X Power Tools

Chris Tyler

"O'Reilly Media, Inc.", Feb 5, 2008 - Computers - 254 pages

This book puts you in charge of the most flexible and adaptable graphical interface in the computer industry. The X Window System underlies graphical desktops on Linux and Unix systems, and supports advanced features of modern graphics cards. More people use the X Window System than ever before, but there are few books about X in print. X Power Tools fills that hole with the most practical and up-to-date information available.

Written in O'Reilly's popular Power Tools format, X Power Tools offers dozens of standalone articles, thoroughly cross-referenced, on useful tools and techniques for using X. This unique inside look at X gives Unix/Linux system administrators, owners of self-administered systems, and power users a lot of useful ways to harness the power of this system effectively. This book:

• Offers a thorough grounding in X configuration and how the system works
• Provides the complete ins and outs of changing a desktop's behavior, such as fonts, keyboard settings, and remote security
• Includes articles on how to take advantage of X's "network transparency" -- its ability to display graphical applications on a remote machine
• Explores intriguing areas such as using multiple monitors, building kiosks, and accessibility
• Features discussions on X Window innovations and the future of the system

X Power Tools covers configuration and use of X, focusing on Linux but also including notes on other operating systems such as Solaris and FreeBSD. Each article in the book gives you insight into X; the entire book gives you a real grasp on this system and what you can do with it.

Contents

• Introduction to the X Window System: 3
• Starting a Local X Server: 25
• Basic Xorg Configuration: 40
• Advanced Xorg Configuration: 67
• Using the X Server: 85
• Part II: 93
• X Utility Programs: 95
• Running X Clients: 112
• Session Managers Desktop Environments and Window Managers: 118
• Part III: 133
• Color: 135
• Fonts the Old Way: 142
• Fonts the New Way: 150
• Keyboard Configuration: 161
• Part IV: 173
• Remote Access: 175
• Using VNC: 193
• Part V: 217
• Building a Kiosk: 219
• Index: 237

About the author

Chris Tyler is a programmer and Linux network administrator with a focus on the X Window System and LAMP. He has programmed in two dozen different languages over the past 20 years, and now teaches at Seneca College, Toronto.

Bibliographic information

• Title: X Power Tools; O'Reilly Series
• Author: Chris Tyler
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: "O'Reilly Media, Inc.", 2008
• ISBN: 0596101953, 9780596101954
• Length: 254 pages
• Subjects: Computers / Computer Science; Computers / Languages / General; Computers / Operating Systems / General; Computers / Operating Systems / Linux; Computers / Programming / General; Computers / Software Development & Engineering / General; House & Home / Power Tools