Apple wraps up development of Apple Remote Desktop 3

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
The development of Apple Computer's next-generation remote desktop management software, Apple Remote Desktop 3.0, is complete, AppleInsider has learned.



The major update, which was reported on last year, is expected to deliver about a dozen prime features such as an AutoInstall function, network copy and paste, and remote Spotlight search capabilities.



While the feature set of ADR 3.0 has changed only slightly over the past year, usually reliable sources are reporting that the software package has adopted at least one new gizmo: a Dashboard widget.



The new widget will reportedly allow administrators to select a client machine from a list and observe it in the Dashboard environment.



Other expected features of ARD 3.0 include a privacy or "curtain mode," improved file copy support, and detailed user and application usage reports.



Sources have suggested Apple could release the software soon. Alternatively, the company may decide to withhold the release until it unveils its next-generation operating system, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard -- similar to a move it made with Apple Remote Desktop 2.2 and Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    I wonder if OS X Server will allow, now with Boot Camp, to do what Ghost does for PCs? Imagine a 60,000 seat contract who can now buy Macs and have images blasted to satisfy their PC side.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    fahlmanfahlman Posts: 740member
    I assume "Curtain Mode" allows the remote administrator to blank out the screen while he/she is interfacing with it. That's a nice option. I hope that it allows the remote administrator and the local user to access the computer at the same time like OSXvnc does.
  • Reply 3 of 21
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,640member
    Waiting would be a bad move. I know a number of people administrating Mac labs in schools who have been waiting for this upgrade.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    rtxrtx Posts: 23member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by melgross

    Waiting would be a bad move. I know a number of people administrating Mac labs in schools who have been waiting for this upgrade.



    I admin about 35 macs at a small org, and the sooner the better, for sure.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    macslutmacslut Posts: 514member
    Waiting would suck for those of us with Intel based Macs since 2.x doesn't work under Rosetta.
  • Reply 6 of 21
    auxioauxio Posts: 2,763member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by macslut

    Waiting would suck for those of us with Intel based Macs since 2.x doesn't work under Rosetta.



    There is a hack workaround (can't find a link offhand). However, they really need to get a universal version out ASAP.
  • Reply 7 of 21
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,640member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by auxio

    There is a hack workaround (can't find a link offhand). However, they really need to get a universal version out ASAP.



    there is a workaround, but it isn't fully usable.



    The problem is that many schools still use System 9, and earlier, as well.
  • Reply 8 of 21
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    I wish they'd offer something better for home and "SOHO" users. It doesn't have to be the same as the enterprise version, but I want something that is better than just using a VNC client. Even if they just released a "family pack" good for five computers, that would be great.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    kasperkasper Posts: 941member, administrator
    Quote:

    Originally posted by fahlman

    I assume "Curtain Mode" allows the remote administrator to blank out the screen while he/she is interfacing with it. That's a nice option. I hope that it allows the remote administrator and the local user to access the computer at the same time like OSXvnc does.



    Check the original report on ADR3 linked in this article, we talk about it.



    Best,



    K
  • Reply 10 of 21
    bborofkabborofka Posts: 230member
    ARD management with Directory Services (AD, OD, etc.) has been broken since 10.4.0. (Works great in 10.3.9). ARD 2.2 has always seemed like a quirky, buggy app. Why do installs just randomly fail 75% of the time when I try to push a package? Why do most tasks fail when the short username of the account using ARD console is over a certain length? Why does Software Difference seem to print out every single thing the he clients have in common, instead of just things that they have that are different?



    About time for an update. This app has been ignored too long. We've really been wanting to use it in our institution (100s of Macs) but these problems have been holding us back.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    chrisgchrisg Posts: 239member
    Bring it on Apple!
  • Reply 12 of 21
    rongoldrongold Posts: 302member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider

    While the feature set of ADR 3.0 has changed only slightly over the past year, usually reliable sources are reporting that the software package has adopted at least one new gizmo: a Dashboard widget.



    The new widget will reportedly allow administrators to select a client machine from a list and observe it in the Dashboard environment....



    ...Sources have suggested Apple could release the software soon. Alternatively, the company may decide to withhold the release until it unveils its next-generation operating system, Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard




    Or they could wait to release it with a new handheld device that doesn't use the conventional processing power of a full fledged Mac. Holy Crap! I can't believe they can run it within a widget. That means they have been able to write the windowing within Java, right? I mean Widgets only use HTLM, CSS and Java I believe.



    Alright, maybe I'm just being too wishful.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    rongoldrongold Posts: 302member
    You could also use this handheld... thing... as a dockable photoframe device where the photo is display via a widget. 'Course I presented this idea about a year ago and was promptly shot down.
  • Reply 14 of 21
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by rongold

    Or they could wait to release it with a new handheld device that doesn't use the conventional processing power of a full fledged Mac. Holy Crap! I can't believe they can run it within a widget. That means they have been able to write the windowing within Java, right? I mean Widgets only use HTLM, CSS and Java I believe.



    Alright, maybe I'm just being too wishful.




    Widgets use WebKit/WebCore which is ObjC++/C++.



    http://webkit.opendarwin.org/projects/

    http://wiki.opendarwin.org/index.php/WebKit
  • Reply 15 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally posted by mdriftmeyer

    Widgets use WebKit/WebCore which is ObjC++/C++.



    http://webkit.opendarwin.org/projects/

    http://wiki.opendarwin.org/index.php/WebKit




    Plus they can call to any Cocoa code. So in theory you can make any app run in dashboard; it just wouldn't be a wise idea.
  • Reply 16 of 21
    ajmasajmas Posts: 601member
    The VPN market is certainly something they need to start taking into account. I can download a free Windows Remote Desktop client, for Mac or PC and use it to access my PC at work.



    On the other hand I can't do the same with the Apple Remote Desktop, since I need to buy both components, that is client and server



    Until then I will use VNC.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    bborofkabborofka Posts: 230member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ajmas

    The VPN market is certainly something they need to start taking into account. I can download a free Windows Remote Desktop client, for Mac or PC and use it to access my PC at work.



    On the other hand I can't do the same with the Apple Remote Desktop, since I need to buy both components, that is client and server



    Until then I will use VNC.




    VPN market? Huh? You mean VNC?



    You don't need to buy the ARD daemon, it comes free with OS X. You can download the latest version at http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...pupdate22.html



    The you can use any free VNC client (Mac or PC) to access the Mac, such as Chicken of the VNC.
  • Reply 18 of 21
    rongoldrongold Posts: 302member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by danielctull

    Plus they can call to any Cocoa code. So in theory you can make any app run in dashboard; it just wouldn't be a wise idea.



    Oh, so you can use regular web languages(HTML, CSS, XML, Javascript) AND Cocoa. Even better.
  • Reply 19 of 21
    twoninetwonine Posts: 1member
    its really incredible that no matter what the topic, any thread can turn into someone's request for a mac tablet!
  • Reply 20 of 21
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bborofka

    You don't need to buy the ARD daemon, it comes free with OS X. You can download the latest version at http://www.apple.com/downloads/macos...pupdate22.html



    The you can use any free VNC client (Mac or PC) to access the Mac, such as Chicken of the VNC.




    This is true, but vanilla VNC doesn't have any of the nifty looking ARD features. For my small business, when I add another Macs or two, I would like to have ARD, but not at the current cost for 10 clients, especially as I don't need five. That's why I suggested a home and small business edition, or "family pack" if you like to call it that.
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