the form of tips and hints to help them find the product they’re looking for and attain a more satisfying shopping experience when they’re in your store. 

If you’re a food truck, take a hint from the “Lo” or SoLoMo and integrate a geo-location tab in your mobile app that helps your customers find you whether you’re at your usual haunt or may be venturing out to a new neighborhood.   Your customers will love being able to have instant access to your location when they’re in the mood for some food. 

And finally, the “Mo” of SoLoMo could just be the key to attaining discoverability for your mobile app.  Text message is one of the integral features of phones that capitalizes on being able to connect with consumers anytime, anywhere.  Consider using one of the popular DIY mobile app creation tools out there to create a mobile app that can be sent out to customers via text message links. 

No, SoLoMo isn’t a tropical locale that you can score a trip to via TravelZoo. But it could just be your road to devising a mobile app that generates that extra level of interactivity with your customers and lands you your next sale!