More Gnome-sessions simultaneously
 

How can I open more than 2 gnome-sessions simultaneously ? I can now access only two gnome sessions (by hitting CTRL+ALT+F7 and CTRL+ALT+F8) but I want to be able to open one more session.

check gnome config directory under /etc/ (something like /etc/gnome)
there should be Xservers file, add more lines to it . like this:

:0 local@tty1 /usr/X11R6/bin/X vt7
:1 local@tty2 reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X :1 vt8
:2 local@tty3 reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X :2 vt9
:3 local@tty4 reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X :3 vt10
:4 local@tty5 reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X :4 vt11


or then again, its probably gdm issue .. try looking gdm conf also .

I forgot to mention, I'm using the Debian Sarge Distribution

nope, couldn't find such thing in /etc/gnome or gdm.conf, it is present however in /etc/kde3/kdm

:0 local@tty1 /usr/X11R6/bin/X -nolisten tcp
#:1 local@tty2 reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X -nolisten tcp :1
#:2 local@tty3 reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X -nolisten tcp :2
#:3 local@tty4 reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X -nolisten tcp :3
#:4 local@tty5 reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X -nolisten tcp :4


but I don't use kdm :(

any other suggestions ?

Have a look in /etc/inittab and see if what you're looking for is in there. I believe that's where the terminals are initially set up. Might be totally off base, casue I've never done what you're doing, just thought to chime in :).

Nope, that's not it, from there I can spawn more tty-s but these newly spawned tty-s cannot be used from within the X -server

Well, after some more google I found the following solutions:

1. gdmflexiserver: When run from a logged in user it spawns a new login screen.

Good points: A new login gdm console are opened only when requested by the user
Bad points: you must use gdm, you must have a logged in user to run the command, 3D acceleration is only available for the first user :confused:

2. editing /etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf and under the section [servers] Write another two ones:
0=Standard
1=Standard
2=Standard

Good points: doesn't need a logged in user to open a new gnome-session
Bad points: the login gdm consoles will always be opened waiting for user imput


I'm still not satisfied by these options. I really liked the M$ XP implementation of the fast user switching, and I'm looking for something similar.