Merging X & Console?

ben_a · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Posts: 21

Don't give me abuse for this

it's just an idea..

The console in linux on a high resolution looks sweet, and I can't deny you can make X look sweet with the wm of your choice. But wouldn't it be even sweeter to be able to use all the graphical programs (such as firefox, xmms etc etc) in the console without launching X? You can have background pictures in the console, you can use the mouse in the console... there must be a way, one thing I learnt with linux is you can do pretty much anything with it.

Say you logged in, and without having to startx could start e.g. xmms from the command line and use it as you would in x.. how nice would it be? To treat your console as your desktop, to have a menu etc.

I know it's a long shot, but wouldn't gentoo be a purely unique distro of linux (not that it isn't already :wink:

) if it had this as an option? Surely you must be able to load the required libraries? Drivers can't be that much of a problem... everything works with X.

Not asking how to do this, I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to pull it off; just something I'd love.

Adios

stustill · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:09 pm Post subject:

Why don't you just start X11 and run an xterm with no window decorations and maximized, in tandem with wm of choice + any other bells and whistles you want?

Stu

ben_a · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Posts: 21

The idea is to be able to run an xterm (keeping the master terminal in view behind it) without having to run X11 .

Most probably a pointless idea, something I might persue one day though :wink:

stustill · Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:42 pm Post subject:

I don't see any point to what you want, its already available, whats your problem with starting X?

Stu

neurotte · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 12

I think his point is getting rid of X Stu
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stustill · Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 12:31 am Post subject:

I am just wondering why he is so keen to get rid of X. What is looking for is essentially an X desktop where the root window is a console, as opposed to a console which 'does' X. The fact remains that X is a quality piece of software with what looks to be a bright future ahead of it!

Stu

Arainach · l33t Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 609

Merging X into the console would go against the modular nature of Linux, not to mention being a huge resource hog unnecessary for Servers and Such. Combine that with the security implications and I think we can all agree that this would be a horrible idea.
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Darkael · Veteran Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Posts: 1321 Location: France

ben_a: there is xdirectfb, but I don't think it's what you are looking for, since it's still an X server.

ben_a · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Posts: 21

As I said, it was just an idea, hadn't really thought it out properly; but yes, X is a nice program and I wouldn't want to get rid of it :wink:

just thinking of new ideas.

ansient · Guru Joined: 22 Jan 2005 Posts: 445 Location: Argentina

xterm in the root window should give you all functionality of a virtual terminal, inside X