X Power Tools Book Review : X Windows Explained : Poised Solutions Library

X Power Tools Book Review

X Power Tools

Author:: Chris Tyler
Publisher:: O'Reilly
Published:: 2007
Pages:: 254

X Power Tools

X Power Tools Chapters

Introduction to the X Window System
- The X Window System
- The History of X
- The Renaissance: New X Versus Old X
- X by Any Other Name
- Seven Layers of an X-based GUI
- Where is the Server?
- Why Windows Look and Act Differently
- Toolkits and Desktop Environments
- The Role of Freedesktop.org
- Display Hardware
- Displays, Screens and Xinerama
- Display Specifications
- TCP/IP Ports
- Local Connection Mechanisms
- Server Extensions
- Where to Draw the Line: Kernel Versus User-Space Drivers
Starting a Local Server
- One Size Doesn't Fit All
- Virtual Terminals
- Starting a Raw X Server Manually
- Using a Display Manager to Start the X Server
- Enabling or Disabling the Display Manager at Boot Time
- What Started the Display Manager?
- Starting Multiple X Servers on Demand Using a Display Manager
- Starting an X Server with Clients Only When Needed
- Switching VTs from the Shell Prompt
- Starting X Within X
- No Mouse!
- Bailing Out: Zapping X
- Terminating x Automatically
Basic X.org Configuration
- What Is There to Configure
- Why Only root Can Configure the X Server
- Places Your Configuration Could Hide
- Let the X Server Configure Itself
- The xorg.conf Configuration File
- Optional Sections in the xorg.conf Configuration File
- Configuring the Pointer Device
- Configuring a Two-Button Mouse
- Configuring a Mouse with a Scrollwheel
- Configuring a Synaptics TouchPad
- Enabling DPMS
- Configuring Video Card Driver Options
- LightSteelBlue and Other Color Names
- Configuring a Monitor's Scan Rates
- Reading Server Log Files
- Configuring the Default Depth of a Screen
- Configuring the Resolution of a Screen
Advanced X.org Configuration
- Multi-Screen Configuration
- Xinerama Configuration
- Differences Between Multi-Screen and Xinerama Modes
- Positioning Screens
- Overlapping Xinerama
- Scrolling Virtual Screens and Xinerama
- Using Multiple Outputs from One Video Card
- Parallel Pointing Devices
- Parallel Keyboards
- Using X with GPM or MOUSED
Using the X Server
- Interacting with the X Server
- Changing resolution On-the-Fly
- Changing the Resolution and the Screen Size Dynamically
- Using the Middle Mouse Button
- Using the Clipboard
- Keyboard Focus
- Keyboard and Mouse Grabs
X Utility Programs
- The Unused Toolbox
- Determine the Display Configuration
- Getting Windows Information
- Viewing Server Settings
- Control That Bell!
- Adjusting the Keyboard Repeat Rate
- Adjusting the Mouse Acceleration
- Playing with the Lights
- Killing a Rogue Client
- Examining Part of the Display in Detail
- Script a Screen Dump
- Preventing the Screen from Blanking During Presentations
- Eye Candy: xscreensaver
- Redrawing the Screen
Running X Clients
- Running X Clients
- Background Operation
- Geometry
- Split Personality: Running Nongraphical Applications
Session Managers, Desktop Environments and Window Managers
- X and Desktop Environments
- Session Managers
- Virtual Desktops
- Starting GNOME
- Starting KDE
- Starting Xfce
- Using a Window Manager Alone
Color
- RGB and Other Color Systems
- Visuals
- Gamma
- Color Management Systems
Core Fonts: Fonts the Old Way
- Old Fonts Versus New Fonts
- Configuring the Font Path
- Using a Font Server
- Font Names
- Installing and Removing Fonts
Pango, Xft, Fontconfig, and Render: Fonts the New Way
- Client-Side Fonts
- Adding and Removing Fonts Manually
- Adding and Removing Fonts Using GNOME
- Adding and Removing Fonts Using KDE
- Fontconfig Font names
- Fontconfig Utilities
- Installing the Microsoft Fonts
- Rendering Options
Keyboard Configuration
- Keyboards and XKB
- The Location of XKB Files
- XKB Components
- Selecting an XKB Keymap Using Rules
- Using Keyboard Groups
- Setting the Keymap in the xorg.conf File
- Setting the Keymap from the Command Line
- Setting the Keymap Using a Keyboard Configuration File
- Compiling Keyboard Maps
- Viewing or Printing a Keyboard Layout
Remote Access
- Network transparency
- Displaying on a Remote Server
- Enabling Remote Sessions
- Accessing a Remote Session on a Specific Host
- Accessing a Remote Session on Any Available Host
- Accessing a Remote Session form a List of Available Sessions
- The Three Challenges of Remote Access
- host-Based Access Control
- xauth and Magic Cookies
- The X Security Extension
- Low-Bandwidth X (LBX)
- X Tunneling with SSH
- using Public Keys with SSH
- Using Passphrase Protection of SSH Keys
- OpenSSH and the SECURITY Extension
Using VNC
- The VNC System
- So Many VNC Versions
- Xvnc Basics
- The vncserver Script
- Using the VNC Viewers
- using Standing VNC Servers
- Configuring the Xvnc Web Server
- Customizing the VNC Java Applet Web Page
- Starting VNC On Demand Using xinetd
- Starting VNC On Demand Using inetd
- Using the Java Applet with On-Demand VNC Servers
- Accessing VNC Securely Using SSH
- Embedding an X Application in a Web Page
- Using KDE and Gnome Remote DesktopAccess Tools
- using the VNC Extension to the X.Org Server
- Using VNC to Share a Presentation
- Bypassing a Firewall
Building a Kiosk
- What Is a Kiosk, and Why Do I Want One?
- Securing Kiosk Hardware
- Configure X for a Kiosk
- Controlling the Keyboard
- Controlling the Mouse
- Starting a Single Fullscreen Application
- Network Status Monitoring
- Using xscreensaver to Reset a Kiosk
- Refining the Kiosk Appearance
- Putting It All Together: Scripting a Kiosk
- Booting a Kiosk
- Creating a Video Wall