Running X11

X11 can be run in two modes: full screen or rootless (the default). Both of these modes run side-by-side with Aqua, although full-screen mode hides the Finder and Mac OS X’s desktop (to hide X11 and return to the Finder, press Option-

Running X11

-A).

To launch the X server, double-click the X11 application (in /Applications/Utilities). An xterm window that looks similar to a Mac OS X Terminal window opens, sporting Aqua-like buttons for closing, minimizing, and maximizing the window. Also, X11 windows minimize to the Dock, just like other Aqua windows. Figure 5-1 shows a Terminal window and an xterm window side-by-side.

A Terminal and an xterm sporting the Aqua look

Figure 5-1. A Terminal and an xterm sporting the Aqua look

If you’re using the default configuration, you’ll also notice three obvious differences from a Terminal window. In particular:

  • The xterm window has a titlebar that reads “xterm”

  • The xterm window does not have vertical and horizontal scrollers

  • The xterm window doesn’t have a split window option

A less obvious difference between a Terminal window and an X11 xterm window is that Control-clicking (or right-clicking) in an xterm window does not invoke the same contextual menu that it does in a Terminal window. Control-clicking, Control-Option-clicking, and Control-

-clicking in an xterm invokes xterm-specific contextual ...

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