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From: dawes@XFree86.org (David Dawes)
Newsgroups: comp.windows.x.i386unix,comp.unix.pc-clone.32bit,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.386bsd.misc,comp.os.minix,comp.os.mach
Subject: Announcing the release of XFree86 3.1
Followup-To: comp.windows.x.i386unix
Date: 3 Oct 1994 09:58:10 -0400
Organization: The XFree86 Project, Inc
Lines: 560
Sender: dawes@news.NH.Destek.Net
Message-ID: <36p2li$sk3@synergy.Destek.Net>
Reply-To: XFree86@XFree86.org
NNTP-Posting-Host: synergy.destek.net
Announcing the Release of
XFree86[TM] 3.1
3 October 1994
XFree86 version 3.1 is now available. Attached is the README. The
XFree86 3.1 distribution is available in both source and binary form.
Binary distributions are currently available for FreeBSD, NetBSD,
BSD/386, Linux, SVR4 and Solaris. A list of ftp sites is included below.
There are some major configuration-related changes in XFree86 3.1. It
is important that the documentation be read before installing and running
this release.
We now have a World Wide Web server running which can be accessed
via the URL http://WWW.XFree86.Org/.
Contents
--------
1) What is XFree86?
2) What's new in XFree86 3.1?
3) Systems XFree86 has been tested on
4) Supported video-card chip-sets
5) Important Changes
6) Where to get more information
7) Credits
8) The XFree86 Project, Inc.
9) Contact information
10) Source and binary archive sites
1 - What is XFree86?
--------------------
XFree86 is a added-value package for X11R6 that supports several versions
of Intel-based Unix and Unix-like operating systems. XFree86-3.0 was
part of the X11R6 core distribution. This release XFree86-3.1 consists of
many new features and performance improvements as well as many bug fixes.
The release is available as source patches against the X Consortium X11R6
code, as well as binary distributions for many architectures.
2 - What's new in XFree86 3.1?
------------------------------
The following items have been added since XFree86 2.1.1 was released in
May 1994:
1) XFree86 is now based on X11R6, including shared library support for
SVR4, Linux, FreeBSD and NetBSD.
2) New configuration file format. One of the biggest changes that you
will notice with the new XFree86 version is that the old Xconfig
file has been replaced by an XF86Config file. For further details,
see the `Important Changes' section below.
3) Support is included for the X Image Extension (XIE).
4) A new accelerated server for boards based on the Weitek P9000
chipset.
5) A new accelerated server for boards based on the AGX chipsets.
6) A new accelerated server for boards based on the Tseng ET4000/W32
series of chipsets.
7) Support for the S3 Vision 864 and 964 chipsets (including boards
like the ELSA Winner 1000Pro and 2000Pro, Number Nine GXE64 and
GXE64Pro, Miro Crystal 20SV).
8) 16bpp support for some Mach32 boards.
9) 16bpp and 32bpp support for P9000 boards.
10) 16bpp and 32bpp support for some S3 boards.
11) Improved Cirrus accelerated support (including 5434), and 16bpp and
32bpp support for some Cirrus boards.
12) Accelerated support for Western Digital WD90C33 boards.
13) Support for the S3 GENDAC, S3 SDAC, AT&T 20C498, STG1700 and TI3025
RAMDACS in the S3 server.
14) Support for the S3 GENDAC, S3 SDAC, ICS2595, and TI3025 programmable
clocks in the S3 server.
15) New SVGA drivers for the AL2101, MX68000/MX68010, Video7, Cirrus
CL6420 chipsets.
16) Significantly updated ATI vgawonder driver, including unaccelerated
support for Mach64 boards.
17) A generic VGA driver for the SVGA server (fixed 320x200 at 8bpp).
18) Dual-headed vga2/mono and vga16/mono servers.
19) Significant updates to the VGA16 code, including a wider range of
banking support.
20) Incorporated the Screen Saver extension into the base server.
21) Support for "green" monitor screen savers in S3 and SVGA servers.
22) Support for the "experimental" LBX code included with X11R6.
Plus a number of other small things. Refer to the CHANGELOG file in the
source distribution for full details.
3 - Systems XFree86 has been tested on
--------------------------------------
SVR4.0:
Esix: 4.0.3A, 4.0.4, 4.0.4.1
Microport: 2.2, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2
Dell: 2.1, 2.2, 2.2.1
UHC: 2.0, 3.6
Consensys: 1.2
MST: 4.0.3 (Load 2.07 and Load 3.02)
ISC: 4.0.3
AT&T: 2.1, 4.0
NCR: MP-RAS
SunSoft: Solaris x86 2.1, 2.4
SVR4.2:
Consensys
Novell UnixWare
SVR3:
SCO: 3.2.2, 3.2.4
Others:
NetBSD 1.0BETA, FreeBSD 1.1.5
BSD/386 1.1
Mach 386
Linux
Amoeba
Minix-386
4 - Supported video-card chipsets
---------------------------------
At this time, XFree86 3.1 supports the following accelerated chipsets:
8514/A (and true clones)
ATI Mach8, Mach32
Cirrus CLGD5420, CLGD5422, CLGD5424, CLGD5426, CLGD5428, CLGD5429,
CLGD5430, CLGD5434, CLGD6205, CLGD6215, CLGD6225, CLGD6235
S3 86C911, 86C924, 86C801, 86C805, 86C805i, 86C928, 86C864, 86C964
Western Digital WD90C31, WD90C33
Weitek P9000
IIT AGX-014, AGX-015, AGX-016
Tseng ET4000/W32, ET4000/W32i, ET4000/W32p
The Cirrus and Western Digital accelerators are supported in the SVGA
server; the other chipsets each have their own server. A list of some
cards which the accelerated servers have been tested with is included in the
files AccelCards, Devices, and some of the chipset-specific README files.
They may well work on other cards, but we cannot guarantee it.
In addition, the following SVGA chipsets are supported:
Tseng ET3000, ET4000AX, ET4000/W32
Western Digital/Paradise PVGA1
Western Digital WD90C00, WD90C10, WD90C11, WD90C24, WD90C30, WD90C31,
WD90C33
Genoa GVGA
Trident TVGA8800CS, TVGA8900B, TVGA8900C, TVGA8900CL, TVGA9000,
TVGA9000i, TVGA9100B, TVGA9200CX, TVGA9320, TVGA9400CX, TVGA9420
ATI 18800, 18800-1, 28800-2, 28800-4, 28800-5, 28800-6, 68800-3,
68800-6, 68800AX, 68800LX, 88800
NCR 77C22, 77C22E, 77C22E+
Cirrus Logic CLGD5420, CLGD5422, CLGD5424, CLGD5426, CLGD5428,
CLGD5429, CLGD5430, CLGD5434, CLGD6205, CLGD6215,
CLGD6225, CLGD6235, CLGD6420
Compaq AVGA
OAK OTI067, OTI077
Advance Logic AL2101
MX MX68000, MX680010
Video 7/Headland Technologies HT216-32
All of the above are supported in both 256 color and monochrome modes, with
the exception of the Advance Logic, MX and Video 7 chipsets, which are only
supported in 256 color mode.
Refer to the chipset-specific README files (currently for Cirrus, Tseng,
Western Digital, ATI, Trident and Video 7) for more information about using
those chipsets.
The monochrome server also supports generic VGA cards, using 64k of video
memory in a single bank, the Hercules monochrome card, the Hyundai HGC1280,
Sigma LaserView, and Apollo monochrome cards. On the Compaq AVGA, only
64k of video memory is supported for the monochrome server, and the GVGA has
not been tested with more than 64k.
The VGA16 server supports memory banking with the ET4000, Trident, ATI,
NCR, OAK and Cirrus 6420 chipsets allowing virtual display sizes up to
about 1600x1200 (with 1MB of video memory). For other chipsets the display
size is limited to approximately 800x600.
NOTE: The Diamond SpeedStar 24 (and possibly recent SpeedStar+) boards are
NOT supported, even though they use the ET4000. The Stealth 32 which
uses the ET4000/W32p is also not supported. Historically the
information required for this support was only available under
non-disclosure. As of September 27, 1994, Diamond has verbally
agreed to provide The XFree86 Project, Inc. with detailed information
about Diamond products. This should permit us to better support
these in future versions of XFree86.
5 - Important Changes
---------------------
There are a number of important user-visible changes between
XFree86 2.1.1 and XFree86 3.1. The first is the default install location.
The XFree86 distribution is now installed by default under /usr/X11R6
instead of /usr/X386. This moves away from the now out-dated "X386" name,
and it also makes it possible for both versions to co-exist.
The next major change is related to the server configuration file. The old
Xconfig file has been replaced in XFree86 3.1 by an XF86Config file. This
is more than just a name change. The new XF86Config file uses a format
that is quite different from the old Xconfig file. The new format is more
structured, logical, and extensible than the old format. We realise that
the transition to this new format won't be without problems. To help in
this transition we have provided a program (`reconfig') to convert the old
Xconfig format into the new XF86Config format. This doesn't provide a
perfect conversion mostly because the new format contains more information
than the old format. Some manual editing will always be required. One of
the new types of information the XF86Config contains is a description of
the monitor(s) you are using. This addition allows the servers to check
that the video modes are within the specifications of the monitor.
For information about the new config file format and how to use it, refer
to the XF86Config(4/5) and reconfig(1) manual pages, and the README.Config
file which can be found in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/doc.
Another change related to the config file is the locations the servers look
for it in. In previous releases the servers would look in places which
could be specified by the user. This raised a number of security concerns.
To address these, the server now only looks in places which are normally
under the control of the system administrator. For further details, refer
to the XFree86(1) manual page.
6 - Where to get more information
---------------------------------
Additional documentation is available in the XFree86(1), XF86Config(4/5),
XF86_SVGA(1), XF86_Mono(1), XF86_VGA16(1) and XF86_Accel(1) manual pages.
In addition, several README files and tutorial documents are provided.
These are available in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/doc in the binary distributions,
and in xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/doc in the source distribution.
The files README.Config and VideoModes.doc should be consulted for
information on how to set up the XFree86 servers. All supplied documents
and manual pages should be read before contacting the XFree86 team for
assistance.
Documentation on SVGA driver development can be found in the directory
/usr/X11R6/lib/Server/VGADriverDoc in the binary distribution, and in the
directory xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/VGADriverDoc in the source
distribution.
If you are totally at a loss, you can contact the XFree86 Core Team at
the electronic mail address below.
There is a Usenet news group comp.windows.x.i386unix that contains
mostly discussions about XFree86 and related topics. Many questions can
be answered there. The answers to common questions are found in the
corresponding FAQ.
7 - Credits
-----------
XFree86 was originally put together by:
David Dawes <dawes@XFree86.org>
Glenn Lai <glenn@cs.utexas.edu>
Jim Tsillas <jtsilla@ccs.neu.edu>
David Wexelblat <dwex@XFree86.org>
XFree86 support was integrated into the base X11R6 distribution by:
Stuart Anderson <Stuart.Anderson@ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM>
Doug Anson <danson@lgc.com>
Gertjan Akkerman <akkerman@dutiba.twi.tudelft.nl>
Mike Bernson <mike@mbsun.mlb.org>
Robin Cutshaw <robin@XFree86.org>
David Dawes <dawes@XFree86.org>
Marc Evans <marc@XFree86.org>
Pascal Haible <haible@izfm.uni-stuttgart.de>
Matthieu Herrb <Matthieu.Herrb@laas.fr>
Dirk Hohndel <hohndel@XFree86.org>
David Holland <davidh@use.com>
Alan Hourihane <alanh@fairlite.demon.co.uk>
Jeffrey Hsu <hsu@soda.berkeley.edu>
Glenn Lai <glenn@cs.utexas.edu>
Ted Lemon <mellon@ncd.com>
Rich Murphey <rich@XFree86.org>
Hans Nasten <nasten@everyware.se>
Mark Snitily <mark@sgcs.com>
Randy Terbush <randyt@cse.unl.edu>
Jon Tombs <tombs@XFree86.org>
Kees Verstoep <versto@cs.vu.nl>
Paul Vixie <paul@vix.com>
Mark Weaver <Mark_Weaver@brown.edu>
David Wexelblat <dwex@XFree86.org>
Philip Wheatley <Philip.Wheatley@ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM>
Thomas Wolfram <wolf@prz.tu-berlin.de>
Orest Zborowski <orestz@eskimo.com>
386BSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD support by:
Rich Murphey <Rich@XFree86.org>
Original 386BSD port by:
Pace Willison
Amancio Hasty Jr <hasty@netcom.com>
Mach 386 support by:
Robert Baron <Robert.Baron@ernst.mach.cs.cmu.edu>
Linux support by:
Orest Zborowski <orestz@eskimo.com>
Dirk Hohndel <hohndel@XFree86.org>
SCO Unix support by:
David McCullough <davidm@stallion.oz.au>
Amoeba support by:
Kees Verstoep <versto@cs.vu.nl>
Minix-386 support by:
Philip Homburg <philip@cs.vu.nl>
OSF/1 support by:
Marc Evans <Marc@Synergytics.Com>
BSD/386 support by:
Hans Nasten <nasten@everyware.se>
Paul Vixie <paul@vix.com>
Solaris support by:
Doug Anson <danson@lgc.com>
David Holland <davidh@use.com>
Linux shared libraries by:
Orest Zborowski <orestz@eskimo.com>
Dirk Hohndel <hohndel@XFree86.org>
Original accelerated code by:
Kevin Martin <martin@cs.unc.edu>
Rik Faith <faith@cs.unc.edu>
Jon Tombs <tombs@XFree86.org>
S3 accelerated code by:
Jon Tombs <tombs@XFree86.org>
David Wexelblat <dwex@XFree86.org
David Dawes <dawes@XFree86.org>
Robin Cutshaw <robin@XFree86.org>
Amancio Hasty <hasty@netcom.com>
Norbert Distler <Norbert.Distler@physik.tu-muenchen.de>
Leonard N. Zubkoff <lnz@dandelion.com>
Harald Koenig <koenig@tat.physik.uni-tuebingen.de>
Bernhard Bender <br@elsa.mhs.compuserve.com>
Dirk Hohndel <hohndel@XFree86.org>
Eddy Olk <eddy@dutecae.et.tudelft.nl>
Steven Parker <sparker@taz.cs.utah.edu>
Mach32 accelerated code by:
Kevin Martin <martin@cs.unc.edu>
Rik Faith <faith@cs.unc.edu>
Mike Bernson <mike@mbsun.mlb.org>
Mark Weaver <Mark_Weaver@brown.edu>
Craig Groeschel <craig@metrolink.com>
Mach8, 8514 accelerated code by:
Kevin Martin <martin@cs.unc.edu>
Rik Faith <faith@cs.unc.edu>
Tiago Gons <tiago@comosjn.hobby.nl>
Hans Nasten <nasten@everyware.se>
Scott Laird <lair@midway.uchicago.edu>
Cirrus accelerated code by:
Simon Cooper <scooper@vizlab.rutgers.edu>
Harm Hanemaayer <hhanemaa@cs.ruu.nl>
Bill Reynolds <bill@goshawk.lanl.gov>
Western Digital accelerated code by:
Mike Tierney <floyd@pepsi.eng.umd.edu>
Bill Conn <conn@bnr.ca>
P9000 accelerated code by:
Erik Nygren <nygren@mit.edu>
Harry Langenbacher <harry@brain.jpl.nasa.gov>
Chris Mason <mason@mail.csh.rit.edu>
AGX accelerated code by:
Henry Worth <henry.worth@amail.amdahl.com>
ET4000/W32 accelerated code by:
Glenn Lai <glenn@cs.utexas.edu>
16 color VGA server by:
Gertjan Akkerman <akkerman@dutiba.twi.tudelft.nl>
2 color VGA and non-VGA mono servers by:
Pascal Haible <haible@izfm.uni-stuttgart.de>
ATI SVGA driver by:
Per Lindqvist <pgd@compuram.bbt.se> and Doug Evans <dje@cygnus.com>
Ported to X11R5 by Rik Faith <faith@cs.unc.edu>
Rewritten by Marc La France <tsi@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca>
Trident SVGA driver by:
Alan Hourihane <alanh@fairlite.demon.co.uk>
NCR SVGA driver by:
Stuart Anderson <Stuart.Anderson@ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM>
with the permission of NCR Corporation
Cirrus SVGA driver by:
Bill Reynolds <bill@goshawk.lanl.gov>
Hank Dietz <hankd@ecn.purdue.edu>
Simon Cooper <scooper@vizlab.rutgers.edu>
Harm Hanemaayer <hhanemaa@cs.ruu.nl>
CL6420 support by Manfred Brands <mb@oceonics.nl>
Compaq SVGA driver by:
Hans Oey <hans@mo.hobby.nl>
Oak SVGA driver by:
Steve Goldman <sgoldman@encore.com>
AL2101 SVGA driver by:
Paolo Severini <lendl@dist.dist.unige.it>
MX SVGA driver by:
Frank Dikker <dikker@cs.utwente.nl>
Video7 SVGA driver by:
Craig Struble <cstruble@acm.vt.edu>
Apollo Mono driver by:
Hamish Coleman <hamish@zot.apana.org.au>
Other contributors:
Joerg Wunsch <joerg_wunsch@uriah.sax.de> (ET3000 banked mono)
Eric Raymond <esr@snark.thyrsus.com> (new video mode documentation)
and an entire horde of beta-testers around the world!
8 - Contact information
-----------------------
Ongoing development planning and support is coordinated by the XFree86
Core Team. At this time the Core Team consists of (in alphabetical order):
Robin Cutshaw <robin@XFree86.org>
David Dawes <dawes@XFree86.org>
Marc Evans <marc@XFree86.org>
Dirk Hohndel <hohndel@XFree86.org>
Rich Murphey <rich@XFree86.org>
Jon Tombs <tombs@XFree86.org>
David Wexelblat <dwex@XFree86.org>
Mail sent to <Core@XFree86.org> will reach the core team.
9 - The XFree86 Project, Inc.
-----------------------------
The XFree86 Project, Inc, has been founded to accomplish two major goals:
1) To provide a vehicle by which XFree86 can be represented in
X Consortium, Inc, the organization responsible for the
design, development, and release of The X Window System.
2) To provide some basic funding for acquisition of facilities for
ongoing XFree86 development, largly to consist of new video
hardware and basic computing facilities.
The first of these was the primary motivation. We have held discussions
with the X Consortium on and off for many months, attempting to find an
avenue by which our loosely-organized free software project could be
given a voice within the X Consortium. The bylaws of the Consortium
would not recognize such an organization. After an initial investigation
about funding, we decided to form our own corporation to provide the
avenue we needed to meet the requirements of the X Consortium bylaws.
By doing this, we were able to be involved in the beta-test interval for
X11R6, and have contributed the majority of XFree86 to the X11R6 core
release. The version of XFree86 in the X11R6 core is 3.0. As time goes
on, XFree86 will be involved with more of the development of The X Window
System, as a full Consortium member. How exactly this will evolve is still
being determined.
An additional benefit of this incorporation is that The XFree86 Project,
Inc has obtained outside financial support for our work. This will
hopefully give us the freedom to be more proactive in obtaining new
video hardware, and enable us to release better products more quickly,
as we will be able to go and get what we need, and get it into the hands
of the people who can do the work.
The initial Board of Directors and Officers of the The XFree86 Project,
Inc, are:
David Dawes, Secretary
Dirk Hohndel, Vice-President
Glenn Lai, Director
Rich Murphey, Treasurer
Jim Tsillas, Director
Jon Tombs, Director
David Wexelblat, President
Email to <BOD@XFree86.org> reaches the board of directors.
Our bylaws have been crafted in such a way to ensure that XFree86 is and
always will be a free software project. There is no personal financial
benefit to any member of the Core Team or any other XFree86 participant.
All assets of the corporation remain with the corporation, and, in the
event of the dissolution of the corporation, all assets will be turned over
to the X Consortium, Inc. It is hoped that by doing this, our corporation
will be merely a formalization of what we have been doing in the past,
rather than something entirely new.
Here is a list of the organizations and individuals who have provided
sponsorship to The XFree86 Project, Inc, either by financial contribution
or by the donation of equipment and resources. The XFree86 Project, Inc
gratefully acknowledges these contributions, and hopes that we can do
justice to them by continuing to release high-quality free software for
the betterment of the Internet community as a whole.
UUNET Communications Services, Inc.
UUNET Communications Services, Inc, deserves special mention. This
organization stepped forward and contributed the entire 1994 X Consortium
membership fee on a moment's notice. This single act ensured XFree86's
involvement in X11R6.
AIB Software Corporation, Dulles, VA
American Micro Group
AT&T Global Information Services (formerly NCR)
Andrew Burgess
BSDI, Falls Church, VA
The Destek Group, Inc., Pelham, NH (formerly Synergytics)
Digital Equipment Corp
Elsa GmbH, Aachen, Germany
Frank & Paige McCormick
InfoMagic, Rocky Hill, NJ
LunetIX Softfair, Berlin, Germany
Number Nine, Lexington, MA
Prime Time Freeware, San Bruno, CA
Red Hat Software, Chapel Hill, NC
Clifford M Stein
Joel Storm
S.u.S.E, GmbH, Fuerth, Germany
Tekelec Airtronic GmbH, Muenchen, Germany
Unifix Software GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany
Vixie Enterprises, La Honda, CA
Walnut Creek CDROM, Concord, CA
Xtreme s.a.s., Livorno, Italy
The XFree86 Project, Inc, welcomes the additional contribution of funding
and/or equipment. Such contributions should be tax-deductible; we will
know for certain when the lawyers get finished with the papers. For more
information, contact The XFree86 Project, Inc, at <BOD@XFree86.org>
10 - Source and binary archive sites
-----------------------------------
Source patches are available to upgrade X11R6 PL5 from the X Consortium
to XFree86 3.1. They and binaries for many OSs are available via anonymous
FTP from:
ftp.XFree86.org (under /pub/XFree86/current)
and the following mirror sites:
North America:
xfree86.cdrom.com:/pub/XFree86 (source and binaries)
ftp.bsdi.com:/contrib/X11/XFree86 (source and BSD/386 binaries)
ref.tfs.com:/pub/mirrors/XFree86 (source and FreeBSD binaries)
ftp.iastate.edu:/pub/netbsd/XFree86/XFree86-3.1 (source and NetBSD binaries)
tsx-11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/packages/X11 (Linux binaries and source diffs)
ftp.eecs.umich.edu:/BSD/XFree86 (source and binaries)
sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/X11/XFree86 (source and binaries)
abode.ccd.bnl.gov:/pub/XFree86 (Solaris, SVR4, SCO binaries)
Europe:
ftp.fee.vutbr.cz:/pub/XFree86 (source and binaries)
ftp.gwdg.de:/pub/xfree86 (source and binaries)
ftp.uni-stuttgart.de:/pub/X11/Xfree86 (source and binaries)
ftp.funet.fi:/pub/X11/XFree86 (source and binaries)
ftp.laas.fr:/pub/NetBSD/XFree86-3.1 (NetBSD binaries only)
ftp.unipi.it:/pub/mirrors/XFree86-3.1 (source and binaries)
nova.pvv.unit.no:/pub/XFree86/current (source and binaries)
ftp.demon.co.uk:/pub/xwindows/XFree86 (source and binaries)
Middle East:
orgchem.weizmann.ac.il:/pub/XFree86 (sources and FreeBSD binaries)
Asia/Australia:
x.physics.su.oz.au:/pub/XFree86 (source and binaries)
ftp.iij.ad.jp:/pub/X/XFree86 (source and binaries)
ftp.nectec.or.th:/pub/mirrors/XFree86 (source and binaries)
ftp.edu.tw:/X/XFree86/3.1 (source and binaries)
Please use the closest mirror site where possible.
Refer to the README file under the specified directory for information on
which files you need to get to build your distribution.
Ensure that you are getting XFree86 3.1 - some of these sites may archive
older releases as well. Each binary distribution will contain a README
file that describes what files you need to take from the archive, and which
compile-time option selections were made when building the distribution.
2 October 1994