XFree86 - Open Source Implementation of X

Computer History Notes - Herong's Tutorial Notes

∟1984 - X Window System Developed a MIT Team

∟XFree86 - Open Source Implementation of X

This section provides a quick introduction of XFree86, a free and open source implementation of X Window System.

One popular, free and open source implementation of the X Window System for Linux systems is XFree86 developed by the XFree86 Project, Inc. led by David Dawes.

XFree86 was first released in 1992 and has gone through many releases now:

XFree86 1.0m   September 2, 1992, for X11R5
XFree86 2.0   October 1993
XFree86 3.0   August 26, 1994, for X11R6
XFree86 4.0   March 8, 2000

On a Linux 2.0.30 system, XFree86 3.2 was installed with the following main directories:

/usr/X11R6/bin/*
   All executable programs related to X11. For example:
   /usr/X11R6/bin/xinit - X Window System initializer
   /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm - X Display Manager
   /usr/X11R6/bin/xsm - X Session Manager
   /usr/X11R6/bin/twm - Tab Window Manager for the X Window System
   /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm - Terminal emulator for X
   /usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config - Generate an XF86Config file

/usr/X11R6/include/X11/*
   All C header files for developing X11 applications in C language.
   /usr/X11R6/include/X11/Xlib.h - X protocol library
   /usr/X11R6/include/X11/SM/SMlib.h - X Session Management Library

/usr/X11R6/lib/*
   All compiled library files for X11 applications.
   /usr/X11R6/lib/libX11.so.6.1 - X11 protocol library
   /usr/X11R6/lib/libSM.so.6.0 - X Session Management Library

/usr/X11R6/man/*
   Manual files for all X11 executable programs. For example:
   /usr/X11R6/man/man1/xinit.1x.gz - Manual file for "xinit"
   /usr/X11R6/man/man1/xdm.1x.gz - Manual file for "xdm"
   /usr/X11R6/man/man1/xsm.1x.gz - Manual file for "xsm"
   /usr/X11R6/man/man1/xterm.1x.gz - Manual file for "xterm"