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Old 01-13-2005, 03:13 PM   #1
relrobber
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X-windows?


i hear the term "x-windows" mentioned all the time, but what is it? can someone give me a "dumbed-down" explanation of what this refers to?
 
Old 01-13-2005, 03:21 PM   #2
david_ross
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X Windows is the graphical interface used by Linux (and other unix type OSs).
 
Old 01-13-2005, 04:04 PM   #3
cs-cam
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If you are looking at a desktop rather than a console then you are using X. However there are many different window managers and desktops that run inside X.
 
Old 01-13-2005, 04:23 PM   #4
ksun
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Think of X as a standardized system for creating and displaying graphical interfaces. KDE and Gnome are desktop systems that rely on the X-windows systems.

Metaphor (sad attempt): If linux is the foundation of a home, then X-windows is the framing and so forth that give you walls to paint and floors to cover with carpet and hard-wood so it is comfy which would be the desktops.

X-windows doesn't only exist on linux/unix. I used to use an X-windows server (there's more depth on that than I will go into now, post again if you are interested) in MS Windows, and the Mac OSX has an X-windows server.
 
  


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