where to now?
X11 has been around for a ripe 17 years now, but it continues to
evolve - features like 3D, transparency, advanced font support, and
more, are evidence of this. Where X will go:
- IPv6 support - already ratified by X.org.
- Further 3D integration, including better support for
remote rendering; there is already an X11 server that
does full 3D rendering, by making every window a
texture.
- Integration with components such as printing and
sound - Xprt and NAS already exist for this, to make
remote printing/sound support even more seamless than it
already is with modern environments.
- Better vendor support - One of the main aims of
Xwin.org is to better include vendors such as ATI in the
process, and end up with better drivers, and better
vendor support.
Where X will not go:
- Direct framebuffer access - XFree86 integrates the
network so well that the network support is almost
unnoticably quick. Direct framebuffer access would
require far tighter integration with cards, potentially
locking out unsupported cards. Even with 3D support, it
makes no difference whether it's direct or using the
standard infrastructure.