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From: scott@texnext.gac.edu (Scott Hess)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: XNeXT on NextStep 2.0?????
Message-ID: <SCOTT.91Mar11181813@texnext.gac.edu>
Date: 12 Mar 91 02:18:13 GMT
References: <1991Mar5.232508.20719@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>	<1991Mar7.140806.13975@wam.umd.edu>
 	<SCOTT.91Mar7204438@erick.gac.edu>,<1991Mar10.120604.18434@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu>	<kbqufqq00WCv075WBT@andrew.cmu.edu>
Organization: Gustavus Adolphus College
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In-reply-to: jm7e+@andrew.cmu.edu's message of 11 Mar 91 16:06:14 GMTLines: 41

In article <kbqufqq00WCv075WBT@andrew.cmu.edu> jm7e+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jeremy G. Mereness) writes:
   Well, I would sure like to see an X11R4 server for the NeXT, even one
   that switched between interfaces full-screen instead of having to deal
   with a window (it seems like it would be easier that way... maybe I'm
   wrong). I think NeXT would sell a lot more machines if people had the
   option of running X if they wanted to. I'd sure wanna buy one!

Well, the way it looks, there are now two of them - one which is a port
of the MIT code, and one from Pencom (which will cost).  So, what's the
problem?

   As I understand it, NeXT is being very unfriendly as far as telling
   people what they need to know about writing alternative window
   servers... except for the folks who are writing CoXist which has to be
   paid $$$ for. I thought one idea behind X was that it was to be public
   domain (read: free). 

The idea behind MIT's code is that it is free.  At no point did anyone
state that every new machine has to have an X port, though!  NeXT
hasn't been all in favor of X because NeXT's do not run X as their
native windowing system.  That's a business decision, no matter the
ramifications.  There is no requirement that NeXT to require any
information to anyone on anything - that they've chosen to do so
with many apps is because they'd like to have those apps on their
system.

On the other hand, they are basically in the position of being forced
to have X.  It's no wonder that they aren't all that happy about it.

[Note to those of you waiting in the wings to restart the Great X
 Debate:  please!  I'm not making any comment on X windows as a
 windowing system - just pointing out that there's not anything
 forcing NeXT to have it. -scott]

Later,
--
scott hess                      scott@gac.edu
Independent NeXT Developer	GAC Undergrad
<I still speak for nobody>
"Tried anarchy, once.  Found it had too many constraints . . ."
"I smoke the nose Lucifer . . . Banana, banana."