weird x error?

["Alan Su" <alsu@beowulf.ucsd.edu>]

this probably isn't a debian specific error, but i think it might have
something to do with how i have the system set up.  i'm logging in
remotely to an SGI IRIX machine and attempting to run an X
application.  it fails with something like the following error:

  Error initializing colors for colormap

i'm running in 32 bit color depth, and no color intensive processes
are being displayed.  (don't tell me that sgi has invented 64-bit
color...right?)  what does this mean?

thanks.

-alan