(With over one year of delay,) my results, positive.
I created a network connection between the i86, latest firmware, and a recent OS:
-- I rooted the i86 using Cydia Impactor (0.9.14);
-- the one-liner below enables on it the networking through USB and assigns the address:
Code:
setprop sys.usb.config rndis ; ifconfig rndis0 192.168.2.2
of course, one can issue that command through the ADB shell. Only, please note that Onyx removed the so-called "rndis,adb" configuration (probably to automate the access to the filesystem upon connecting the cable?), so that "setprop" will close the console (that is why it is handy to assign the address in the same line).
The system on the other end of the cable will also need its address (such as through `ifconfig usb0 192.168.2.1`). I experienced disconnections using an old system, but no problem at all using a recent one.
As a VNC server for the desktop/laptop system, I used x11vnc, with very good results.
As a VNC client, I found that Iordan Iordanov's bVNC (com.iiordanov.freebVNC.apk) works very, very well. It is, by the way, open source - so it may be easy to integrate it with the Onyx SDK and implement, e.g., full screen refresh through gesture etc. Nonetheless,
-- I had no problem at all with ghosting - maybe it was there, I could not even notice it
-- speaking of gestures, this configuration allowed the touchscreen of the i86 to interact with the system, mouse-like.
I configured the desktop as 800x600, scaled automatically on the 1600x1200 of the i86 with high quality rendering (no jagging, perfectly smooth). Low resolution only not to squint at the 8 inches, or not to reconfigure desktop fonts etc.
The experienced results are, I would say,
extremely promising. I will reserve "jawdropping" etc. probably to a well fine-tuned configuration. But yes, I would certainly work on this system. The i86 is probably too small for most things, but not necessarily (I use it for desktop task and through Android...); the Max would be, well, quite something. Screen update responsiveness is very fast (not technically - of course moving large windows is messy -, but perceptually: you can work with it in a flow).
I only felt a little annoyance at the response of the mouse, but probably nothing that changing the configuration of the acceleration would not fix (as you know, the updates of the screen details flash a lot on the display, so the pointer looks agonizing when settling on a position).
I was expecting much, much less.
It makes you want to work outdoors immediately.
Of course, responsibility in any attempt, including leaning to better read these lines or risking a muscolar strain by smiling in happiness having read them, remains with those whose who wish to undertake the endeavour...