535 lines
11 KiB
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535 lines
11 KiB
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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
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<HTML
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><HEAD
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><TITLE
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>Introduction</TITLE
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><TR
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><TH
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ALIGN="center"
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>The X Window User HOWTO</TH
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></TR
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><TR
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><TD
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WIDTH="10%"
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ALIGN="left"
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VALIGN="bottom"
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><A
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>Prev</A
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WIDTH="10%"
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ALIGN="right"
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>Next</A
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><HR
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ALIGN="LEFT"
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WIDTH="100%"></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect1"
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><H1
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CLASS="sect1"
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><A
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NAME="intro"
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></A
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>1. Introduction</H1
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><P
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> The <EM
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>X Window System</EM
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> is an advanced, graphical
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computing and network environment that was designed from the ground up as a
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multi-user system. <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> was first released in 1984.
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If you are not familiar with the basic concepts surrounding
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<SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> and it's related components, you should first
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read the <I
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CLASS="citetitle"
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>X Window System Architecture Overview HOWTO</I
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>, <A
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HREF="http://linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/XWindow-Overview-HOWTO/index.html"
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TARGET="_top"
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>http://linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/XWindow-Overview-HOWTO/index.html</A
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>,
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to get an idea of how the various pieces fit together. There is also
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an attempt to define to various <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> related
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terminology in the <A
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HREF="appendix.html#terms"
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>Appendix</A
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>, if concepts such
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as <SPAN
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CLASS="QUOTE"
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>"displays"</SPAN
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> and <SPAN
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CLASS="QUOTE"
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>"X clients"</SPAN
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> in this context are
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confusing to you.
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</P
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><P
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> This document will address basic X Window configuration and usage on Linux. We will
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also look at how <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> is commonly started in Linux,
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and how the start up can be configured, and related issues. We will
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<EM
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>not</EM
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> examine Window Manager (e.g.
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<SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>fvwm</SPAN
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>), or Desktop Environment
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(<SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>KDE</SPAN
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> and <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>GNOME</SPAN
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>)
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configuration. There are just too many variables there, and the pace of
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change moves too quickly. Of course, to a large extent the user interacts
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more directly with these components than the X server itself, so additional
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reading would be worthwhile. Check your locally installed documentation, and
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the respective home pages for more information.
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</P
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><P
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> Some other important points to remember here:
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</P
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><P
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> <P
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></P
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><UL
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><LI
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><P
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> <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> is a client-server, multi-user system in
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every respect, and not just a GUI.
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</P
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></LI
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><LI
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><P
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> <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> is not integrated into the operating system,
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and rides on top of it, like other servers.
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</P
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></LI
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><LI
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><P
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> <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> is an open standard, and runs on many platforms.
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</P
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></LI
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><LI
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><P
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> What you actually see on the screen is the result of various components,
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all working together: operating system, <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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>,
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Window Manager, and optionally, a desktop environment like
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<SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>GNOME</SPAN
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> or <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>KDE</SPAN
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>. These
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are all <SPAN
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CLASS="QUOTE"
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>"plug and play"</SPAN
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> components, meaning you can
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interchange an individual component without touching the other components.
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</P
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></LI
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><LI
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><P
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> Each of the various components has its own configuration. This makes for a
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very flexible, and potentially very robust, system. It also adds
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complexity.
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</P
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></LI
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></UL
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>
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</P
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><P
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> The discussion here will be limited to <SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> as
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implemented by <A
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HREF="http://xfree86.org"
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TARGET="_top"
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>The XFree86 Project,
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Inc.</A
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> on Linux. There are other implementations, including
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commercial ones. XFree86 v4.x has been out for some time now, so we will be
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assuming that version. Much of the discussion applies to the previous 3.x
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version as well, but there are some occasional differences.
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</P
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><P
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> It is also worth noting that there are conceivably many ways to start
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<SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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>, and to set up a Linux system. We will focus on
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the common methods found in Linux distributions. Also, vendors may vary on
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where they put configuration files, and how they name them. Keep this in mind
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if you see such discrepancies in this document. If this is a problem, your
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vendor surely has their own documentation. And as always, hopefully the man
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pages will conform to your installation.
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</P
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><P
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> Also, we will look at various configuration files in the following sections.
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These are all plain text files, and can be edited with your favorite editor.
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Always make a backup copy before editing important files, in case Murphy pays
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a visit (e.g. <SPAN
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CLASS="QUOTE"
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>"cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.bak"</SPAN
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>).
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</P
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN97"
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></A
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>1.1. New Versions and ChangeLog</H2
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><P
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>
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The <A
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HREF="http://tldp.org/HOWTO/XWindow-User-HOWTO.html"
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TARGET="_top"
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>current official version of this HOWTO </A
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>
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may be found at the Linux Documentation Project.
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</P
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><P
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> v3.1: This is just some small, minor updates. Include link
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to <A
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HREF="http://www.plig.org/xwinman/"
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TARGET="_top"
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>http://www.plig.org/xwinman/</A
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>
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as a good resource for shopping Window Managers. Add link for fluxbox,
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a Window Manager with Tabbed windows. And add a brief section on improving
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network performance. Verify links all work.
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</P
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><P
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> v3.0: This is a major rewrite with several new sections. Some
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sections were removed, with the focus more now on just
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<SPAN
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CLASS="application"
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>X</SPAN
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> itself (and not clients like Window Managers).
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New maintainer too :-)
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</P
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><P
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> v2.0: includes corrections from Guus Bosch, Brian J.
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Miller, and myself, as well as lots of new updates and info.
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</P
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><P
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> v1.4: include corrections and additions from Anthony J., and
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some very good security tips from Tomasz Motylewski.
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</P
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></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN107"
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></A
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>1.2. To Do</H2
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><P
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> A rudimentary troubleshooting section. Probably for v3.2.
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</P
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></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN110"
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></A
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>1.3. Feedback</H2
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><P
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> If you have questions or comments about this document, please feel free to
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email me, Hal Burgiss at <TT
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CLASS="email"
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><<A
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HREF="mailto:hal@foobox.net"
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>hal@foobox.net</A
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>></TT
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>. I welcome any
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suggestions, corrections, or additions. If you have information you would
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like to see in future revisions, or you would like to contribute to a future
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revision, please drop me a note.
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</P
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></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN114"
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></A
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>1.4. Help!</H2
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><P
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> I have assumed maintainership of this document because it was abandoned, and
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I had wanted to offer a suggested change. Well, to make a long story short,
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this led to a major re-write. You can help make this a better document by
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correcting inaccuracies, clarifying the unclear, and suggesting improvements.
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There is much about this topic I may not know, or not have explained well. Your
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help will improve this document and help other users. This document
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<EM
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>needs</EM
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> your help!
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</P
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></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN118"
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></A
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>1.5. Acknowledgments</H2
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><P
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> Thanks to the XFree86 development team for their efforts in providing a
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robust and flexible GUI. And to the whole GNU/Linux and Open Source
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community for making it all possible.
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</P
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><P
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> Also, the original author, Ray Brigleb.
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</P
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><P
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> Various users on comp.os.linux.x that have helped in one way or another,
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whether they know it or not.
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</P
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><P
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> Lastly, <A
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HREF="http://google.com/linux"
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TARGET="_top"
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>http://google.com/linux</A
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>,
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who saved me much time with their incredible repository of information. Use
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it to answer questions not answered here!
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</P
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></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN125"
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></A
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>1.6. Copyright</H2
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><P
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> Copyright <20> 2002, Hal Burgiss.
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</P
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><P
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> Unless otherwise stated, Linux HOWTO documents are copyrighted by their
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respective authors. Linux HOWTO documents may be reproduced and distributed
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in whole or in part, in any medium physical or electronic, as long as this
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copyright notice is retained on all copies. Commercial redistribution is
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||
allowed and encouraged; however, the author would like to be notified of any
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such distributions.
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||
</P
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><P
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> All translations, derivative works, or aggregate works incorporating any
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||
Linux HOWTO documents must be covered under this copyright notice. That is,
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you may not produce a derivative work from a HOWTO and impose additional
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||
restrictions on its distribution. Exceptions to these rules may be granted
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||
under certain conditions; please contact the Linux HOWTO coordinator for more
|
||
information.
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</P
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><P
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> In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information through as
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||
many channels as possible. However, we do wish to retain copyright on the
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||
HOWTO documents, and would very much like to be notified of any plans to
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||
redistribute the HOWTOs, this one in particular!
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||
</P
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><P
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> Some of the terms mentioned in this document are trade names. Unless
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||
otherwise stated, all trademarks are property of their respective owners.
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</P
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><P
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> <SPAN
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CLASS="QUOTE"
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>"X Window System"</SPAN
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> is a trademark of the X Consortium, Inc
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[now the OpenGroup?].
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</P
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><P
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> <SPAN
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CLASS="QUOTE"
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>"XFree86"</SPAN
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||
> is a trademark of <A
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HREF="http://xfree86.org"
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TARGET="_top"
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>The
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XFree86 Project, Inc</A
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>.
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</P
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><P
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> <SPAN
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CLASS="QUOTE"
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>"Linux"</SPAN
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> is a Registered Trademark of Linus Torvalds.
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</P
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></DIV
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><DIV
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CLASS="sect2"
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><H2
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CLASS="sect2"
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><A
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NAME="AEN139"
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></A
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>1.7. Standard Disclaimer</H2
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><P
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> The information and examples given here are for illustrative purposes. Use at
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your own risk. Every attempt has been made to insure that the content of this
|
||
document was accurate when written. If you find inaccuracies, please send me
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||
clarifications.
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</P
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><P
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||
> References to any particular company, product or brand name should not be
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||
construed as an endorsement.
|
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||
</P
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||
></DIV
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||
></DIV
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||
><DIV
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WIDTH="100%"><TABLE
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><TR
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WIDTH="33%"
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ALIGN="left"
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VALIGN="top"
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><A
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HREF="index.html"
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ACCESSKEY="P"
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>Prev</A
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WIDTH="34%"
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ALIGN="center"
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VALIGN="top"
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><A
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HREF="index.html"
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ACCESSKEY="H"
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>Home</A
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></TD
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><TD
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WIDTH="33%"
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ALIGN="right"
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VALIGN="top"
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><A
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HREF="xfree86.html"
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ACCESSKEY="N"
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>Next</A
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></TD
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></TR
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><TR
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><TD
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WIDTH="33%"
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ALIGN="left"
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VALIGN="top"
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||
>The X Window User HOWTO</TD
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||
><TD
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WIDTH="34%"
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ALIGN="center"
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VALIGN="top"
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> </TD
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><TD
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WIDTH="33%"
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ALIGN="right"
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VALIGN="top"
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>XFree86</TD
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> |