Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

MacOSX and XFree86 run side by side

Posted by Hemos on from the making-things-cool dept.

proclus writes "XonX has announced interoperability between Xfree86 and MacOSX. Relatedly, Xfree86 now supports the Darwin platform and XFree86 binaries are available. Many thanks to Torrey Lyons, Gregory Robert Parker, and everyone else involved! Will this Aqua support be rolled into the next Xfree86 release? I think I'll have a look at some of those new fast Macs!"

4 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Not Aqua Support by Penrif · · Score: 5

    Will this Aqua support be rolled into the next Xfree86 release? I think I'll have a look at some of those new fast Macs!

    This is NOT Aqua support! This is XFree86 running on Darwin! So, you can have X on your screen, or you can have Aqua on your screen. Either way, you're limited to programs compiled for what's on the screen.

    1. Re:Not Aqua Support by Snocone · · Score: 5

      This is NOT Aqua support! This is XFree86 running on Darwin!

      Er, no, it's running on CoreGraphics, aka "Quartz". Quartz is not part of Darwin.

      So, you can have X on your screen, or you can have Aqua on your screen.

      Or you can have both.

      Either way, you're limited to programs compiled for what's on the screen.

      No. The above link works for free now, XTools works for money now, and direct support in future Darwin XFree86's is planned.

    2. Re:Not Aqua Support by blukens · · Score: 5
      Acually, the original comment is accurate. From the XonX page:
      A free version of XFree86 running side by side with Mac OS X's Aqua GUI is now here! Gregory Robert Parker did the original implementation of this for the Darwin port of XFree86 4.0. I have incorporated his code into XFree86 4.0.2 and cleaned it up a bit. It is still in rough form, but it works and is reasonably fast. This code will eventually find its way into the XFree86 CVS repository, but for now it is available here.
      and then:
      Before you launch the X server from Mac OS X, you must make sure that your startup script is correct. If you have an .xserverrc file, make sure it specifies the option "-quartz", which directs the X server to run in parallel with the CoreGraphics window server. To start the X server, launch the Xmaster application. You will see the screen flash and then you will be returned to the Aqua GUI. Clicking on the big button with a small "X" in it will switch you to the X window desktop. Holding down Command-Option-Control-Shift-A will switch you back to the Aqua GUI. Have fun!
      There are now two ways to run X on OS X, either booting into command line mode (essentially the same as Darwin) and running straight XFree from there, or from Aqua through the Quartz display system.
  2. Aqua/X by Yarn · · Score: 5

    "Will this Aqua support be rolled into the next Xfree86 release?"

    No. At least, I'd put a large amount of money on it being a *long* time before X is extended to cover Aqua. Look how long it's taken for display ghostscript to catch on (hint: it hasn't)

    Maybe when X can do translucancy[1] properly.

    [1] Trans-lunacy? :)

    --
    -Yarn - Rio Karma: Excellent