I set up my main desktop computer to enable remote access to my desktop (System -> Preferences -> Remote Desktop). Then, when I access it from my laptop (Applications -> Internet -> Remote Desktop Viewer), I run into problems. I am able to make a connection, and see the initial screen state when I first connect. Any actions I take through remote desktop are visible on the desktop monitor, but my laptop’s Remote Desktop Viewer doesn’t get screen updates… it always looks as it did when I first connected.
This is apparently a known issue with a workaround. You just have to disable visual effects on the computer you’re accessing (via System -> Preferences -> Appearance -> Visual Effects -> None). This is definitely not ideal as it does clunkify and de-prettify Ubuntu a bit on the target system, but I can live with it for now as I’ll be using the laptop far more often.