UltraVNC is an open source

Open source

The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...

 application for the Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

 operating system

Operating system

An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...

 that uses the VNC

Virtual Network Computing

In computing, Virtual Network Computing is a graphical desktop sharing system that uses the RFB protocol to remotely control another computer...

 protocol to control another computer's screen remotely.

Features

UltraVNC allows to use a remote computer as if you were in front of it, by moving the mouse, using the keyboard and displaying everything that happens on your desktop in real time. UltraVNC bears a strong resemblance to RealVNC

RealVNC

RealVNC is a company that provides remote access software. The software consists of a server and client application for the Virtual Network Computing protocol to control another computer's screen remotely.-History:...

 Free Edition. However, in addition to remote control it adds various features, such as an encryption

Encryption

In cryptography, encryption is the process of transforming information using an algorithm to make it unreadable to anyone except those possessing special knowledge, usually referred to as a key. The result of the process is encrypted information...

 plugin to secure the client/server connection. It also supports file transfers, chat functionality and various authentication methods. The software is free and distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License

GNU General Public License

The GNU General Public License is the most widely used free software license, originally written by Richard Stallman for the GNU Project....

.

History

UltraVNC is developed in the C

C (programming language)

C is a general-purpose computer programming language developed between 1969 and 1973 by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for use with the Unix operating system....

, C++

C++

C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...

, and Java

Java (programming language)

Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...

 programming languages.

The 1.0.6.4 release added support for working as a Windows service

Windows Service

On Microsoft Windows operating systems, a Windows service is a long-running executable that performs specific functions and which is designed not to require user intervention. Windows services can be configured to start when the operating system is booted and run in the background as long as...

 under User Account Control

User Account Control

User Account Control is a technology and security infrastructure introduced with Microsoft's Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems, with a more relaxed version also present in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2...

 (UAC).

Reverse control

UltraVNC is notable as the base for free no-install remote help desk

Help desk

A help desk is an information and assistance resource that troubleshoots problems with computers or similar products. Corporations often provide help desk support to their customers via a toll-free number, website and e-mail. There are also in-house help desks geared toward providing the same kind...

 options including UltraVNC Single Click ("SC") and PCHelpWare. These operate by generating pre-configured executables that can be downloaded and run on systems needing support; these applications then connect back to server software running on the system of the person providing support.

See also

• VNC
• RFB Protocol
  RFB Protocol
  RFB is a simple protocol for remote access to graphical user interfaces. Because it works at the framebuffer level it is applicable to all windowing systems and applications, including X11, Windows and Macintosh...
  
  
• Comparison of remote desktop software

External links

• UltraVNC Home - official website