Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!visual!mjb
From: mjb@visual.com (Mike Braca)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x
Subject: Re: XDM??
Keywords: XDM, X Terminals
Message-ID: <1991May9.013622.7174@visual.com>
Date: 9 May 91 01:36:22 GMT
References: <1991May3.203305.5000@cbnews.cb.att.com>
Sender: mjb@Visual.COM
Organization: Visual Technology Inc.
Lines: 38

In article <1991May3.203305.5000@cbnews.cb.att.com> djb@cbnews.cb.att.com
(david.j.bryant) writes:

>       1) ... X terminals, do I need to have XDM available in order for them
>          to be maximally useful?

It is a *major* convenience for getting to a login prompt on your
terminal. Once you're up and running there's no advantage (at least
not with any current implementations).

>       2) Do commercial X terminal manufacturers encourage or require XDM?

We encourage it very strongly.  We don't require it; you can run local
terminal emulators via a standard protocol like Telnet to get started.

>       3) What X terminal and/or X Window System vendors (if any)
>          support XDM?

All Visual X terminals support the R4 XDMCP protocol.  In addition, we
have a host selection menu that pops up after querying the network.  All
hosts that responded affirmatively to the query are listed, along with
some status (requires a trivial hack to the XDM code), sort of like so:

        +----------------------------------------------------+
        |  HOST                    STATUS                    |
        +----------------------------------------------------+
        |  bird       8:09am  up 2 days, 9 users, load 0.00  |
        |  chief      8:08am  up 5 days, 4 users, load 3.41  |
        |  mchale     8:09am  up   2:41, 7 users, load 2.01  |
        |  ...                                               |
        |                                                    |

Just double-click on a host name to start a session to that host.
I am now completely addicted to this method of host connection!

                                                Mike Braca
                                                Visual Technology
                                                mjb@visual.COM