Linux (XFree86) Why is it so Hard to Change Settings?

[BDawg]

On MaxOS (9 & X), all Windows since 95OR2, and even on Irix, it's a simple point and click to change your resolution and color depth, with no rebooting.

However in Linux (or anything else using XF86), it's a PITA to change a resolution (you have to edit text files) and even then, it requires a reboot.

RedHat has an Xconfigurator that is supposed to make this simplier, but when I try to change via that program, I'm told my settings are incorrect (which they aren't ).

What's up with this? Is it that hard to make a click and change system?

 

[TonyRic]

It doesn't require a reboot, just log out and back in again. In reality, after it is set to your preferred state, why would one need to change it?

 

[Nothinman]

Changing resolution is as easy as hitting ctrl-alt-+ to cycle through them. Color depth requires a restart of the X server, but not the whole box.

 

[cleverhandle]

Yeah, but resolution cycling still leaves you with a virtual desktop at the largest res on the modeline, which is kind of annoying. Considering how much better X window managers manage space, it's not really as bad as it would be on a windows box, but I would still appreciate "normal" non-virtual resolution changes. Color depth I can't really see as an issue with modern machines, though.

 

[manly]

I have no first hand knowledge but I would say the essential reason is that the XFree86 Project hasn't done the work to make it easier. Part of the problem is technically they supply the X-Windows infrastructure but they don't really supply the actual look & feel (provided by a window manager). I believe twm comes w/ XF86 but that doesn't count.

While it's possible for someone besides XF86 to build a decent config tool for XF86, this is the type of thing that should ideally come from the XFree86 Project itself.

In a similar vein, Apache HTTP Server is configured through a somewhat long text file. However IBM's HTTP Server (a repackaging of Apache) is reported to contain a slick GUI configuration tool (I haven't tried it).

Of course the comparison is somewhat apples to oranges because a quality GUI configuration tool for XFree86 is much more crucial than one for Apache.

 

[jrose]

<std free software community answer>... Because the people who aren't happy with the way things are, are too busy whinging about it instead of coding </std free software community answer>

Seriously though, Irix, MacOS, etc have had a lot more time and money spent on that side of things.

Newer versions of Xfree86 (the 4.2 I installed last week under FreeBSD for example), are much more friendly to initially set up. Changing resolution is a bit of a pain as someone else has already noted, but again, once you've set it up properly, there's rarely a reason to change it.

I'd put it down to there simply being more important/fun (for developers) things to be working on with regards to X at the moment.

 

[Sunner]

I dont think it's hard.

I use xf86setup, go through the questions, pick my resolutions, and Im done.
Now I usually just pick one res since I dont feel the need to change it unless I happen to get a new monitor, but even if I did, like Nothinman said, just pick your resolutions and use ctrl-alt-+.

 

[Tiger]

To take the virtual desktop out just make sure the resolution you want to run at is listed last in the screens section of XF86Config. To change resolutions it's as easy as (ctrl)(alt)(+or-). You do have to restart the server but no re-boot.