Questions regarding X-11

Judland · Post by **Judland** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:01 am

As my favorite super-computer, Holly, says:
"Hey, Dudes! What's happening down in groove town, then?"

I had a question regarding X11 and XFree86 (well, more like a request for clarification). X-11 is the graphical desktop we all use with our Linux PC. But what really is XFree86? Is it simply a tool that helps in configuring X-11 to your individual PC requirements?

I'm getting the impression that X-11 operates on its own and XFree86 is a ''translator'' of sorts, assisting with the control of X-11. Am I on the right track here?

I became interested in learning more about this because of the recent hoopla regarding a change in the XFree86 user agreement and some distros. wanting to drop it from their systems.

Any insight on this would be nice and appreciated.

"Later, Dudes!"

Post by **dann** » Wed Apr 28, 2004 7:09 pm

Without doing much research into this, I believe both XFree86 and X11.org are open forks of the original X11 suite. XFree86 had been adopted by most Linux distrubtions as the standard version for some time now. But since XFree86 has pulled their licensing fiasco many are turning to the X11.org implementation.

Without going back and doing my homework this is the best I can offer right now.

mrben · Post by **mrben** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 6:24 am

OK - potted history from the back of brain.

XFree86 is a play on X for 386 - a free implementation of the X windows system. The most common version you get is X11R6.

The XFree86 Project (http://www.xfree.org) produces XFree86, but recents fights between the developers, and the new advertising clause in the license has led to the development fork of X11.org. I think they are working from the same initial codebase at the moment and Fedora announced that they are going with X11 rather than XFree.

For the next wee while I can't see it making any difference to the end user, but the implication of a fork are huge when it is something as fundamental as the windowing system.