At 12:57 AM 20/02/1999 +0700, Shaggy Im-erbtham wrote:
>Just more simple questions I can't find straight answers to
>
>1) How much can one "do" with Linux in text mode wihout migrating to X? Is
>this like a DOS to Windows situation? Better interface, availability of
>appllications (say, MS Office), etc. Hypothically I were to use Linux
>exclusively for server-network purposes (file, print, fax, terminal, e-mail
>servers, internet gateway), would X be necessary?
As a network server, X probably isn't necessary. You can use
command-line based programs for mail (pine or elm), file manipulation
(Midnight Commander), text processing (emacs and vi) and so on.
Also, there are svga-based programs for Linux which don't require X,
IIRC.
>
>2) XFree86, WINE, KDE are different "platforms" of X? You just pick and
>install ONE and go on to install other applications? Suggestions of the
>preferred X platform welcomed too.
>
I think you have your terminology confused. Mine may be a little
wobbly, too, but here goes:
XFree86 is an X server - it allows X windows to run on your
computer. I believe there are other X servers, some of which are sold by
www.cheapbytes.com, but XFree86 is the GPL'd one.
Then you have window managers: After Step, Blackbox, icewm, fvwm,
WindowMaker, etc. These provide customizable menus (and docks or toolbars)
you can use to call up programs and customize your working environment.
Some of them also allow virtual workspaces in X - that is, an accessible
screen size larger than your actual screen size.
KDE and GNOME are desktop environments. They provide added goodies
to the window manager: toolbars, drag-and-drop interfaces, etc. There are
also programs which are built on one of the environments, taking advantage
of tools offered to the programmer by KDE or GNOME. I don't use either of
them, but you may want to check their respective websites.
WINE is not an emulator - which is an expansion of the acronym WINE.
What WINE does do is provide a windows-like environment where you can run
binaries which expect to be running on windows.
For myself, I use Blackbox. I'm dual-booting on a laptop, so I'm
trying to conserve both screen area and disk space. Blackbox is a nice
no-frills window manager. You *can*set the background with an image, but
you have to use xsetroot, xloadimage or xv to do so. I initially used
AfterStep, which came with my RH 5.2, but after a while I concluded the
doohickeys that took up the screen were more trouble than they were worth.
Useful information (?): I've found that the afterstep applets asapm
(power monitor for laptops) and aterm (funky customizable window) work very
nicely under Blackbox.. I'm assuming that applets built for specific window
managers will travel nicely, although I wouldn't hold that out for KDE or
GNOME based applets.
