Compiz is a great desktop manager for newer graphics cards. Wobbly windows, and multiple desktops on the face of a cube don't do so well over VNC and Virtual Machines. Here is how to disable it on remote connections. In some cases you can do this in xstartup, in other you may need to do this on the VNC client. A bit clunky, but that is why this HowTo was needed.

# Onging Howto.
# Using compiz over VNC is a problem at best, and always a waste of bandwidth.
# When compiz is the default desktop, an xstartup with gnome-session will inherit compiz.
# This leaves a vnc window with a X cursor, and windows that open in the upper right corner.

# The autodir option of gnome-session could set a different default, however
# Waiting for a way to execute within the gnome-session process that is fired
# up on vncserver start.
# To start compiz... compiz --replace &

# To start gnome metacity
exec metacity --replace &