X.org vs XFree86 (was: [Eug-lug] Knoppix 3.7)

[Max Lemieux]

see response below, please...

T. Joseph CARTER wrote:

>On Thu, Jan 13, 2005 at 06:08:48PM -0800, Bob Miller wrote:
>  
>
>>>On Thu, Jan 13, 2005 at 11:10:58AM -0800, Bob Miller wrote:
>>>      
>>>
>>>>BTW, the current KNOPPIX (v3.7, 12/8/2004) still defaults to a 2.4
>>>>kernel and XFree86 too.  What's up with that?
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>Defaults?  As in, you can choose 2.6 and X.org?
>>>      
>>>
>>You can choose 2.6.  It is marked experimental.  AFAIK, you can not
>>choose X.org.
>>    
>>
>
>Ubuntu also uses XFree86, though it uses 2.6.8.  When last I used Linux,
>that is all there was.  Could use a rundown of what's better about X.org
>if someone wants to take the time to explain it.  =)
>  
>
To the best of my knowledge, the main difference is that the X.org 
server uses a different licensing scheme (more "open"/"free") from the 
current XFree86 server. The code was forked after 4.3, so that the 
current X.org is roughly what 4.4 would have been. Development is still 
underway on the old XFree86 but many developers defected to the X.org 
project due to the license issue, I understand.

Nifty features like true alpha transparency are in the works for 
X.org... should be one to watch in this year. :)

Anyone else who knows more, please feel free to correct me/add info. 
This is based off my limited research on the subject and sub-perfect 
recollection.

-Max