On Sat, 17 Jan 2004, Ben Phillips wrote: >> For (transition) Windows users ( this is , the Windows user that are >> changing from Windows to Linux ), it´s difficult to see the XF86Config-4 >> file ( because they are newbies and the root, mount, cp - write permission - >> problems). >> >> So, I suggest, when appear the XF86 trouble-announce screen, include an >> option ( that could be selected using the up/down arrow keys and enter ) : >> Copy the XF86Config-4 and var/log/XFree86.0.log to a diskette . > >It would probably be better to tell Red Hat (or your favorite linux >distributor) about this, if they have a feature-request page somewhere. >Because I don't think there's a reason to modify the actual X server to >do this; all you'd really have to do is check X's return value and if >it's a failure, start a program that does this. So the linux >distribution would be responsible for setting up something like this. The end user really should not ever have to know that there is such a thing as an X server config file. The average Windows user doesn't know about the Windows registry, nor how to get to it or edit it for example. Some do, but the majority of users do not, and that is a good thing. It is intentional that the Windows registry doesn't have an icon for editig it placed on the desktop by default nor in the "start" menu. It's not something you want end users poking around in unless they are fairly advanced enough to know what they're doing and handle the risks involved. Likewise, end users shouldn't have to edit their X config file or know of it's existance either. That isn't reality for many users quite yet, but that is the direction that things are moving towards largely, both at the distribution level, and at XFree86.org. David's done some work which is in CVS, and will be in 4.4.0 which will further help to make less users need to know the X config file's existance or muck with it. The file is intentionally not modifyable by non-root, and that wont change, however certain things that are configured in there right now, probably should in the future permit per-user overrides via some dotfile in users' homedirs. Any user can _view_ the file, by firing up any file manager, and surfing into the /etc/X11 directory, which for the most part, is even easier in Linux to do than it is for an end user to figure out what the Registry is, fire up regedit by hand, and then get lost in the maze of HKEY_FOO to find what they're looking for, even then guessing mostly. So, it's very unlikely at least on the distribution side of things, that the XFree86 config file is going to be presented to end users in any way other than what it is currently, which is to edit the file using a text editor as root if required. If our configuration tool redhat-config-xfree86 is missing some important functionality however, we welcome requests for enhancments and features. Submitted requests will be reviewed, and possibly implemented in the next OS release, or a future OS release. Keep in mind however the tool is intended to be simple to use, and _minimal_, and is not intended for the configuration of advanced items. It's intended rather to mirror the Window's control panel "Display Properties" applet in a sense, being simple and easy to use, without a lot of complex configuration items. It's definitely not intended to be a graphical config file editor which turns every conceivable config file option into GUI widgetry. Main goal: KISS >Although, it would be nice to just write an XFree86-crash.HOWTO and have >the last thing the X server says in the event of a crash be: > > For help, try typing: less $( locate XFree86-crash.HOWTO ) That is indeed a good idea, and something that I've considered for the future also. What I'd like to do is start out with something like that, but also have some kind of troubleshooter wizard which pops up if the server SEGVs (and the system is still useable in any way). I realize that there are some situations which users may encounter, in which they need to learn way more about the X server and it's configuration file than they would prefer to know, and that they might prefer something simpler than "edit the config file" as a solution, however developing such a solution goes against the goals of simplicity, and doesn't solve the _real_ problem, which is why the user needs to find the config file in the first place. I think that aside from fixing driver and server bugs so that users don't experience them to begin with, that the focus should be on making things "just work", to avoid complex configuration, and any rocket science. Just my personal opinion. -- Mike A. Harris _______________________________________________ XFree86 mailing list XFree86@xxxxxxxxxxx http://XFree86.Org/mailman/listinfo/xfree86
