Installation guide

102 Chapter 6. The X Window System
For more information, refer to the XF86Config man page.
To review the current configuration of your XFree86 server, type the xset -q command. This pro-
vides you with information about the keyboard, pointer, screen saver, and font paths.
6.3. Desktop Environments and Window Managers
The configuration of an XFree86 server is useless until accessed by an X client that will use it to
display a program using the hardware controlled by the X server. X clients are programs designed to
take advantage of the X server’s hardware, usually to provide interactivity with a user.
You do not have to run a complicated window manager in conjunction with a particular desktop
environment to use X client applications. Assuming that you are not already in an X environment
and do not have an .xinitrc file in your home directory, type the xinit command to start X with
a basic terminal window (the default xterm application). You will see that this basic environment
utilizes your keyboard, mouse, video card, and monitor with the XFree86 server, using the server’s
hardware preferences. Type exit at the xterm prompt to leave this basic X environment.
Of course, most computer users require more features and utility from their GUI. Developers have
added layers of features to create highly developed and interactive environments that utilize the full
power of the XFree86 server. These layers break into two fundamental groups based on their purpose.
6.3.1. Window Managers
Window managers are X client programs that control the way other X clients are positioned, resized,
or moved. Window managers can also provide titlebars to windows, keyboard focus by keyboard or
mouse, and user-specified key and mouse button bindings. Window managers work with a collection
of different X clients, wrapping around the program, making it look a certain way and appear on the
screen in a particular place.
Four window managers are included with Red Hat Linux 8.0:
twm The minimalist Tab Window Manager, which provides the most basic toolset of any of the
window managers.
mwm — The default window manager for the GNOME desktop environment, mwm stands for Metac-
ity Window Manager. It is a simple and efficient window manager which supports custom themes.
sawfish This full featured window manager for was was the default until the release of Red
Hat Linux 8.0. It can be used either with or without the GNOME desktop environment.
wmaker WindowMaker is a full-featured GNU window manager designed to emulate the look
and feel of the NEXTSTEP environment.
These window managers can be run as individual X clients to gain a better sense of their differ-
ences. Type the xinit path-to-window-manager command, where path-to-window-
manager
is the location of the window manager binary file. The binary file can be found by typing
which
window-manager-name or by looking for the name of the window manager in a bin
directory.
6.3.2. Desktop Environments
A desktop environment brings together assorted X clients that can be run together using similar meth-
ods, utilizing a common development environment.
Desktop environments are different from window managers, which only control the appearance and
placement of X client windows. Desktop environments contain advanced features that allow X clients
and other running processes to communicate with one another. This allows all applications written