LWN: Comments on "The Xouvert project"

The Xouvert project

mmarq — Thu, 28 Aug 2003 23:18:49 +0000

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 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.

The Xouvert project

daniel — Sat, 23 Aug 2003 15:54:54 +0000

Hi Jon,

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

The Xouvert project

xorbe — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 19:59:10 +0000

[ 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. ]

No wonder there's been a fork!

Pronouncing "Xouvert"

cpmurphy — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 13:50:38 +0000

"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"

utoddl — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 13:30:37 +0000

The Xouvert project (pronounced "Zoo-vaire")

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.

Arch is going strong

coriordan — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 12:52:33 +0000

> What is the status?

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.

The Xouvert project

DancingProg — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 12:37:10 +0000

I was somehow under the impression that arch had been discontinued. I guess I was
wrong. What is the status?

The Xouvert project

arvidma — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 11:37:17 +0000

Well perhaps, but it's still darn frustrating that it can't utilise SMP as good as should.

The Xouvert project

oak — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 11:02:04 +0000

Why one would want to make it slower and harder to debug?

(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.

The Xouvert project

arvidma — Thu, 21 Aug 2003 08:42:19 +0000

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.