On 30-Dec-98 Michael Trausch wrote:
> Hi. I need to clarify something for my own knowledge here, as something
> that I read yesterday *really* confused me.
>
> I was reading something on the Internet about X Terminals, and how the X
> GUI system worked. Now, my ex-coworker from a Computer Store that I
> used to work at said that UNIX has only one real GUI system, and that is
> the X Window System (in the case of Linux, XFree86). However, something
> that I read yesterday said, something like there are about 4 GUI systems
> for Linux and UNIX. How is this possible, and what are they?
The GUI for UNIX based system can be easily divided into 3 different components.
The Window System, the Window Manager and the Desktop Environment. Only the
Window System is essential, the others are optional (although you won't get
very far without the Window Manager). Infact, the Desktop Environment is often
missing on many Linux system.
I know of at only two Window System for UNIX based system, the X Window System
(which has numerous implementation) and the Network Extensible Window System.
Only X remains in common use.
Windows Managers includes, FVWM, AfterStep, TWM, and many others. There are
definitely much more than four for Linux alone, much less UNIX in general.
I would suspect that the article you have read is refering to the Desktop
Environment when it mentioned GUI. Commonly used Desktop Environment includes,
CDE, GNOME, and KDE.
Cort
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
