[pkg-fso-maint] Bug#502120: xserver-xorg: allows different /etc/X11/X symlinks as well as /usr/bin/X

Mon Oct 13 18:14:17 UTC 2008

Package: xserver-xorg
Version: 1:7.3+18
Severity: wishlist
User: pkg-fso-maint at lists.alioth.debian.org
Usertags: package-installation

Hi there!

Please keep the Debian FSO Team [1] mailing list always Cc:ed.  If you
do so, no need to cc: me, I read the list.

I discovered these issues because of the Xglamo KDrive server [2].  The
problem is described also at [3].

Basically, AFAIK xinit/startx requires both /etc/X11/X and /usr/bin/X:
let's see both in details, at least as I understood the situation.
Since I'm not an X11 expert, feel free to point me at documentation I
need to read :-)

1) /etc/X11/X

   If I understood correctly, this symlink points to the X11 server you
   want to use.  Which means that if you install xserver-xfbdev and you
   want to use it with the xinit/startx infrastructure, you should
   change the /etc/X11/X symlink.

   ATM this symlink is created by xserver-xorg postinst (line 1816), but
   it points at /usr/bin/Xorg (shipped by xserver-xorg-core).  However,
   if I switch the symlink to /usr/bin/Xglamo (xserver-xglamo [2]),
   everything works fine.

   I see only two possibilities to manage /etc/X11/X: either through
   alternatives (like /usr/bin/x-window-manager) or with a debconf
   question (like for the Display Managers).

2) /usr/bin/X

   This is a real executable shipped by xserver-xorg.  I still need to
   understand why xinit/startx need both (/etc/X11/X and /usr/bin/X) and
   also why X.Org is divided into two (/usr/bin/X and /usr/bin/Xorg).
   FWIW, it seems that Xglamo works as expected with /usr/bin/X ->
   Xglamo [4].

   If /usr/bin/X from xserver-xorg is *required* by every X11 server
   compiled from the X.Org sources, then please don't depend on
   xserver-xorg.  Otherwise, again, we need a way to manage /usr/bin/X
   (alternatives or debconf question).

Thx, bye,
Gismo / Luca

Footnotes: 
[1] http://wiki.debian.org/Teams/DebianFSO
[2] http://git.openmoko.org/?p=xglamo.git;a=summary
[3] http://lists.linuxtogo.org/pipermail/smartphones-userland/2008-September/000207.html
[4] I wanted to test xserver-xfbdev as well, but it's not available for armel

-- Package-specific info:
[removed since useless, available upon request]

-- System Information:
Debian Release: lenny/sid
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (990, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.26-trunk-amd64 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash

Versions of packages xserver-xorg depends on:
ii  debconf [debconf-2.0]   1.5.24           Debian configuration management sy
ii  libc6                   2.7-14           GNU C Library: Shared libraries
ii  x11-xkb-utils           7.4+1            X11 XKB utilities
ii  xkb-data                1.3-2            X Keyboard Extension (XKB) configu
ii  xserver-xorg-core       2:1.4.2-7        Xorg X server - core server
ii  xserver-xorg-input-kbd  1:1.3.1-1        X.Org X server -- keyboard input d
ii  xserver-xorg-input-mous 1:1.3.0-1        X.Org X server -- mouse input driv
ii  xserver-xorg-video-fbde 1:0.4.0-1        X.Org X server -- fbdev display dr
ii  xserver-xorg-video-inte 2:2.3.2-2+lenny4 X.Org X server -- Intel i8xx, i9xx
ii  xserver-xorg-video-vesa 1:2.0.0-1        X.Org X server -- VESA display dri

Versions of packages xserver-xorg recommends:
ii  libgl1-mesa-dri               7.0.3-6    A free implementation of the OpenG
ii  udev                          0.125-7    /dev/ and hotplug management daemo

xserver-xorg suggests no packages.

-- debconf information:
  shared/fontpath/fontserver:
  xserver-xorg/multiple_possible_x-drivers:
  xserver-xorg/config/monitor/use_sync_ranges: true
  xserver-xorg/config/doublequote_in_string_error:
  xserver-xorg/config/monitor/screen-size: 17 inches (430 mm)
  xserver-xorg/config/device/default-identifier:
  xserver-xorg/autodetect_monitor: true
  shared/no_known_x-server:
  xserver-xorg/config/display/default_depth: 24
* xserver-xorg/config/display/modes: 1024x768, 800x600, 640x480
  xserver-xorg/config/device/bus_id_error:
  xserver-xorg/config/monitor/vert-refresh: 43-60
* xserver-xorg/config/inputdevice/keyboard/options:
* xserver-xorg/autodetect_keyboard: false
  xserver-xorg/config/device/use_fbdev: false
* xserver-xorg/config/inputdevice/keyboard/variant:
  xserver-xorg/config/nonnumeric_string_error:
* xserver-xorg/config/inputdevice/keyboard/layout: us
  xserver-xorg/config/inputdevice/mouse/emulate3buttons: true
  xserver-xorg/config/monitor/horiz-sync: 28-51
  xserver-xorg/config/monitor/range_input_error:
* xserver-xorg/config/inputdevice/keyboard/model: pc104
* xserver-xorg/config/device/driver:
  xserver-xorg/config/device/identifier: Generic Video Card
  xserver-xorg/config/monitor/selection-method: Advanced
  xserver-xorg/config/null_string_error:
  shared/multiple_possible_x-servers:
  xserver-xorg/config/device/bus_id: PCI:0:2:0
  xserver-xorg/autodetect_video_card: true
  xserver-xorg/config/monitor/mode-list: 1024x768 @ 60Hz
* xserver-xorg/config/inputdevice/keyboard/rules: xorg
  xserver-xorg/config/monitor/default-identifier:
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