Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!mouse
From: mouse@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu (der Mouse)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: co-Xist (or other X) experiences wanted
Message-ID: <1991Jun30.234034.9277@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu>
Date: 30 Jun 91 23:40:34 GMT
References: <1991Jun26.190933.1@sif.claremont.edu>
Organization: McGill Research Centre for Intelligent Machines
Lines: 59

In article <1991Jun26.190933.1@sif.claremont.edu>, greg@sif.claremont.edu (Tigger) writes:

> [...looking for a workstation...]  One of the requirements for his
> workstation, therefore, is that it run X.  In addition to [...], we
> are considering getting him a NeXT, probably a NeXTstation Color.
> [...] experience running X clients from remote machines using co-Xist
> (or any of the other NeXT X-Windows software, for that matter).

I have used Mouse-X with nothing but the server running on the NeXT; it
worked as well as could be expected.  (That is, the problems with it
were things that couldn't be avoided, like the wretchedly impoverished
keyboard and clients that didn't like a 2-bit StaticGray visual.)

Mouse-X does not, as far as I know, run on a color NeXT yet.  (There is
someone working on this.  I haven't heard from him in quite a while,
but last I heard he'd gotten it mostly working and just had a couple of
glitches left.)

I have been told that co-Xist runs on a color NeXT fine, but provides
only the same 2-bit StaticGray visual.  I do not know whether Pencom
has released a color version, or if not whether or when they intend to.

> I also understand that the window manager can run on a remote
> machine, with co-Xist supplying *just* the bare X server.

Yes.  I have run Mouse-X this way.

> So we could run the OpenLook or DECwindows window manager on the host
> machine, avoiding any incompatibilities with whatever window manager
> would normally run on the NeXT, right?

Certainly.  However, the window manager may get upset over the 2-bit
visual, and if you use Mouse-X, over the two-button pointer device.

> If that works, can multiple window managers running on multiple
> remote hosts share the same local X server?

No, no more than they can for any X server.  At most one window manager
per display (and generally speaking, one display per server.)

> Could we have an OpenLook window manager running on our Sun and a
> DECwindows window manager running on the VAX simultaneously share the
> co-Xist window on the NeXT?

No.  Most likely the one you start second will complain about something
(probably a BadAccess error from a grab) and die.  If they do both
start up successfully, I shudder to think of the struggles they could
get into over various resources....

However, you could run multiple servers.  With Mouse-X, this is a bit
tricky, but should be doable (I haven't tried it), though you may be
unable to use the front-end except for the first one.  With co-Xist, I
naturally don't know, but would hope it would be doable.

					der Mouse

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