Official Course Outline
Temporary Course Webpage
Subject Description
This subject introduces the student to the X Window System. Students will learn how to plan, set up, troubleshoot, customize and use an X system. Particular attention will be paid to security and network issues with emphasis on the KDE and GNOME desktop environments.
Credit Status
1 credit in the LUX program
Prerequisites
Meet admission requirements for LUX
Specific Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
- Plan, implement, and administer an X System installation, taking into account network, security, and hardware issues
- Understand display hardware issues and recommend a display hardware configuration to meet specified requirements
- Identify the components of the X Window System and the purpose of each
- Start an X server using the commands startx, xinit, X, and xdm/gdm/kdm
- Start an X server with no session, local session management, and queried, broadcast, and indirect remote session management
- Download, install, configure and use KDE (K Desktop Environment)
- Download, install, configure and use the XFree86/Xouvert server software and utilities
- Download, install, configure and use VNC (Virtual Network Computer)
- Configure and use common X client applications
- Download, install, configure and use the Gnome desktop environment
Topic Outline
- Overview of X - 5%
o What is X?
o Client-Server Model
o Terminology
o History of X
- Display and User Interface Hardware and Technology - 10%
o Monitors - LCD, CRT - connection types, resolution, refresh rates
o Video Cards - memory type and size, DACs, GPUs
o Pointing devices - mice, touch screens, light pens, graphics tablets
o Keyboards - connection types, scancodes, geometry, accessibility issues
o Device standards and standard bodies, including VESA, DPMS, DDC, USB HID, and TCO99
o Network transports: local (Unix domain sockets, STREAMS, named pipes, shared memory) and remote (TCP/IP and alternatives (IPX/SPX, DecNet))
- Installing and Configuring the X Window Server - 15%
o Installing XFree86/Xouvert - using tar files and rpm packages
o Configuration - automatic, fully manual, and manual using GUI tools
o Hardware Configuration - keyboard, pointer/mouse, monitor
o The X Server - choosing the correct driver for your video card
o Installing alternate (non-XFree86) X servers
o Multi-head configuration
o Xinerama
o Fonts types and configuration
o The X Font Server (xfs) and alternatives
- Starting and Using the X Server - 10%
o Starting X: startx, xinit, X
o Display Managers: xdm/gdm/kdm/chooser
o Query, Broadcast and Indirect methods of contacting display managers
- Standard X Programs and Utilities - 5%
o xset, xdpyinfo
o xcalc, xclock, xeyes, xkill, xmag, xsetroot, xloadimage, xterm
o xfd, xlsfonts, xfontsel, x11perf
o KDE and Gnome equivalents of standard X utilities
- Linux/X Toolkit Particulars - 5%
o Xt, Gtk, Qt, Xforms, Motif/Lesstif
- Runtime Application Configuration - 5%
o X Resource Database
o Common Resources and Command-Line Options
o KDE and Gnome configuration systems
- Runtime Environment Configuration - 5%
o Window Managers
- Integrated X Desktop Environments - 10%
o KDE
o GNOME
o Others - CDE
- X and Security - 15%
o xhosts
o xauth
o ssh and X11 tunneling
- X and Wide Area Networking - 15%
o Low bandwidth X (LBX), Broadway
o VNC
== Useful X-Windows Resources ==
Fill in as you wish...