[lug] X, Window Managers and KDE/gnome 101

[Nate Duehr]

On Mon, Dec 18, 2000 at 01:55:56AM -0700, Tkil wrote:
> depending on what "run level" the initdefault is set to, your linux
> box will boot to either a text or graphical login screen.  in the

Not true.  This is a "RedHat-ism".

There's no direct relationship between whether or not X starts and the
run level of the machine unless you make it so. 

RedHat has chosen to do so, and they automatically start X (I believe
using XDM) whenever the system is at runlevel 5.

Debian takes a completely different approach to this.  If XDM's
installed, it's assumed that you want to launch X automagically.
Otherwise, you can fiddle with run levels (well, there's really only
three useful ones on a debian machine INCLUDING single-user mode) all
day and never start X automatically.

I'm not sure how the other distros do this, but I just wanted to make
sure that everyone realizes that the "a certain runlevel causes X to
start up" is strictly something that RedHat popularized.

It's not the only way to skin the cat, however.  :) :) :)

-- 
Nate Duehr <nate at natetech.com>

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