After a run-in with a cheap KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) unit, Jack Wallen discovers that the Xorg open-source implementation of the X Window System has evolved into something he never expected.
Recently I had a situation where a KVM was the cause of Xorg not being able to read the correct modes from my monitor. It took me a while to work out what was going on, but in the process I discovered something about the most recent Xorg that is both exciting and disturbing at the same time.
I had been installing Fedora 10 on my desktop, which had been running Ubuntu 8.10. Because the KVM switch was keeping Xorg from setting up 1,200×1,024 resolution, I thought I might just have to hand-tweak my xorg.conf to get it. Not a problem, I've done it hundreds of times.
But it's funny how quickly you can find yourself in one of those "Huh?" situations. I opened a terminal window, SUed to root, changed to the /etc/X11 directory, and issued the ls command. What I saw gave me pause. There was no xorg.conf file. I had a machine up and running, in full 5 runlevel, with no X configuration file.
How is that possible? Well, it turns out that is where Xorg is heading, as of release 7.4. And I'm not sure I like it.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the 'why'. For large-scale adoption, Linux needs to be as simple to use as the competition. One way to achieve this is to take the guesswork out of setting up such things as video. And I think it's safe to say we all know that configuring video has, in the past, been a nightmare on certain chipsets.
Linux-Windows merge
So to that end I can fully understand why the developers would want to go down this route. And if they can create a fool-proof system that will be able to successfully configure X Windows with zero user intervention, more power to them. But I think this is a sign of things to come, and that sign looks like a Merge with Linux and Windows.
How so? I'll tell you. It used to be that every single system in Linux had a handy, user-editable configuration file, most often found in the /etc directory. If there was ever a problem, you simply had to open up that file and make a few modifications.
Some of these systems are evolving in such a way that the configuration files have either disappeared altogether or spread out over numerous files that are either hard to find or figure out.
Personally, I don't want a Linux that obfuscates or does away with configuration files. It doesn't make sense to me. I want my Linux flexible. Of course, I understand that even in this new-fangled Xorg, if I am not happy with an xorg.conf-less set-up I can generate one with the Xorg -configure :1 command and then edit it myself.
But if this new setup is heralding a new era of Linux, then I worry that the only way to solve a problem will be the old-fashioned Microsoft way of reinstalling. That just will not do. But my complaint is not the loudest voice in the choir. No, the loudest voice is the one crying to make Linux ever easier. And that is certainly the voice that needs to be heard. But I don't think the solution is to cut off us old-school users altogether.
Path to world domination
The answer is not to add another step to the installation process. In fact, the answer is most likely to lie with the end users themselves. For those of us old-timers, it might be time to allow Linux to evolve into something a bit easier for the masses to swallow. For a long time we have called for world domination. But just as U2 sold out after the Joshua Tree album, those who have cried the loudest for domination do an about-face when it seems Linux is onto something that could tip the scales.
I cry, "Why are you making this too simple?" at the same time as new users are crying "Why is this so hard?". I think we can both have our cake and eat it too, but the old-schoolers are going to have to eat our own dog food.
As a Linux user who is pretty confident in most areas of the operating system — sans development — I don't have a problem with creating and editing an xorg.conf. So if Xorg wants to evolve in such a way that X Windows doesn't require an xorg.conf file, but can use one if the user so desires, then old-timers will enjoy taking the user-friendly release and rockin' it old school.
And I am sure it's only a matter of time before the latest version of Fedora is forked and a newer, less user-friendly version will appear. At that point there will be a Linux for every skill level. And from that, world domination will ensue.
Talkback
This was one of the things that brought me Linux. I CAN CHANGE IT. It is easy to understand someone switching from a bloated, everything done for you, system to make it easier to use. But, I want to be able to make it the way I want it, not have someone tell me this is what I want. Thankfully there are many choices in Linux distros to suit every user, just find one that fits.
I was quite used to twaeking this to deal with 'unsupported' monitors and cards, so was distinctly annoyed when it disappeared. I saw no mention anywhere of the, {ahem} proper way to do it.
However, it doesn't matter which distro you use, they all use Xorg these days. If Xorg is going hands off, then we either need to get them to change their minds, or to add in a switch that says "If there is an xorg.conf use it, otherwise wing it".
Although I can't remember the reference, I'm sure that I read an article the other day which did mention that you can still configure X0rg 7.4 if necessary. I'm afraid I didn't pay enough attention.
Linux should automatically fix things that would keep users from using the system. If you can't get your monitor to work... you can't even "fix it yourself" , am I right.
In a perfect world where all manufacturers stuck to standards, you'd be right. However there are countless instances of leading edge and almost obsolete equipment not _quite_ doing what they should. They do actually work fine with Linux, but the auto-detectors don't quite function properly because they get unexpected results back from the electronics. An example being when the data sent back from a monitor doesn't accurately reflect the capabilities of the device. In these cases the administrator can over-ride the configurator and program in the actual capabilities of the device into the system. Agreed it happens less often than it used to, but it does still happen.
I for one don't find it impossible to fix a none working configuration.
Used as I am to Slackware.
Tried Ubuntu on my laptop, nothing worked. Well I got some beeping but no image on the screen. The probing of the graphic card failed.
Manually fix it was possible, but auto probing does not work perfect yet in any way.
(Windos didn't show anything on the screen either when trying that :-) )