Newsgroups: comp.windows.open-look
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!convex!datri
From: datri@convex.com (Anthony A. Datri)
Subject: Re: Openwin or X11R4
Message-ID: <1991Jun07.233354.2660@convex.com>
Keywords: OpenWin X11R4
Sender: usenet@convex.com (news access account)
Nntp-Posting-Host: lovecraft.convex.com
Organization: CONVEX Computer Corporation, Richardson, Tx., USA
References: <1991Jun3.200112.17129@wlbr.imsd.contel.com> <1991Jun06.060759.420@shawn.uucp> <28@tdatirv.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 07 Jun 1991 23:33:54 GMT
Lines: 41

>I admit that this is a problem with OpenWindows as distributed.
>But there is nothing keeping you system administrator from installing
>all of the remaining X libraries along with the one that came with
>OpenWindows.

Sun gives libX11 a version number of 4.3, which causes ld.so warnings if you
make the mistake of compiling against them and running on a machine with MIT
stuff.  My users have also had problems of strange behavior up to and
including hanging when using the MIT libX11 with the xnews server.

>Also, I find that the XView library is easier to program than any of
>the widget sets.

XView isn't strictly an OW-only thing.

>Which version of OpenWindows *were* you running!  I have *never*
>had the Sparc OpenWindows 2.0 server crash on me.

I had both xnews 2.0 and x11r4.pl9 crash (only on sun 4's) with certain
invocations of xloadimage -slideshow.  That hasn't happened to me since 3.0.1
came out.

>>         The MIT port is better.  SImple as that.
>I have failed to find any truly consistant differences.
>Especially after making sure I had all the libraries.

The xnews server lacks the shape extension, and the reservation of colormap
cells for the NeWS side of things is annoying.  I find xnews to use more
memory and run more slowly than the X11R4 server.  Not everyone has an SS2.
Run both on a 3/60 and see if you change your mind a little.  The xnews
server also loves to LOSE icons -- they disappear *completely*.  The
inability to use normal fonts is also a real pain.

In short, I tell my users to use the MIT server unless they have to run one
of several tools from vendors who still cling to Suntools.

--


  Fly to the sky on GI-GI____________ and shout to
datri@convex.com