From 2168ea8b1650198e0b91215adc5ad52c42651440 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Robby Workman Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:22:22 -0600 Subject: Initial commit of the slackbook sources from Alan's master copy. --- chapter_06.xml | 214 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 214 insertions(+) create mode 100644 chapter_06.xml (limited to 'chapter_06.xml') diff --git a/chapter_06.xml b/chapter_06.xml new file mode 100644 index 0000000..afcdccf --- /dev/null +++ b/chapter_06.xml @@ -0,0 +1,214 @@ + + + + +The X Window System + +
+What Is (And Isn't) X + + +Eons ago computer terminals came with a screen and a keyboard and not +much else. Mice hadn't come into common use and everything was menu +driven. Then came the Graphical User Interface (GUI) and the world was +changed. Today users are accustomed to moving a mouse around a screen, +clicking on icons and running tasks with fancy images and animation, +but UNIX systems predated this and so GUIs were added almost as an +afterthought. For many years, Linux and its UNIX brethren were +primarily used without graphics of any sort, but today it is perhaps +more common than not for users to prefer their Linux computers come +with shiney, flashy, clickable GUIs, and all these GUIs run on +X(7). + + + +So what is X? Is it the desktop with the icons? Is it the menus? Is it +the window manager? Does it mark the spot? The answer to all these is a +resounding "no". There are many parts to a GUI, but X is the most +fundamental. X is that application that receives input from the mouse, +keyboard, and possibly other devices. X is that application that tells +the graphics card what to do. In short, X is the application that talks +to your computer's hardware from graphical purposes; all other +graphical applications simply talk to X. + + + +Let's stop for a moment and talk about nomenclature. X is just one of a +dozen names that you may encounter. It is also called X11, the X Window +System, X Window, X11R6, X Version 11, and several others. Whatever +you hear it called, simply understand that the speakers are referring +to X. + + +
+ +
+Configuring the X Server + + +As powerful as Slackware Linux is, configuring X can be daunting and +is often one of the first real challenges a new user faces. Don't be +overly concerned if you find this a bit difficult. While many changes +have been made over the years that make this much easier, there are +still computers out there that don't properly auto-detect, or you'll +wish to make some change to some setting and it might not be immediately +apparent what to do. Just remember that when I started using X, it was +far more primitive than it is today, took far more work to configure, +and often crashed without telling the user what was wrong. If I and +thousands of others got this working back then, you can do it today. +Fortunately, Slackware includes a default configuration file that works +for most computers by using the VESA standard. This offers only the +most basic functions and may not allow your graphics card to operate at +its full potential. You may be limited to low resolutions, fewer +colors, and X will be slower. Still, this is +an option for users, particularly those who only want to occassionally +run X. You can try it out now simply by +running startx(1) from a command prompt. + + + +There are many ways to configure X, but the +easiest is to use xorgsetup. This will attempt +to probe probe your computer's hardware and write a working xorg.conf +file. This option is not garaunteed to work; there are some platforms +that it is known not to work with, and there are probably others as +well. Still, it is worth trying first as it is the quickest and least +complicated for a new user to attempt. + + + +The second most popular way to configure X +on your system is the handy xorgconfig(1). +This application asks you a series of questions about your computer's +hardware and writes out a config file based on your choices. Unless you +know exactly what your hardware is, we recommend that you try +xorgsetup first. + + + +Lastly, you can manually configure your X +server by modifying /etc/X11/xorg.conf with a text +editor. This is not normally a task for the faint of heart, but is +often the easiest way to make minor changes. + + +
+ +
+Choosing a Window Manager + + +Slackware Linux includes many different window managers and desktop +environments. Window managers are the applications responsible for +painting application windows on the screen, resizing these windows, and +similar tasks. Desktop environments include a window manager, but also +add task bars, menus, icons, and more. Slackware includes both the KDE +and XFCE desktop environments and several additional window managers. +Which you use is entirely your own decision, but in general, window +managers tend to be faster than desktop environments and more suitable +to older systems with less memory and slower processors. Desktop +environments will be more comfortable for users accustomed to Microsoft +Windows. + + + +LIST OF DE'S AND WINDOW MANAGERS. +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! +FILL THIS IN!!!! + + + +The easiest way to choose a window manager is +xwmconfig(1), included with Slackware Linux. +This application allows a user to choose what window manager to run +with startx. + + +
+ +
+Setting Up A Graphical Login + + +By default, when you boot your Slackware Linux system you are presented +with a login prompt on a virtual terminal. This is more than adequate +for most people's needs. If you need to run commandline applications, +you may login and do so right away. If you want to run X, simply executing +startx will do that for you nicely. +But suppose you almost exclusively +use your system for graphical duties like many laptop owners? Wouldn't +it be nice for Slackware to take you straight into a GUI? Fortunately, +there's an easy way to do just that. + + + +Slackware uses the System V init system which allows the administrator +to boot into or change to different runlevels, which are really just +different "states" the computer can be in. In fact, shutting down the +computer is really only a case of changing to a runlevel which +accomplishes just that. Runlevels can be rather complicated, so we +won't delve into them any further than necessary. + + + +Runlevels are configured in inittab(5). +The most common ones are +runlevel 3 (Slackware's default) and runlevel 4 (GUI). In order to tell +Slackware to boot to a GUI screen, simply open +/etc/inittab with your +favorite editor of choice. (You may wish to refer to one of the +chapters on vi or +emacs at this point.) Near the top, you'll +see the relevant entries. + + + +# These are the default runlevels in Slackware: +# 0 = halt +# 1 = single user mode +# 2 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3) +# 3 = multiuser mode (default Slackware runlevel) +# 4 = X11 with KDM/GDM/XDM (session managers) +# 5 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3) +# 6 = reboot + +# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6) +id:3:initdefault: + + + +In this file (along with most configuration files) anything following a +hash symbol # is a comment and not interpreted by init(8). Don't worry +if you don't understand everything about inittab, as many veteran users +don't either. The only line we are interested in is the last on above. +Simply change the 3 to a 4 and reboot. + + + +# These are the default runlevels in Slackware: +# 0 = halt +# 1 = single user mode +# 2 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3) +# 3 = multiuser mode (default Slackware runlevel) +# 4 = X11 with KDM/GDM/XDM (session managers) +# 5 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3) +# 6 = reboot + +# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6) +id:4:initdefault: + + +
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