Unified video+print Xserver / was: Re: Modularization mailing list and initial strawman proposal

[Paul Anderson]

> Kevin E Martin wrote:
> > > And print drivers as the Xprint DDXs should be turned into loadable
> > > modules (in the long term the Xprt server is going away then[1],
> > > replaced by a Xorg server which can handle both video and print modules
> > > similar to what the Xserver in HP/UX can do today).
> > >
> > > [1]=or more correctly: Xprt isn't going away as it's still needed as
> > > all-in-one X print server, however sepcial-purpose DDX like the SVGprint
> > > DDX may only be available as loadable module.
> > 
> > Interesting idea.  Have you written a design document yet?  These ideas
> > should be discussed in the Architecture Working Group.
> 
> The all-in-one video-print Xserver was always there since X11R6.3. It's
> just hidden away in on of the build options in xc/config/cf/X11.tmpl.
> AFAIK it was originally debated and favored by one of {Sun, HP} but I do
> not remember the details anymore. One side was favoring per-user Xprint
> servers (e.g. one per user and therefore an integrated (or sometimes
> called "unified") solution) and the other side "global" ones with a
> seperate print server (which is less resource hungry on multiuser
> systems (Xterminals, SunRay etc.) and allows to run the Xprint server on
> the print server machine directly instead of having each workstation
> running it's own copy). In the meantime (e.g. since X11R6.3) HP added a
> third option for HP/UX - having one Xserver which can either run in
> video mode OR (=XOR) print mode (I am not sure whether it allows having
> both video and print screens running at the same time like the current
> Xorg code allows).

On HP-UX, it can run in video mode OR print mode.  We don't use
video AND print at the same time.

-paul