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Missing X Server ??

 
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Missing X Server ?? - Mar. 14, '05, 8:58:36 PM   
mahler@louisiana.edu

 

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What is the concept of the SFU standard package not having an X server on board the distribution?

To fire up a desktop on the local machine one is required. Is there another download that is needed to pick up the Xserver and the various desktop/gui interfaces?

tnxs
...S
Post #: 1
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Mar. 14, '05, 10:04:51 PM   
Rodney

 

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Microsoft does not make, distribute or specifically endorse an X-server.
So it is not part of the (free) SFU distribution.

You do not need an X-server to use SFU, or more specifically Interix.
Any of the shells (ksh, csh, ...) can be started in an Interix terminal.
The Interix terminal has lots of functionality for Unix programs: color, function keys,
scrolling, display switching, user keyboard scroll (shift-pgup/pgdn just like xterm,
plus cntl-^/v for single line scrolls), et al. The desktop is all integrated with the
Windows desktop (cut & paste, etc.).

When you want an X-server to display X-clients (xterm, xclock, et al.) there are several
options available. Interop System (the host of this site) offers two of them:
Hummingbird Exceed & Interop X-server.
You can from the SFU home page (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/sfu/) download the
Xwin32 "local edition" (it restricts what can be displayed). You can install the
X-server that is part of the cygwin release if you want, but I'd choose the Xwin32
local edition first (it's free too). In the future there will be other options no doubt.

The available X-servers come with default window managers (I assume that's what you mean
by "various destop/gui interfaces"). You can then pick others to use if you want to. In
the /Tools warehouse fvwm.

(in reply to mahler@louisiana.edu)
Post #: 2
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Mar. 14, '05, 11:03:07 PM   
markfunk

 

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yup. that's correct.
Microsoft isn't prepared to write their own win32 Xserver
and I'm sure it's too expensive to license one from Hummingbird
or Reflection. Especially now that SFU3.5 is free.

There used to be fairy cheap ones available, but I haven't looked
in a year or so.
And there are free ones out there, including cygwin's.

(in reply to mahler@louisiana.edu)
Post #: 3
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Mar. 28, '05, 12:13:41 AM   
braver

 

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SFU 3.5 works perfectly with cygwin's XFree86. I don't see any reason to get anything else.

While I'm on this, can I ask how to invoke that non-X terminal mentioned above? When I use ksh.bat in /usr/common, I just get a cmd.exe shell with a ksh in it, and vi doesn't recognize the terminal at all.

Cheers,
Alexy

(in reply to mahler@louisiana.edu)
Post #: 4
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Mar. 28, '05, 12:41:58 AM   
Rodney

 

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> can I ask how to invoke that non-X terminal mentioned above?

The Interix terminal.
You can start it from the Start menu (Start->Programs->Windows Services for Unix->Ksh).
You'll find the csh at the same location. You can copy this from the Start menu
and paste it to the desktop as a shortcut as well.

When you start a ksh, csh, zsh, et al. from a CMD.EXE you want to use
the "-l" (dash ell) option to invoke the shell as a login shell. This sets up a
number of environment variables including TERM. Then vi and other curses-based
programs will run just fine. So "ksh -l".

(in reply to braver)
Post #: 5
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Mar. 28, '05, 2:34:00 PM   
jonsmi

 

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quote:

SFU 3.5 works perfectly with cygwin's XFree86. I don't see any reason to get anything else.

Not to be hairsplitting or finicky, but XFree86 has long ago been
dead and buried. Strange how the name still hangs around.

Cygwin were one of the first -- as I remember -- to abandon the XFree86
project, due to changed licensing conditions and limited or no access
to the CVS. The trouble started about one and half year ago.

Later on, most of the major players, such as SuSE, Red Hat and FreeBSD
have not endorsed the XFree86 project's license changes, and moved to
X.org.

Still, I think Cygwin were the first to do so. Se for instance:
http://x.cygwin.com/devel/server/

But I agree, still a good X Server (though I prefer X-Win32 and
Hummingbird).

(in reply to braver)
Post #: 6
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Mar. 28, '05, 3:36:04 PM   
braver

 

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Jon -- can you please outline what's the advantage of non-free X servers?

Since we're on hairsplitting topics here, I'll elaborate on my miniscule terminal complaint. When you start -- gasp -- Cygwin from its Start menu folder, you get a text terminal with a nice Cygwin icon in the top left corner of the window frame. If you Alt-TAB between apps, you easily pick it apart in the lineup.

On the contrary, if you start ksh.bat, or a similar bash.bat I've made, you get a remnant of the parent cmd.exe around your terminal, along with its undistinguished window frame and generic c:\_ anal-cranial inversion icon. Is there a way for it to start with a separate alt-tab icon?

Cheers,
Alexy

(in reply to mahler@louisiana.edu)
Post #: 7
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Mar. 29, '05, 8:14:50 AM   
jonsmi

 

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From: Oslo, Norway
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quote:

Jon -- can you please outline what's the advantage of non-free X servers?

Per se, there's not necessarily an "advantage of non-free X servers".
Quite a lot of trial versions proved to be unreliable and crash-prone.
What I ended up with, was StarNet X-Win32 (nice educational price with
6 years of free upgrades), and later on another machine Hummingbird Exceed 3D.

My impression: highly optimized code, fast, rocket-stable, crisp display,
very good Windows integration with the clipboard.

But I did also use Cygwin/X (which I do think still lacks a bit behind),
until StarNet came up with X-Win32 LX, which is a free X server!
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/sfu/default.asp
quote:

Since we're on hairsplitting topics here, I'll elaborate on my miniscule terminal complaint.

There was no hairsplitting intended. XFree86 has been replaced by X.org, which
by now is the de facto standard of the Open Source implementation of the
X Window System. There was a not so nice debate around all of this.
quote:

When you start -- gasp -- Cygwin from its Start menu folder, you get a text terminal with a nice Cygwin icon in the top left corner of the window frame. If you Alt-TAB between apps, you easily pick it apart in the lineup.

Works marvelously with X-Win32 and Exceed (Hummingbird even comes with virtual
desktops).
quote:

On the contrary, if you start ksh.bat, or a similar bash.bat I've made, you get a remnant of the parent cmd.exe around your terminal, along with its undistinguished window frame and generic c:\_ anal-cranial inversion icon. Is there a way for it to start with a separate alt-tab icon?

Not sure, what you mean here: You can launch the Korn Shell and Bash
right from the desktop:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\posix.exe /u /c /bin/ksh -l
C:\WINDOWS\system32\POSIX.EXE /u /c /usr/local/bin/bash -l.

(in reply to braver)
Post #: 8
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Nov. 14, '05, 7:07:54 PM   
prj32

 

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What VN code do you use for the Free Version?

(in reply to jonsmi)
Post #: 9
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Nov. 15, '05, 11:27:03 AM   
vbaranov

 

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Yes, where to look for VN code? StartNet's KB is not helpful and they didn't answer on my question about VN code.

(in reply to prj32)
Post #: 10
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Nov. 15, '05, 11:50:49 AM   
vbaranov

 

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Joined: Oct. 26, '05,
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FOUND !
Start X-Server and run, say, xterm - this will ask you to register at

http://www.starnet.com/xwin32LX/register.asp

Web-page. I've registered X-Win32 LX just now.

Regards.

(in reply to vbaranov)
Post #: 11
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Jan. 4, '06, 1:32:24 PM   
nateman1352

 

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Joined: Jan. 4, '06,
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Also if you don't want to install the entire cygwin enviroment there is an open source stand along X server called Xming at freedesktop.org

(in reply to vbaranov)
Post #: 12
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Jan. 4, '06, 7:33:23 PM   
breiter

 

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From: Washington, DC
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Unfortunately, Xming is not being maintained anymore. Xming has some issues which aren't going to get fixed. For example it crashes in multiuser scenarious like logging in to a console session and an RDP session at the same time. I'd go with the Starnet X-Win32 LX, which if free-of-charge and works great once you configure the "Backing Store" to be "Always On".

(in reply to nateman1352)
Post #: 13
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Jan. 10, '06, 12:00:45 PM   
lvirden


Posts: 38
Joined: Nov. 3, '05,
From: Larry W. Virden
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Rodney
Any of the shells (ksh, csh, ...) can be started in an Interix terminal.
[...]
The desktop is all integrated with the
Windows desktop (cut & paste, etc.).



Weird - when I start interix ksh consoles I am unable to get copy or paste
to work. Is there a special key that has to be used?

_____________________________

http://www.xanga.com/lvirden/
http://www.purl.org/net/lvirden/

(in reply to Rodney)
Post #: 14
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Jan. 10, '06, 1:24:11 PM   
Rodney

 

Posts: 3728
Joined: Jul. 9, '02,
From: /Tools lab
Status: offline
By default these actions are not turned on.
Pop up the properties panel and turn on Quick Edit by checking the boxes.
It saves it on a per shortcut basis.

(in reply to lvirden)
Post #: 15
RE: Missing X Server ?? - Jan. 27, '06, 6:57:05 AM   
colinharrison

 

Posts: 1
Status: offline
breiter said:
> Unfortunately, Xming is not being maintained anymore. Xming has some issues which
> aren't going to get fixed.

Xming is now being maintained by me on

Xming

and

SourceForge


Xming is a Free Software port of the X Window Server to Microsoft Windows.
Please send me any bug reports.

Colin Harrison

(in reply to Rodney)
Post #: 16
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