On Fri, May 26, 2000 at 03:45:41PM -0500, Brad wrote:
> On Thu, May 25, 2000 at 10:42:29AM -0700, kmself@ix.netcom.com wrote:
> >
> > Unix, Windows, Mac, OpenVMS, etc. Client-server -- though the
> > nomenclature is backwards from the usual meaning, your display is a
> > "server", and applications are "clients", running on it. You'll
> > hear people refer to "X clients" from time to time.
>
> It depends on your definition of "client" and "server". For example, if
> you define them like this:
> Server: a program that runs on a computer to listen for connections,
> and takes some action when a connection is made. Usually, that
> action involves transferring data to and from the client, but
> may include manipulating local files, hardware, or the like.
> Client: a program that actively makes a connection to a server,
> has the server do something, and then disconects. Sometimes
> clients will manipulate local files, hardware, etc.
>
> Defined this way, it doesn't seem backwards at all. Or else i'm just
> confused out of my mind ;)
The C/S "reversal" of X11 was probably more distressing in an age in
which cluster/hub relationships were more common. These days with
peered networks, it's not uncommon to find various "server" tasks
distributed among several "client" systems, each of which servers and/or
receives various tasks. However, it is a bit of the historical
discussion.
The Unix Haters page on X11 is also uproariously educational.
http://www.catalog.com/hopkins/unix-haters/x-windows/disaster.html
X: The First Fully Modular Software Disaster
Also:
http://www.catalog.com/hopkins/unix-haters/login.html
http://www.catalog.com/hopkins/unix-haters/x-windows/dangerous-virus.html
...You'll envy the dead.
--
Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com> http://www.netcom.com/~kmself
Evangelist, Opensales, Inc. http://www.opensales.org
What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand? Debian GNU/Linux rocks!
http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/ K5: http://www.kuro5hin.org
GPG fingerprint: F932 8B25 5FDD 2528 D595 DC61 3847 889F 55F2 B9B0
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