The Xouvert project
[This article was contributed by Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier]
After the much-publicized controversy earlier this year
![[Xouvert]](https://static.lwn.net/images/ns/xouvert.png){kind=small}
about the XFree86 Project's development process, it seemed inevitable
that there would eventually be a fork of the project. Though it's not
exactly a fork, an experimental branch of XFree86 is now in the works.
Called "Xouvert," the project wasn't officially announced so much as outed on Slashdot.
The Xouvert project (pronounced "Zoo-vaire") is looking to allow developers to add driver support and new features to XFree86 in a modular fashion that should be easy to track and re-apply to the official XFree86 tree. One complaint raised by Keith Packard, and others, is that it has been difficult for developers outside the core team to contribute to XFree86. Xouvert project coordinator Jonathan Walther says that a main goal of the Xouvert project is to make it easier:
Xouvert is being hosted on Savannah, though it's not an official GNU project. The project is not officially connected to XFree86 either. Walther says that the only communication between the XFree86 team and the Xouvert team, thus far, was when David Dawes "asked us to capitalize XFree86 correctly" and indicate that XFree86 is a trademark. Walther says he'd like to work with the XFree86 team in the long run, however.
The project is designed so that it is both easier to contribute to, and easier to download and install. Walther mentioned that compiling XFree86 has "often been a source of frustration," so Xouvert's Cameron Berkenpas is working on a HOWTO to make it easier on users looking to compile their X server from source. Walther also says that the Xouvert lead developer, William Lahti, is working on a developer's handbook that will cover Xouvert's overall architecture and API's, though it may not be ready until the second stable release.
Right now, there's no real difference between the XFree86 codebase and Xouvert's. Users eager to see the first release of Xouvert don't have too long to wait -- the first release is slated for October 1, and stable releases are expected every six months after that. According to Walther, the first release will only contain "small additions and changes" but the second release next April should contain more comprehensive changes like the DRI/DRM and Utah-glx projects.
New projects often fizzle before they reach maturity, so it's too soon
to say whether the Xouvert project will become a mainstay of the Linux
and open source community. However, given the importance of a free X
Server to the long-term (and short-term, for that matter) health and
success of Linux, one hopes that the project will be successful.
Posted Aug 21, 2003 8:42 UTC (Thu)
by arvidma (guest, #6353)
[Link] (3 responses)
Posted Aug 21, 2003 11:02 UTC (Thu)
by oak (guest, #2786)
[Link] (2 responses)
(threading may increase responsiveness, but it has a significant drawbacks especially when the SW in question accesses HW directly and can leave your machine in unusable state) Main problems of XFee86 are lack of architectural documentation for the server itself (different versions of them) and it's build system. After these are fixed, there can be more developers who can do the actual features etc.
Posted Aug 21, 2003 11:37 UTC (Thu)
by arvidma (guest, #6353)
[Link]
Posted Aug 28, 2003 23:18 UTC (Thu)
by mmarq (guest, #2332)
[Link]
The problem in my view, is not a fork of XFree86 or more openness, but a better "STANDARD" model,... and if Linux would allow sometime in the future another kind of "windows generator" besides Xwindows,... and how the code is going to interface Linux Driver Model, with udev, kobjects, sysfs anf possibly DKMS,..., or any other future developments. OK... XFree is a standard, at it should continue to be, but it dosent need to have a M$ attitude or "WE" could try pass some of that to KDE vs GNOME!... The Xserver itself, or part of it, that dont thouch directly the HD could then be made in several threads. If Xouvert is only about openness, then IMO it includes a lot os waste of time.
Posted Aug 21, 2003 12:37 UTC (Thu)
by DancingProg (guest, #4816)
[Link] (1 responses)
Posted Aug 21, 2003 12:52 UTC (Thu)
by coriordan (guest, #7544)
[Link]
Tom Lord (main developer) is almost finished the complete rewrite in C. The package name is 'tla'. (I thought it was a "three letter acronym" pun but it probably stands for "tom lords arch" since another person has forked the project). He's a great, level headed project leader which gives me a lot of confidence that this project will continue to progress steadily.
Posted Aug 21, 2003 13:30 UTC (Thu)
by utoddl (guest, #1232)
[Link] (1 responses)
They may want it to be pronounced "Zoo-vaire", but my eyes tell my brain "eks-o-vert" (similar to "extrovert") every time. My Oxford Minidictionary says "overt a. done or shown openly." That seems to fit the intent of the project -- X done openly.
Posted Aug 21, 2003 13:50 UTC (Thu)
by cpmurphy (guest, #5755)
[Link]
Posted Aug 21, 2003 19:59 UTC (Thu)
by xorbe (guest, #3165)
[Link]
No wonder there's been a fork!
Posted Aug 23, 2003 15:54 UTC (Sat)
by daniel (guest, #3181)
[Link]
Uncharacteristically, you seem to have overlooked the significance of a high-profile FOSS project adopting Tom Lord's Arch revision control system. This is major vindication for Tom, and a great opportunity for developers to find out if Arch scales well on a decentralized, parallel project. It bodes well for the prospect of kernel development returning, in time, to a 100% FOSS tool chain. Of course, I'm also enormously pleased that X development will now benefit from a virtuous cycle of team competition. Way to go, Keith and Tom, I have every expectation that my computer is going to work better next year, because of you. Regards, Daniel
Though I feel quite a bit excited over this new development, I have some doubts with regard to whether they can address the one for me most disturbing thing of XFree; the fact that it isn't threaded. Fixing that would take a complete rewrite, and thus a whole new tree.The Xouvert project
Why one would want to make it slower and harder to debug?The Xouvert project
Well perhaps, but it's still darn frustrating that it can't utilise SMP as good as should.
The Xouvert project
That is exactly why, IMHO of non expert, that all drivers for Video 3D devices, pointing devices and Monitors, that are now in the "USERSPACE" XFree86 code, should pass for "KERNEL SPACE".The Xouvert project
I was somehow under the impression that arch had been discontinued. I guess I was The Xouvert project
wrong. What is the status?
> What is the status?Arch is going strong
The Xouvert project (pronounced "Zoo-vaire")Pronouncing "Xouvert"
"Ouvert" is French for "open", so it makes sense for "Xouvert" to be pronounced the French way. I like the extrovert analogy though.
Pronouncing "Xouvert"
[ Walther says that the only communication between the XFree86 team and the Xouvert team, thus far, was when David Dawes "asked us to capitalize XFree86 correctly" and indicate that XFree86 is a trademark. ]The Xouvert project
Hi Jon,The Xouvert project