Why is the X usage of “server” and “client” backwards from everyone elses?
People who have worked in LAN-type environments are easily confused by the X notions of client and server. In such a scenario, one might have dozens of “client” machines, each running an X server which uses the network to connect to X clients (application programs) running on the “server” in the machine room. However, X’s client/server terminology makes perfect sense if one thinks about what resources are in demand, and what program’s job it is to service requests. On the computer where a human being is actually sitting down and working, the resources in demand are the video display, keyboard, and mouse (or other pointing device). All of the running programs can’t monoplize these resources at once, or we lose the benefits of multitasking that a windowing system gives us. Furthermore, why should each and every piece of software, like a mail reader, a clock application, and so forth, have to worry about things like how many buttons the mouse has, or how many colors the display can show a
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- Why is the X usage of "server" and "client" backwards from everyone elses?
