moonrockreptiles- Of Penguins and Daemons part 2

In the last article, we went through the basic history of UNIX, the foundation for OSX. I also mentioned that lots of UNIX software can be used under OSX with nothing more than a simple recompile. I also mentioned a very large limitation placed on the selection of software OSX can run. I then got a headache and stopped writing.

Well, my headache is finally gone.

No X for X

UNIX, at its standard, basic level, is run from a command line, similar to DOS, but oh so much more confusing. However, what happens when you get sick of typing and want to actually make some use of that mouse-thing sitting on your desk? You fire up X Windows – a cross-platform, totally open system that manages the basics of a graphical user interface (GUI). Basics such as running different programs in different windows at the same time, how those programs might interact and how that interaction might be manifest in the GUI, in which window will a program display, on which computer, etc.

The important thing about X Windows is that pretty much everybody uses it. What this means is that the UNIX version of Netscape will, in theory, run on FreeBSD, Linux, HP-UX, etc etc, as long as the OS is POSIX compliant and has X Windows. That is to say, in very basic terms, that the OS and system for drawing graphics, respectively, behave in expected ways. I'll go deeper in to POSIX at a later date.

Well, here's the problem. OS X is most certainly POSIX compliant (meaning, at a fairly fundamental level, it behaves similarly to other versions of UNIX), but there is no X Windows to be seen, at this point. That means you can't run any UNIX software that requires X Windows - essentially any software that has a graphical interface. There are strange creatures known as "console graphics" which allow for high quality, fast, even 3D graphics to be drawn to the screen without X Windows, but they're rarely used for mainstream applications, so I won't talk about them.

So no, you can't run all those nifty UNIX apps like The GIMP (GNU's answer to Photoshop) or any kind of window manager (the software that actually draws the windows and various desktop elements, and determines what your GUI will look like and how it will act).

This is seen as a big drawback in OS X among UNIX geeks because it means that the vast library of X Windows dependant software is inaccessible. It also means that OS X is that much more ostracized from other versions of UNIX.

What Needs to be Done

For Apple to appease the masses of UNIX geeks who are interested in OS X (and a fair number are, mostly in the BSD camp, I've found) they need to make X Windows as accessible as possible. There should be an optional install in the final shipping OS X. The problem with that is that X Windows isn't user friendly by any stretch of the imagination. And in its more basic forms, it's just about the ugliest thing you can imagine. Apple may be squeamish about shipping such geeky software with their OS. I've heard many say that there is nothing wrong with this. Someone will, doubtlessly, write an X Server (to run X Windows) for OSX, and the geeks who want it can download it and be happy.

Let's take it to the other extreme. Let's imagine, for a minute, that Apple not only ships X Windows with OS X, but makes it a default install and integrates it with Aqua. Presto! Transparent X Windows. That way you would be able to run X Windows applications right along side their Classic, Carbon and Cocoa counterparts. What would be really cool is that X Windows applications would look like Aqua apps and run like Aqua apps, but whoever wrote the program wouldn't even have to know of the Mac's existence! As long as it is written for a POSIX compliant UNIX with X Windows, all that should need to be done is a recompile (in theory). Good, seamless integration of X Windows would be a huge plus for OSX.

Oh, did I mention I wanna pony for Christmas?

Next time on Penguins and Daemons;

Flaming Gnomes and How to Beat a Penguin in to Submission!

Update, April 6 - I was recently pointed to the following paragraph on the
Darwin To Do list;

"The XFree86 source is in the Darwin repository. John Carmack got it running
on Mac OS X Server. It needs to be made to work using IOKit, and we need a
port based on the newer 4.0 release of XFree86. This will give Darwin a
windowing system and increase useability. <b>It will also be useful to get
the X server running inside of Quartz, so that X apps can run on Mac OS
X</b>"

I don't know when that was put up, all the same I must state the following;

Did I call that or what!?!? Damn, I'm so good!!!!!! ;)~

The full document can be found at

http://www.publicsource.apple.com/projects/darwin/todo.html

Thanks to Charley at MacCentral for pointing it out!


	Of Penguins and Daemons 2 by Otaku In the last article, we went through the basic history of UNIX, the foundation for OSX. I also mentioned that lots of UNIX software can be used under OSX with nothing more than a simple recompile. I also mentioned a very large limitation placed on the selection of software OSX can run. I then got a headache and stopped writing. Well, my headache is finally gone. No X for X UNIX, at its standard, basic level, is run from a command line, similar to DOS, but oh so much more confusing. However, what happens when you get sick of typing and want to actually make some use of that mouse-thing sitting on your desk? You fire up X Windows – a cross-platform, totally open system that manages the basics of a graphical user interface (GUI). Basics such as running different programs in different windows at the same time, how those programs might interact and how that interaction might be manifest in the GUI, in which window will a program display, on which computer, etc. The important thing about X Windows is that pretty much everybody uses it. What this means is that the UNIX version of Netscape will, in theory, run on FreeBSD, Linux, HP-UX, etc etc, as long as the OS is POSIX compliant and has X Windows. That is to say, in very basic terms, that the OS and system for drawing graphics, respectively, behave in expected ways. I'll go deeper in to POSIX at a later date. Well, here's the problem. OS X is most certainly POSIX compliant (meaning, at a fairly fundamental level, it behaves similarly to other versions of UNIX), but there is no X Windows to be seen, at this point. That means you can't run any UNIX software that requires X Windows - essentially any software that has a graphical interface. There are strange creatures known as "console graphics" which allow for high quality, fast, even 3D graphics to be drawn to the screen without X Windows, but they're rarely used for mainstream applications, so I won't talk about them. So no, you can't run all those nifty UNIX apps like The GIMP (GNU's answer to Photoshop) or any kind of window manager (the software that actually draws the windows and various desktop elements, and determines what your GUI will look like and how it will act). This is seen as a big drawback in OS X among UNIX geeks because it means that the vast library of X Windows dependant software is inaccessible. It also means that OS X is that much more ostracized from other versions of UNIX. What Needs to be Done For Apple to appease the masses of UNIX geeks who are interested in OS X (and a fair number are, mostly in the BSD camp, I've found) they need to make X Windows as accessible as possible. There should be an optional install in the final shipping OS X. The problem with that is that X Windows isn't user friendly by any stretch of the imagination. And in its more basic forms, it's just about the ugliest thing you can imagine. Apple may be squeamish about shipping such geeky software with their OS. I've heard many say that there is nothing wrong with this. Someone will, doubtlessly, write an X Server (to run X Windows) for OSX, and the geeks who want it can download it and be happy. Let's take it to the other extreme. Let's imagine, for a minute, that Apple not only ships X Windows with OS X, but makes it a default install and integrates it with Aqua. Presto! Transparent X Windows. That way you would be able to run X Windows applications right along side their Classic, Carbon and Cocoa counterparts. What would be really cool is that X Windows applications would look like Aqua apps and run like Aqua apps, but whoever wrote the program wouldn't even have to know of the Mac's existence! As long as it is written for a POSIX compliant UNIX with X Windows, all that should need to be done is a recompile (in theory). Good, seamless integration of X Windows would be a huge plus for OSX. Oh, did I mention I wanna pony for Christmas? Next time on Penguins and Daemons; Flaming Gnomes and How to Beat a Penguin in to Submission! Update, April 6 - I was recently pointed to the following paragraph on the Darwin To Do list; "The XFree86 source is in the Darwin repository. John Carmack got it running on Mac OS X Server. It needs to be made to work using IOKit, and we need a port based on the newer 4.0 release of XFree86. This will give Darwin a windowing system and increase useability. <b>It will also be useful to get the X server running inside of Quartz, so that X apps can run on Mac OS X</b>" I don't know when that was put up, all the same I must state the following; Did I call that or what!?!? Damn, I'm so good!!!!!! ;)~ The full document can be found at http://www.publicsource.apple.com/projects/darwin/todo.html Thanks to Charley at MacCentral for pointing it out!
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