🚀 go-pugleaf

    

> For a few years now, I've been a believer that a good windows system is one
> that will work in a heterogeneous environment where a user's workstation can
> be in communication with several remote and independent hosts simultaneously
> and capable of providing a window for every job the user has currently
> executing on any host.
> 	  
> My understanding is that neither X nor any other window system is currently
> capable of operating in such an environment. (Maybe some future version!!)
> But if it were, then testing would be a "simple" matter of running an
> appropriate test routine on the machines to be tested from a single
> worksation.

If I understand your "wish" correctly, then X can in fact handle this.  X
supports windows that communicate through network connections; the machines
do not have to be the same.  Currently, on my VAXstation II, I have windows
from a couple of RTPC workstations.  I could just as easily create one from
a Sun that had X.

> I realize that the logistics of arranging such testing may be as challenging
> as developing a system that can operate under such a system. But I can
> dream.

The problem that Jim faces in testing X is that one must verify that X clients
from a variety of workstations are able, in fact, to interact properly with
X display servers running on those different machines.  It is also desirable
for X applications to compile and run properly without change on different
workstations -- that is the problem that shows up with dereferencing NULL
pointers on Suns that didn't appear on VAXen.

Performing such testing thoroughly means having easy access to well-maintained
systems from many vendors.  That's the tricky part.

> 	 Jon Meads
> 	 Portland, Oregon
> 	 {jmeads@ADA20.ISI.EDU}


	Win Treese
	MIT Project Athena
	treese@athena.MIT.EDU