Hi, I uploaded X packages to alpha.gnu.org. Follow the instructions, and you will soon get a nice and shiny X on the Hurd.
1. get the latest Hurd package, hurd_20000921 This is currently in http://incoming.debian.org (NOT ftp) and will be moved to the archive tonight. So if it isn't there, chances are that it is in ftp.debian.org at the usual place. The new Hurd package comes with the kbd and mouse translator by Yasushi, so you don't need to get any other special files. (except maybe one). Everything is nicely packaged. 2. Set up keyboard translator cd /dev ./MAKEDEV kbd 3. Set up mouse translator This is a bit special. For me, with a serial mouse, this works: settrans /dev/mouse /hurd/mouse --device=com0 --protocol=microsoft (from memory). Read this document to find out: http://f77.nop.or.jp/doc/XFree86-3.3.3.1.html#theTable 4. Install X packages. The X packages are in ftp://alpha.gnu.org/debian/dists/unstable/main/binary-hurd-i386/x11 This source is apt-able, this means, you can use apt to get the packages on demand. You also need some font packages (binary-all) from ftp.debian.org. Simply add both resources to /etc/apt/sources.list and leave it to apt. 5. Configure X. I recommend to use the Linux XF86Config and put it in /etc/X11/XF86Config and modify it. xf86setup may work, but there is a problem with the mouse (as the Hurd mouse setting is special). The only section where you need to be careful is the Pointer section. Only ONE variant works. Section "Pointer" Protocol "osmouse" Device "/dev/mouse" EndSection You can add Emulate3Buttons if you need it, of course. Everything else should work just as in linux. 7. startx 8. Bugs a) xterm and Ctrl-C/Ctrl-Z don't work correctly. You can't stop and suspend jobs correctly. That's bad! But there is a solution: Use rxvt :) rxvt is also in incoming and works. Somebody please debug the xterm problem and submit a patch! It can't be too hrd, but the xterm source is a real mess. Maybe the working rxvt code helps to debug this. b) pflocal gets many threads (~2000) and sucks up a lot of memory. Maybe there is some leak (port leak, memory leak). So over time, X might crash. Other random crashes can happen as well, but it is not too bad. In fact, it is quite stable for me. c) Because update-menu (menu is in incoming as well) doesn't work properly, our window managers don't have a fine Debian menu yet. 9. Window Managers There is twm, which works. There is blackbox, which works. There is fvwm (v2) in incoming, which works as well. 10. Other packages gtk is in incoming, the test programs work. The games I tested (xskat, xjump, xoids, xemeralda, xjewel) all work. xfishtank does not. 11. Tasks Compile all packages using X! Thanks, Marcus
