Re: [gdm-list] Multiple monitor issues w/ GDM 2.28

[Lawrence Statton <lawrence cluon com>]

On 05/13/2010 03:28 PM, Ray Strode wrote:
> Hi,
>
> On Thu, May 13, 2010 at 12:36 AM, Lawrence Statton<lawrence cluon com>  wrote:
> > If I try launching an X client (e.g. xterm -display :0.1 ) "nothing appears
> > to happen" ( no error returned, but neither does a terminal launch ) (nb I
> > also tried launching the xterm as root, in case there were some permission
> > issues )
> >      
> This actually has nothing to do with GDM.  It's an X configuration
> question, which would better be asked on the X list or maybe the
> ubuntu support forums since you're using ubuntu.
>    

Not sure what leads you to say that -- I mentioned I had the X-by-itself 
part beaten into submission.  Expounding on that:

If I ssh into the machine from across the room and disable gdm ( service 
gdm stop )
start an X server in the background, I can launch as many X clients as I 
want ( xterm -display :0.1 xterm -display :0.2 xterm -display :0.0 ) and 
all of the screens have different things ( note that I can't get to any 
of these X clients - not having a window manager running really makes 
using X even =less= useful than usual )

> Note though, that multiple screens (called "zaphod mode") has gone out
> of fad in the last 6 or 7 years and support for it has been spotty, so
> you may not have much luck.  Or given the right xorg.conf you might be
> able to get it to work.  Not sure.  Anyway, the X list would probably
> be able to help more.
>
>    

I just knockied off "paying work" for the day, so I'm gonna try building 
fvwm and see what happens when I launch that.  I've noticed that 
multiple-screens is out of fashion - and I'm trying to come up with a 
cogent argument for wanting to keep using it, other than "You kids get 
off my lawn!"

I did a gig at a client site a few years back where they gave me a 
2-headed machine in Xinerama, and I really *instantly* disliked it - I 
can't remember now exactly WHY it resulted in such a bilious response ...
> > The release notes mention that  "GDM 2.20 and earlier supported the ability
> > to manage multiple displays with separate graphics cards" and "These
> > features were not added back during the 2.22 rewrite."
> > The question looming large in my mind is:  Are they using the words
> > "multiple displays" in the pedestrian sense of "many things on my desk" or
> > in the specific X sense of the word "a group of screens bound to a keyboard
> > and mouse"?
> >      
> I think this is about starting multiple statically configured login
> screens on separate X servers in one machine at the same time. Not
> sure.
>    

That certainly is one possible interpretation - and, frankly, the 
interpretation that would make me happiest, because it leaves the door 
open to "the way I want it to work will"

> > Can gdm/gnome be made to do what I want, or am I going to just have to
> > continue using xdm/fvwm like I have been for the last 15 years?
> >      
> I don't think the display manager has anything to do with your
> problem, so I don't think going back to xdm/fvwm would help.  Of
> course, you're free to try and if that environment is what you're most
> familiar with then you might be ultimately more happy sticking with it
> anyway.
>
>    
Well, I would like some of the "modern conveniences" that having a more 
modern window manager offers -- the ability for my mail client to tell 
the web browser that I'm clicking a URL, or vice versa -- all that stuff 
that D-Bus gives you.

> --Ray
>    

Thanks for the response ...

--L