A hyper-quick CliffNotes summary of X for those new to linux: The X Window System is the foundation of the GUI of modern Unices. The best part: it allows you to escape the graphical prison of a M$ Windoze(TM) operating system by running an “X Server”. The X server can display your X windows from a remote linux machine on the local machine instead (even if it’s a Windoze(TM) box). With a smart Winblows(TM) SSH client like putty, you can tunnel your X packets through an SSH session, so you end up with both command line and graphical secure remote access to your boxxen, whoop!

There are literally TONS of X servers for Windumbs(TM). However, I think I just found the best. Cygwin is a super-groovy set of native libraries that provide a command shell under Winslows(TM) with a LOT of linux functionality. On top of that, they provide an X environment. On top of THAT, it comes with an X server. Just run the Cygwin setup program, and make sure you include the following components:

  • xorg-x11-base
  • x-startup-scripts

    Then open your Cygwin shell and type “startxwin.sh”.

    As a final note, I’m having a lot of luck with the newer X.org flavor of X. It’s running on my Gentoo box, my Fedora box, and the Cygwin on this laptop. All the goodies, none of the crankiness, of XFree86. :>

    Life just doesn’t get any better under Windoesn’t(TM).

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