Have a search for 'putty'.

I use 'putty' through ssh to a headless linux box on my own network.
Not rich enough yet for a remote dedicated server :(

No need to pay, the best and simplest method is to use Putty, which is a free download:

[chiark.greenend.org.uk...]

You can use Putty to connect to the server via SSH. Once logged in as a regular user you can su to root when required.

<added> too slow! ;) </added>

Downloaded and tried Putty. It works but seems really retro...

Unless I am totally misusing it, it reminds me of 1980's telnet.

There's got to be something more advanced 20 years later... isn't there?

it reminds me of 1980's telnet

Careful now. You are going to have dozens of aged server-admins spluttering into their muesli, and barking out predictable comments.

PuTTY is a means of secure connection (so much for the 'telnet' reference). It is a collection of tools (free ones at that) and expects you to do the rest of the work.

There is a means for X-Server connection, so you can get as graphical as you like (never used that myself, so may even have the reference wrong). I use it to rsync from Windows to Server, and in several batch-file situations. I like it's simplicity, reliability and speed, but then I'm an old command-line fart.

Nope, they're all like telnet, although there are ssh clients with more advanced features like ssh tunneling, keys, and zmodem downloads, which I don't think putty has.

I was going to post search for 'fisher price'. but decided better not.
Call off the server-admins.

This has had to be escalated to a technician to investigate. The reference/ticket number is YU134976.

Idle buggers

There's got to be something more advanced 20 years later... isn't there?

Not really. Remember, this is a webserver.

You could install the X libraries and utilities on your server and run an X desktop on a local Linux or Windows system. But X is pretty resource-intensive (memory, CPU cycles). If you need to run X programs on your web server, you are doing something wrong. (You should have a local development machine if you are doing extensive development.)

That said, you can get a LOT more seamless access to your webserver if you run a Linux system locally rather than Windows. ssh for a command line terminal interface. You can also run any command-line software remotely and have the results appear locally. ("ssh user@example.com ls") etc. You can use scp to copy files back and forth. Run scripts on your local machine that access files and run programs on your webserver. If you use the KDE desktop you can have any GUI program access files on your webserver using kioslaves. And no matter what desktop, you can just mount your webserver's file system using sshfs and then use any GUI program to manipulate files as if they were local. Point your version control software at your webserver and just do a "get <label> to update all changed web pages. Etc. etc. etc.

mcavic:

there are ssh clients with more advanced features like ssh tunneling, keys, ... which I don't think putty has

Point of information:

I do all my server admin from a Windows box via SSH-tunneling using PuTTY. Seamless.

The one area where I miss Linux on my Windows box is Hard-Links. Linux wipes the floor with Windows on the file-system.

If you are uncertain about the command-line environment, you can also look to installing a web-based control panel on your server. Your hosting company may be able to help you with this. Common control panels include Plesk, cPanel and Webmin. All provide an easy interface via your browser to control the setup of the server without having to issue commands via SSH.

Thanks, already have cPanel.

Wanted more advanced shell control.

Don't get me wrong. Putty does the trick.

It's just so pre-historic.

.. oh well, as long as the job gets done, should be fine.

is there no commercial product with better features?

What features do you want?

I'm having trouble imagining what is lacking. It IS a simple terminal interface - you are locked into that by the constraints of the Linux command line and Linux's terminal support.

I don't use Putty myself - I use a commercial product on Windows, and a Konsole window on Linux. So, maybe I've just naive' about what Putty is lacking.

Both the commercial product and Konsole windows have extensive configuration options (colors, fonts, backgrouds, window size, keyboard configuration, etc.) as well as good support for search, cut-and-paste, etc. as well as Zmodem upload/download support.

You looking for something else? Putty doesn't have this?

command completion; overlib syntax helpers; color coded commands; more graphical UI;, etc. all the advances user interfaces have undergone in other products since 1980.

I guess one of the earlier posters hit the nail on the head. The X environment does that, but that's for a development Linux box, this is a webserver which can't afford the intensive overhead.

ok, still... haven't interfaced with a character based command line interface in a lo-o-ong time.

Last time I developed on Linux around 10 years ago we had a gui development environment which almost paralleled PC gui's.

So, putty feels like a real step back.

As I said, will do for what I need it for. If I ever get back into Unix programming, will pick up a proper development environment. For now, am satisfied with my PHP development/debug environment on my PC.

I think your complaints deal more with the Linux command line than with Putty itself. Putty just puts your remote command line into a local terminal window.

You might want to get up to date with bash shell features. I think you will find some of your issues addressed.

You might want to consider installing Midnight Commander or similar software on your server, as well. Midnight Commander is a terminal-based file manager and desktop environment.