I'm following the instructions found here: https://www.linode.com/docs/application ... untu-12-04

after configuring, I'm not getting the full Unity Desktop. It's still the same old terminal inside the VNC connection.

the error log:

Xvnc Free Edition 4.1.1 - built Jan 14 2013 22:28:40
Copyright (C) 2002-2005 RealVNC Ltd.
See http://www.realvnc.com for information on VNC.
Underlying X server release 40300000, The XFree86 Project, Inc


Tue Sep 30 12:54:35 2014
 vncext:      VNC extension running!
 vncext:      Listening for VNC connections on port 5901
 vncext:      created VNC server for screen 0
error opening security policy file /etc/X11/xserver/SecurityPolicy
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/, removing from list!
Could not init font path element /usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/, removing from list!
Option "--login" is no longer supported in this version of gnome-terminal; you might want to create a profile with the desired setting, and use the new '--profile' option
gnome-session-is-accelerated: No composite extension.
gnome-session-check-accelerated: Helper exited with code 256

(gnome-terminal:3624): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: g_settings_get: the format string may not contain '&' (key 'monospace-font-name' from schema 'org.gnome.desktop.interface'). This call will probably stop working with a future version of glib.
gnome-session-is-accelerated: No composite extension.
gnome-session-check-accelerated: Helper exited with code 256

** (process:3625): WARNING **: software acceleration check failed: Child process exited with code 1

** (gnome-session:3625): CRITICAL **: We failed, but the fail whale is dead. Sorry....

I spoke to someone who suggested I installed Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, since the instructions for the VNC server were written for that release. No problem, there isn't anything on the linode yet.

So after doing that, and again trying to follow the instructions on https://www.linode.com/docs/application ... untu-12-04

It's broken still. This time, the error is too simple.

root@localhost:~# sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
E: Unable to locate package ubuntu-desktop

Anyone?

I created a 1024 Plan linode with Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I upgraded the packages, installed ubuntu-desktop and vnc4server, rebooted the server and I also got the same thing the original poster did, just an X Window desktop with terminal running and my log file had exactly the same messages that the original poster had. So what have we done wrong. And is it possible that 1024 MB of memory (with 512 MB swap space) is too little to run this configuration with?

Help

That guide is old and due for an update to the latest Ubuntu LTS release. In the meantime. You could try this in the meantime:

sudo apt-get install lightdm gnome-terminal synaptic && sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends gnome-session-fallback

alexfornuto,
I did the installs that you suggest and get pretty much the same result.