Welcome!
========
This document contains information about the X11 for Mac OS X that you
should read before you install this product. You will learn about
getting started, supported computer systems, hardware requirements,
software features, and known issues.
X11 for Mac OS X is an implementation of the X Window System that makes
it possible to run X11-based applications in Mac OS X. Based on the
open source XFree86 project -- the most common implementation of X11 --
X11 for Mac OS X is compatible, fast, and fully integrated with Mac OS
X. It includes the full X11R6.6 technology including an X11 window
server, Quartz window manager, libraries, and basic utilities such as
xterm.
For more information about X11 for Mac OS X, visit the Apple Mac OS X
website page for X11 at
<www.apple.com/macosx/x11/>
Getting Started
===============
X11 for Mac OS X is distributed as part of the Mac OS system install.
Simply select the optional X11 package when installing. Note that if
you want to compile applications for use with X11, you will also need
to download the X11 SDK package.
After installing, you can activate the software by launching
/Applications/Utilities/X11.app
The application opens an initial xterm window with the PATH and DISPLAY
variables set to the appropriate values. You can open additional
windows from the "Applications" menu of X11.app.
System Requirements
===================
Your computer must have:
- at least 256 MB of RAM
- a built-in display or a display connected to an Apple-supplied video card
- at least 200 MB of hard disk space available
Features
========
Key features of the X11 for Mac OS X include:
- direct and indirect native OpenGL support
Direct rendering has exactly the same performance as the native Mac
OS X OpenGL framework. Indirect rendering also uses the native GL
implementation, but incurs the penalty of marshalling, transmitting
and unmarshalling all GL primitives.
- improved performance of X11 server operations through direct use of
Quartz services
- hardware-accelerated fill, copy (scroll) and compositing
operations
- more efficient dirty-region accounting
- better support for shaped windows
- minimized intermediate copies when resizing windows
- new X11.app front end, including a fully-functional "Windows" menu
- new "quartz-wm" window manager
- provides a native Mac OS X look and feel for window decorations
- uses the Mac OS X Dock for minimization and window placement
- /usr/bin/open-x11 shell script available to launch X apps from
Terminal.
- ability to cut and paste between X11 and native applications using
PRIMARY and PASTEBOARD selections.
- Native fonts are available to Xft applications.
- supports multi-button mice and scroll-wheel events
- now handles display changes correctly
Known Issues
============
For the list of known issues and any recent changes, please visit:
http://developer.apple.com/qa/qa2001/qa1232.html
Feedback
========
Bug reports and feature requests related to X11 for Mac OS X can and
should be filed at developer.apple.com/bugreporter. Questions and other
feedback can be sent to Apple by subscribing to the
x11-users@lists.apple.com via the mailing list page at
http://www.lists.apple.com/x11-users
© 2003 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo,
iBook, Mac, Macintosh, PowerBook, and Power Macintosh are trademarks of
Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iMac
and Power Mac are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.