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From: mce@EAST.SUN.COM (Mark Elgood - Sun BOS Software)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: X and framebuffer depth
Message-ID: <8910231635.AA00493@yorkshire.East.Sun.COM>
Date: 23 Oct 89 16:35:21 GMT
Sender: daemon@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU
Organization: The Internet
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	It is my understanding that in theory an X server, the X protocol,
	Xlib, XtIntrinsics, a toolkit and X applications should be able
	to operate regardless of the framebuffer depth (maybe a limit of
	24 or 32 bits?) and the types of visuals supported. 

	Thus a given application ought to be usable on a monochrome, grey
	scale, 8-bit psuedo color and 24-bit true color framebuffer without
	recompilation.

	Can anyone tell me what  reality is likely to be? Is it likely
	that  applications will be able to adapt to the number of colors 
	available?

	How easy would it be to port the sample server to a 4-bit 
	greyscale framebuffer?

	Is the path from an application to the server device-dependent code
	really clear of 1/8 bit dependencies.

	Is there a X server available for the NeXT machine since that has
	2 bit greyscale video?

	Please e-mail any thoughts regarding this subject to me any I will
	summarise on xpert.

	Mark Elgood