What is XFree86 ?

Stevetgn · 06-15-2003, 02:41 PM

Sorry for been an ignorant novice, but what is Xfree86. Is it a similar thing to Microsoft's DirectX and is it the cause of my very poor graphics performance with my ATI Radeon 8500? Sorry for been so thick but I'm new and struggling with Linux (Mandrake 9.1) I'd be happy to help with any MS Windows problems but you've probably all matured beyond that.

Please help

Thanks in advance

Steve

PS I will become a Linux expert one day, oh yes!!!

rmartine · 06-15-2003, 02:51 PM

Read this

http://www.xfree86.org/

acid_kewpie · 06-15-2003, 03:03 PM

XFree86 is the guts of the windowing system, nothing at all like directx. it provides all the clever complicated graphical environment gubbins, and you then use a window manager to make it useful.

I've bugger all knowledge of ATI cards, but explain where this poor performance is coming from and someone is bound to help you. also post the contents of /etc/X11/XF86Config

Mara · 06-15-2003, 03:06 PM

To make it short - XFree86 is a piece of software that displays everything in graphical mode. It handles screen, resolution, mouse, keyboard, places windows etc. It doesn't draw menus - it's window manager part (KDE, GNOME, Enlightenment, Window Maker, Fluxbox etc).

If your graphic performance is not good, it's because XFree86 driver for your card, I guess. You may try this driver: http://www.ati.com/support/products/...uxdrivers.html