Learning DebianGNU Linux-Chapter 5: Installing and Configuring the X Window System

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Learning DebianGNU Linux-Chapter 5: Installing and Configuring the X Window System 5. Installing and Configuring the X Window System This chapter helps you install, configure, and use the X Window System (often known simply as X). Once X is up and running, you can choose how to start X. This chapter explains your options and also gives some tips on optimizing the performance of X. 5.1 What is X? X is the standard graphical user interface for Linux. Like other graphical user interfaces such as Microsoft Windows and Mac OS, X lets you interact with programs by using a mouse (or other pointing device) to point and click, providing a simple means of communicating with your computer. Originally implemented as a collaborative effort of Digital Equipment Corporation and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, X was first released in 1987. Subsequently, the X Consortium, Inc. became responsible for the continued development and publication of X. Despite its age, X is a remarkable and very modern software system: a cross- platform, network-oriented graphical user interface. It runs on a wide variety of platforms, including essentially every variety of Unix. X Clients are available for use, for example, under Windows 3.x, 9x, and NT. The sophisticated networking capabilities of X let you run a program on one computer while viewing the graphical output on another computer, connected to the first via a network. With the advent of the Internet, which interconnected a sizable fraction of the computers on the planet, X achieved a new height of importance and power. Most Linux users run XFree86, a freely available software system compatible with X. XFree86 was developed by the XFree86 software team, which began work in 1992. In 1994, The XFree86 Project assumed responsibility for ongoing research and development of XFree86. 5.2 Installing X Getting a proper X Window System up and running used to be a real challenge on Linux, almost a rite of passage. Today, device drivers are available for a much wider array of hardware, and configuration tools to assist in the setup process have greatly improved. While still tricky at times - especially with unusual hardware - X setup and configuration is no longer the daunting process it once was, and should be relatively easy. You'll go through two stages before you have X successfully running. The first stage involves installing the needed programs that enable X to run. These can be grouped into several categories:  Basic XFree86 program  X servers  Window Managers  Applications  Fonts This stage is very straightforward and can even be done as part of the basic installation process, if you select the relevant X packages during that step. In the second stage you configure X to run properly on your system. This is a matter of identifying an X server compatible with your graphics card, and tuning the server for your graphics card. If you have a common card and all the documentation for it, this second stage will be relatively simple. Missing information makes the process harder, but not impossible. As shown in Appendix C, The Debian Package Management Utilities, X consists of many packages. Once you've installed the necessary packages, you're ready to configure X. WARNING: You should exercise due care while configuring X to run on your system. If you incorrectly or incompletely configure X, your system can be permanently damaged. In particular, if you configure your monitor for a refresh rate that exceeds its capacity, you can damage the monitor. Older fixed-frequency monitors are particularly susceptible to such damage. The author and publisher have taken pains to make this chapter clear and accurate, but their efforts don't ensure that the procedure presented in this chapter will work correctly with your hardware. Consequently, the author and publisher cannot be held responsible for damages resulting from a faulty installation or configuration of X. If you have a card or monitor of unknown manufacture or model, and feel that you must guess, at least start with a narrow range of middle values, and gradually expand that range to see if you can find a value that works. Don't let a monitor that displays an unstable or garbled image run any longer than the time it takes you to cut power to the monitor 5.3 Configuring X When you install the xserver-common package, xf86config is automatically launched. However, you can launch the program any time you like. To do so, log in as root and type the command: xf86config Figure 5.1 shows the beginning of the xf86config dialog. As you can see, xf86config is a text-mode program; it does not support use of the mouse and it presents its questions teletype-style, using black-and-white text. In working with xf86config, you may find that your Backspace key doesn't work as expected. If so, use Ctrl-Backspace instead. Figure 5.1: The beginning of the xf86config dialog Next, xf86config asks you to specify the type of mouse attached to your system, as shown in Figure 5.2. Type the number associated with your choice, and press Enter. For non-mouse pointing devices found on many laptops, you should most likely select PS/2 Mouse. Figure 5.2: Specifying the mouse type If you selected the Logitech MouseMan mouse, you should enable its third button by responding y to the question asking whether ChordMiddle should be enabled, as shown in Figure 5.3. Figure 5.3: Specifying the ChordMiddle option If your mouse has only two buttons, you should enable emulation of a three- button mouse by responding y to the question asking about Emulate3Buttons, as shown in Figure 5.4. If you enable this option you can simultaneously press both the buttons of your mouse to emulate pressing the third button. Figure 5.4: Specifying emulation of a three-button mouse Next, you must specify the device file associated with the mouse, as shown in Figure 5.5. The instal ...