Find a good config guide

[Carsten Haitzler]

On Tue, 22 Mar 2022 18:09:40 +0100 Holger Sebert
<holger.sebert at ruhr-uni-bochum.de> said:

> On 3/21/22 20:09, Michael Needham wrote:
> > Greetings:
> > 
> > I have been using Linux for over 25 years and have used FreeBSD off and on
> > in that time.  As we speak I am running an Arch based distro and thinking
> > of switching my daily driver to FBSD.
> > 
> > My experience with X despite the years using UNIX or UNIX-like operating
> > systems, configuring X has always failed for me which is a lack of my
> > understanding I believe.  If it is already configured by my distro (in this
> > case, EndeavourOS) then it works the way it should.  I have been trying to
> > install vanilla Arch Linux and the DE part never seems to work unless you
> > use KDE or Gnome and those DEs seem to use another method for configuring
> > the X11 server (may be ignorant here).
> > 
> > Anyhow, I would like to learn how to configure X in a step by step granular
> > level tutorial.  I learn best visually, but can follow a well written guide
> > that would do a lot of hand holding.  I think that this hole in my
> > knowledge being filled is paramount to my ability to realize my own use
> > cases for Linux or BSD.  Mainly, my focus in my years was on the server
> > environment and recently (last year) it shifted to a desktop environment
> > focus.
> > 
> > If someone can help here or point out a good such tutorial, that would
> > appreciated!  I especially want to experience setting X up with nothing
> > configured.  Example, how to what info needs to be gathered on my system
> > and WHERE that information is put (config files) both on Arch and BSD.
> > 
> > Thank you in advance for help.  While not a noob to Linux or UNIX, very
> > much one on X11.
> > 
> > Regards,
> > Michael Needham
> > 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> on modern systems, Xorg should start out of the box with no
> explicit configuration needed, except maybe setting the
> window manager you would like to use. But graphics output
> and input devices should be detected on the fly, provided
> you are using Kernel Modesetting (KMS).
> 
> E.g. on FreeBSD something like this should do the trick:
> 
> pkg install xorg
> pkg install windowmaker # or any other window manager
> startx
> 
> For details, consult the excellent FreeBSD Handbook.

indeed. i actually haven't configured xorg for probably over a decade. it just
comes up and auto-detects whatever gfx chip i have and loads the right
xorg-side driver. it detects input devices on the fly. randr allows on the fly
monitor re-configuring by clients (wm and other tools). i haven't had a need to
configure it in a looong time.

-- 
------------- Codito, ergo sum - "I code, therefore I am" --------------
Carsten Haitzler - raster at rasterman.com