X under MacOS ?

[David Ackerman]

In article <684 at genie.UUCP>, dm at genie.UUCP (David Mischel) writes:
> From article <8807231328.AA21517 at corwin.CCS.Northeastern.EDU>, by mckee at corwin.ccs.northeastern.EDU (George McKee):
> > Can anyone say something about prospects for an X server
> > for a native-OS Macintosh that's gatewayed from AppleTalk to
> > and IP network, a`la NCSA Telnet?
> 
> white pines software (?boston) sounds like they are working on something
> but i understand it is going to be serial lines only, at least initially.
> so i'm echoing george's call for info on anyone pursuing this project.

   Some of this info has been posted before, but I'm cross-posting this to
several groups for people who only follow one group.

   I spoke with White Pine software a couple of weeks ago, and they sent me
their literature. But the person I spoke with provided me with some info
that wasn't in the literature.

   The X11 server running under the Mac OS has been named the Mercury
project. Thus far, the server is a monochrome X11 implementation running
on top of DECNET protocols, using Apple's EtherTalk card in a Mac II. It
uses a generalized application/session layer running on top of Thursby
Software System's DECNET driver, so a TCP/IP driver (such as the one from
Kinetics) could be plugged in if you want to use TCP/IP as the transport/network
layer. The server pops up a scrollable, resizable Mac window containing a bitmap
1024X1024 pixels in size, which is the size of the server's virtual display size. 

   I was disappointed to hear they don't yet have color support, but the person
I spoke with said it would be added after the initial release, which should be
sometime in the fall. He also said they would probably plug the TCP/IP driver
in and make sure it works ok if there was enough demand for it. That was one
of the points made in the literature: the directions the Mercury project
takes will definitely be influenced by user demand. So call these people up!
Tell them you want color! Tell them you want TCP/IP! Tell them you want
whatever! They will probably be happy to send you their literature, and get
more input on what should go into the product.

   You can reach them at:

   White Pine Software
   94 Route 101A, P.O. Box 1108
   Amherst, NH  03031
   (603) 886-9050

   By the way, this is based on phone discussion and White Pine's literature. I
would be happy to hear from anyone who has actually *used* it. Does it work as
described? If not, please send mail!

David Ackerman
California Department of Water Resources     caldwr!ack at ucdavis.edu  (Internet)
"It's the water, and a lot more..."       ...!ucbvax!ucdavis!caldwr!ack  (UUCP)

         The opinions expressed above are mine, not those of the State
         of California or the California Department of Water Resources.