The X.Org Foundation

Table of Contents

Open Source Implementation of The X Window System

The X.Org Foundation provides an open source implementation of the X Window System. The development work is being done as part of the [http://freedesktop.org freedesktop.org] community.

See the following pages for more information:

• About the [:XorgFoundation:X.Org Foundation] (the people behind X.org)

• See [:News:this page] for miscellaneous news about the X.Org tree.

• A listing of available [:XorgReleases:Releases] of the X Window System

Most Recent Releases

Next X.Org Foundation release

We are currently working on the next X.Org Foundation release, which has not yet been scheduled, and hope for an early 2005 release. See the XorgReleasePlan page for details of what went into the X11R6.8 release, and that page will have details when our next release plans are more firm.

About the X11R6.8.1 Release

The X11R6.8.1 release is a security release on top of X11R6.8.0; it patches several holes in the X Pixmap library (libXpm).

Download the X11R6.8.1 Release

A set of seven tarballs are available that contain the X11R6.8.1 release, or you can get the release directly from CVS using the "XORG-6_8_1" tag.

• [http:/X11R6.8.1/src/ Source tarball directory]

Note: Above link is outdated since the last server crash but not yet fixed. Use the [:XorgReleases:releases list] instead.

Getting X6.8.1 via CVS

Use your freedesktop.org shell account to access /cvs/xorg with ssh, or use anonymous CVS to obtain a copy of the lastest X.Org Foundation release (~320MB):

$ cvs -d :pserver:anoncvs@cvs.freedesktop.org:/cvs/xorg login
CVS password: <hit return>
$ cvs -d :pserver:anoncvs@cvs.freedesktop.org:/cvs/xorg co -P -rXORG-6_8_1 xc

For more information on CVS access and how you may obtain write access to the X.Org repository please check the CvsPage.

About the X11R6.8.0 Release

In response to demand of users and application developers, X.Org's X11R6.8 brings forward widely anticipated fundamental facilities through this release. They include the first X Window System support for:

• Translucent windows
• Window animation, window decorations like shadows
• Support for accessibility applications

• Support for 3D immersive user environments like Looking Glass(1) and [http://www.opencroquet.org Croquet]

• Support for large-scale display walls using [http://dmx.sourceforge.net DMX](3)

These new facilities, some of which are still considered experimental and so not enabled by default, have been under development for several years. Once completed and deployed, they will enable X Window System desktop projects, such as Gnome and KDE, to greatly extend their visual user interface vocabulary while still ensuring uncompromised support for existing applications, even surpassing current state of the art in competing window systems.

These facilities will enable easy implementation of thumbnailing, screen magnifiers for accessibility, translucent windows, menus, drop shadows, and even integration of conventional applications into 3D immersive environments. They are the result of open collaboration within the freedesktop.org community, desktop projects, and the X Window System user and developer community. For some illustrations visit our [:X11R68ScreenShots:screen shots] page.

Features also included in this release are updates and fixes to: FreeType2, !Xprint, XawPrintShell, Mesa, DRI, driver rotation support, Render, and many driver updates. See [http://cvs.freedesktop.org/xorg/xc/ChangeLog?rev=1.365&only_with_tag=XORG-6_8_0&view=markup xc/ChangeLog] for list of fixes and enhancements.

The X.Org code base was derived from XFree86 4.4 RC2. Just before its 4.4 release, XFree86 adopted a new license possibly incompatible with the GPL. For this reason, we have recreated its tree as closely as possible without importing files affected by the new license. The monolithic tree is being referred to as simply "XOrg".

We expect that this will be the last major "monolithic" release of the X Window System. There will be coordinated releases of everything currently in the traditional tree, but they will no longer be contained in a single giant tarball.

Documentation for X6.8.0

• [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/ Full documentation]

• [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/README.html README]

• [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/RELNOTES.html Release Notes], [:ReleaseNotes680:Release notes for 6.8.0]]

• [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/LICENSE.html Licenses]

• [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/BUILD.html Build Directions]

• Manual pages: [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/manindex1.html Commands], [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/manindex3.html Library Functions], [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/manindex4.html Drivers], [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/manindex5.html Files and file formats], [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/manindex7.html Miscellaneous]

Reporting problems, asking questions and getting help

• The ["FAQ"] wiki has much useful information. We recommend starting here when you have a problem.

• If you are not sure it is a bug, send your question to xorg@freedesktop.org.

• Use the “xorg” product in the [https://bugs.freedesktop.org freedesktop bugzilla] to report bugs against the XOrg CVS tree. [http://bugzilla.gnome.org/ Gnome's bugzilla suggestions] are well worth looking over if you are new to reporting bugs with systems like bugzilla.

• General questions about X11R6.8 should also be asked on xorg@freedesktop.org.

• IRC: irc.freenode.net #xorg

Fixing bugs

Bugs assigned to the pseudo-user xorg-bugzilla-noise@freedesktop.org need someone to take ownership of them. If you feel qualified to fix the bug, feel free to take ownership of the bug by reassigning it to yourself.

To Do

See the ToDo page for a list of tasks that need to be done specific to the XOrg monolithic tree. A much more comprehensive list [http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/FreedesktopProjects of unfinished X related projects] is also available.

Development

If you are interested in helping in our efforts to improve the X Window System technology, please have a look at our DevelopersPages. Please remember that X is just one component of the overall free desktop and that therefore future X enhancements should be thought through with this perspective.

Information for committers

We have a CvsPolicy page, which details information you should know about committing code to the X.Org repository.

Modular Development Efforts

The modular repackaging efforts can be found in the following projects on freedesktop.org:

• GoingModular -- how to get the X.org tree from here to there.

• [http://www.freedesktop.org/Software/xlibs X Libraries] is a project containing modular, autotooled version of X Window System libraries.

• [http://www.freedesktop.org/Software/xserver X Server] is a project containing a modular, autotooled X server implementation.

• [http://www.freedesktop.org/Software/xapps xapps] is a project containing modular, autotooled X applications.

XInput Hotplug Extensions

We are working on a new revision of the XInput extension that will allow the server to pick up new input devices as they are added. The work is being tracked on the ["XInputHotplug"] page.

Mailing Lists

On [:XorgMailingLists:this page] you can find a list of X-related mailing lists hosted on freedesktop.org. More mailing lists on X Window System and related technologies along with subscription directions are available at [http://www.x.org/XOrg''Foundation''Join_OpenLists.html XOrg Foundation].

Related Projects

• [http://www.freedesktop.org freedesktop.org] hosts the X.Org development along with many other related [http://www.freedesktop.org/Software projects].

• [http://www.xfree86.org The XFree86 Project, Inc.]

• [http://www.gnome.org/ Gnome]

• [http://www.kde.org/ The K Desktop Environment]

• [http://www.ltsp.org/ Linux Terminal Server Project]

• [http://x.cygwin.com/ Cygwin/X]

• [http://www.opencroquet.org Croquet Project]

• [http://wwws.sun.com/software/looking_glass/ Project Looking Glass]

• [http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Info The Freedesktop info page] has links to many worthwhile projects.

• [http://elektra.sourceforge.net Elektra] "Elektrified X.org" - a config file restructuring approach, see also the announcement and the lwn.net discussion [http://lwn.net/Articles/113279/ here]

Mirrors

If you would like to mirror the X11R6.8 release or the freedesktop site, please send mail to release-wranglers@freedesktop.org or sitewranglers@freedesktop.org.

Security

For security advisories please check our SecurityPage.BR Please notify us of any security issues by sending mail to xorg_security@x.org.

Acknowledgements

Our thanks go to [http://www.pdx.edu/ Portland State University] for providing the hosting of freedesktop.org and to Hewlett-Packard for providing the freedesktop.org system.

Our thanks also go to the many other contributors to the X Window System technology over the years, as noted in the [http:/X11R6.8.0/doc/RELNOTES6.html release notes].

-- Main.DanielStone - 15 Sep 2004