This bug was opened in Ubuntu (https://launchpad.net/bugs/72583):
rdesktop doesn't work, if you are using beryl. For some reason, the RGB-signal coming from the Windows computer is interpreted as ARGB, or something like that, causing almost everything to be completely transparent.
A usable fix is to run export XLIB_SKIP_ARGB_VISUALS=1 in a terminal.
Logged In: YES
user_id=335423
Originator: NO
Nowadays we should be avoiding 32-bit visuals like a plague. Is there still a bug with rdesktop 1.5.0?