X questions

[firebyrd10]

got a few newbie X questions that have been bugging be for a while.

Whats is

Xserver?
Xmodule?

what is the differnece between X and a desktop manager like KDE or Fluxbox?

also what is Xvesa? a desktop manager?

thank you, though not knowing this won't have stopped me from doing to much its nice to know.

[firebyrd10]

ok From what I've seen and read (which isn't much at all) I think I'm beginning to see what some of this is. But please someone still answer the question.

Xserver: something that running the X-window software ?
Xmodule: something that changes the server in order to work best with certain hardware ?
X11: A GUI interface for the computer (is this what I see when I first did VNC over knoppix with the grey back round a command line in the corner?) in which to start and use GUI programs ?
desktop managers: programs that ride over top X11 to provide a more full GUI experience to start and run programs as well as other tasks ?

Like I said someone please still answer my question.

[windos_no_thanks]

what is the differnece between X and a desktop manager like KDE or Fluxbox?

KDE comes with everything and the kitchen sink, it is BIG and a resource hog.
Fluxbox is much lighter, better when you are trying to use a machine with too little RAM for KDE or other window managers.

[firebyrd10]

Can anyone answer the other questions?

[Hunkah]

Hey, how's it goin'?

I understand your frustration. I too have been where you are, (and still am a little) But I went on a huge search and discover on google, looking for the answer.

Here is a link of my results:

http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...ht=x11+xfree86

Hope this helps

[Hunkah]

By the way, I am going to go out on a limb here and give my interpretation of the X Windows mess.

X, X Windows, XFree86, X11, X11RC*, X386 are what is called a Windowing Server that allows for a GUI environment to be run on the *Nix Server.

KDE, GNOME, and all the others are the client side of things. AKA Windows Managers.

To make sense of it... Unix at one time was only used in big corporate environments and in the early days of computing, there was only one huge computer for the entire building (Mostly because it took up half of the building and was extreamly expensive). All processing power that was done, was done on this mainframe So everyone that used the mainframe was given access to it through a cheaper terminal (Usually a monitor, a bit of memory and a keyboard/mouse). If you used a terminal, it plugged into the mainframe computer and used a GUI client to connected to the GUI Server. The server would serve up the pages to the GUI Client, and there you have it.

Now, you might be thinking... I don't use a mainframe! I only have one computer and one monitor! Well, Linux was created in the likeness of Unix. Therefore, all the same things that Unix is, Linux is. Linux uses the same GUI server/client way of doing things. I am told that is a good thing, even though I am still not sure that what I have just said is the truth, or only my interpretation.

[firebyrd10]

OK i'm think I'm starting to get it (knock on wood)

Xfree86 and other servers run the X window system over a Server/Client system. The computer your working at is both the server and the client so that you can see. THis client server method makes its possible to do a thin client log in.

KDE, gnome, flux box and everything elses takes the X window that the server gives us and makes it more user friendly by adding clickable icons to start programs and browse through folders.

Is this right? So X is just a bunch of code that the X servers run.

OK.

Now what about my other questions like what is an X module? and is Xvesa a server? Also do differnt server change what you can run? Like (if Xvesa was a server) I can run KDE on Xfree86 because it is powerful but takes up a lot of space and I can't run KDE on Xvesa because it is small and not as powerful.

Last, Is X (running on the server) without a desktop manager just the grey screen with command line?

Ok if these are answered I should be set.

Thank you.

[Stephen]

OK i'm think I'm starting to get it (knock on wood)

Xfree86 and other servers run the X window system over a Server/Client system. The computer your working at is both the server and the client so that you can see. THis client server method makes its possible to do a thin client log in.

KDE, gnome, flux box and everything elses takes the X window that the server gives us and makes it more user friendly by adding clickable icons to start programs and browse through folders.

Is this right? So X is just a bunch of code that the X servers run.

OK.

Correct.

Now what about my other questions like what is an X module? and is Xvesa a server? Also do differnt server change what you can run? Like (if Xvesa was a server) I can run KDE on Xfree86 because it is powerful but takes up a lot of space and I can't run KDE on Xvesa because it is small and not as powerful.

Those are the drivers for the video cards that the server uses for the display. Usually you have the choice the generic vesa driver or the driver for your actual card ati, nv, etc...

Last, Is X (running on the server) without a desktop manager just the grey screen with command line?

Ok if these are answered I should be set.

Thank you.

It would be the grey screen with an X cursor that you can move around (if the mouse is configured correctly) when no window manager is running there would be no command line.

[firebyrd10]

Ok yea I forgot to mention the mouse.

So a window manager is required even for just a command line?

Thanks Stephen.

[Stephen]

Ok yea I forgot to mention the mouse.

So a window manager is required even for just a command line?

Thanks Stephen.

No window manager or X is needed for the command line what you were describing is X running without a manager not the command line. When you boot without a window manager or X running you just get a login prompt. Then you can login and do whatever you want and if you want too you use startx to start the X server and whichever window manager you have it configured to use.