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<!ENTITY % onediff 'IGNORE'>	 <!-- patch is a single diff file -->
<!ENTITY % twodiffs 'IGNORE'>	 <!-- patch is split into two diff files -->
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<!ENTITY % difftar 'INCLUDE'> <!-- patch also contains a tarball -->
<!ENTITY % removefiles 'INCLUDE'> <!-- patching requires removing some files -->
]>


<article>

<title>README for XFree86&reg; &relvers;
<author>The XFree86 Project, Inc
<date>August 2007

<ident>
$XFree86: xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/doc/sgml/README.sgml,v 3.150 2007/08/16 16:06:31 dawes Exp $
</ident>

<abstract>

XFree86(R) is an Open Source version of the X Window System that supports
many UNIX(R) and UNIX-like operating systems (such as Linux, FreeBSD,
NetBSD, OpenBSD and Solaris) on Intel and other platforms.  This version
is compatible with X11R6.6.

</abstract>

<toc>

<sect>What is XFree86 &relvers;?
<p>

<![ %updaterel [
XFree86 &relvers; is the &whichupdaterel; update to &fullrelvers;,
the &whichfullrel; full release in the
<![ %earlyrel; [new]]>
XFree86 4.x series.

Update releases are taken from a stable/maintenance branch.  They are
designed to be installed on top of the full release that they are
updating.  They contain fixes for serious problems, most commonly
fixes for security issues, fixes for driver bugs, and fixes that improve
stability.
]]>

<![ %fullrel [
XFree86 &relvers; is the &whichfullrel; full release in the
<![ %earlyrel; [new]]>
XFree86 4.x series.
]]>

<![ %snapshot [
XFree86 &relvers; is a pre-release snapshot of XFree86 &fullrelvers;.
<![ %relcandidate [
This snapshot is release candidate &rcnum; for version &fullrelvers;.
]]>
Pre-release snapshots are provided for beta testing.  You should only install
snapshots if you are comfortable dealing with possibly unstable beta-level
software.  If you find problems with this snapshot, you are encouraged
to report your findings to the public XFree86 mailing list:
<email>devel@XFree86.org</email>.

<![ %relcandidate [
XFree86 &relvers; is a feature-complete snapshot of XFree86
&fullrelvers;.
]]>
]]> 

<p>
XFree86 4.x is the current XFree86 release series.  The first release in
this series was in early 2000.  The core of XFree86 4.x is a modular
X server.
<![ %fullrel [The &relvers; version is a new release that includes
additional hardware support, functional enhancements and bug fixes.]]>
<![ %haverelnotes [
Specific release enhancements can be viewed in the
<htmlurl name="Release Notes" url="RELNOTES.html">.
]]>

Most modern PC video hardware is supported in XFree86 &relvers;, and
most PC video hardware that isn't supported explicitly can be used with
the "vesa" driver.  The <htmlurl name="Release Notes" url="RELNOTES4.html">
has a table showing the drivers provided with XFree86 &relvers;, and links
to related documentation.

XFree86&reg; is produced by The XFree86 Project, Inc through the work
of a group of volunteer independent developers.  The XFree86 Project is
a non-commercial organisation and XFree86 would not exist without the
invaluable development contributions of volunteers from around the world.

XFree86 is a registered trademark of The XFree86 Project, Inc.

<![ %snapshot [
<sect>Redistribution of Snapshots
<p>

While the XFree86 <htmlurl name="License" url="LICENSE.html"> doesn't
prohibit vendors and others redistributing binaries of this snapshot
release, we don't recommend including them in production releases.
]]>

<sect>Licensing
<p>

XFree86 source code is covered by many licenses.  All of these licenses
have in common the fact that they do not impose significant conditions
on the modification or redistribution or either source code or binaries
beyond requiring one or more of the following:

<enum>
<item>Copyright and/or license notices are left intact.
<item>Copyright and/or license notices are reproduced verbatim in
	documentation accompanying binary distributions.
<item>Attributions are included with documentation accompanying binaries.
</enum>

Most of these licenses are based on the MIT, X Consortium, or BSD
(original and revised) licenses.  All of them are consistent with the
<htmlurl name="Open Source Definition"
url="http://www.opensource.org/docs/definition.php">, and most are
consistent with the Free Software Foundation's <htmlurl name="Free
Software Definition" url="http://www.fsf.org/philosophy/free-sw.html">.

Copyright and Licensing information for XFree86, including the reproduction
of copyright and/or license notices and attributions required by some
of the licenses for binary distributions, can be found in the <htmlurl
name="License Document" url="LICENSE.html">.  If you find any omissions
in that document, please contact us with details at
<email>bod@XFree86.org</email>.

<sect>Pointers to additional information
<p>

<![ %docsonline [
The documentation for this release can be found online at the <url
name="XFree86 web site" url="http://www.xfree86.org/&relvers;/">.
]]>
Documentation for the latest release version can always be found <url
name="here" url="http://www.xfree86.org/current/"><![ %docsonline [, and
documentation for the latest pre-release snapshot can be found <url
name="here" url="http://www.xfree86.org/snapshot/">]]>.

Information about binary distributions and the attendant installation
instructions can be found in the <htmlurl name="Installation Document"
url="Install.html">.

The XFree86 version numbering system (including historical information)
can be found in the <htmlurl name="Versions Document" url="Versions.html">.

Additional information may be available at the <url
name="XFree86 web site" url="http://www.xfree86.org/">, and pointers to
other information are available at the <url name="XFree86 support page"
url="http://www.xfree86.org/sos/">.

<sect>The Public Mailing Lists
<p>
Current information about the XFree86 public mailing lists can be found
at our <url name="web site" url="http://www.xfree86.org/sos/lists.html">.

<sect1>CVS Commit
<p>
For those who want to see what has been committed recently to our CVS
repository this is the list that will show you those updates.  This list
is updated dynamically every time the repository is updated after the
the commit happens.

<sect1>Devel
<p>
This list is available for discussions about XFree86 development and
for following up well-defined bug reports.  Many experienced XFree86
developers are present on this list.

<sect1>XFree86
<p>
This list is available for any discussions and questions related to XFree86.
Support related questions should be sent here.  Many experienced XFree86
developers monitor this list.

<sect1>Forum
<p>
This list is available for high level discussions about XFree86 and related
technologies, their future, and for inter-project communication.

<sect>Contributing to XFree86
<p>
If you have any new work or enhancements/bug fixes for existing work,
please submit them to <email>patch@XFree86.org</email> or to our <url
name="bug tracking system" url="http://bugs.xfree86.org/">.  This will
ensure that they are reviewed for inclusion in future releases.  New
works should be discussed on our <email>devel@XFree86.org</email> list
prior to submission.

Current information about the XFree86 development process can be found
at our <url name="web site" url="http://www.xfree86.org/developer/">.

<sect>How to get XFree86 &relvers;
<p>
<![ %snapshot; [
<![ %havebindist; [
XFree86 &relvers; can be found at the <url name="XFree86 ftp server"
url="ftp://ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/snapshots/&relvers;/">.
This snapshot is available primarily in binary
form for several popular platforms.
]]>
]]>

<![ %release; [
XFree86 &relvers; can be found at the <url name="XFree86 ftp server"
url="ftp://ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/&relvers;/">.
Information about obtaining and installing
binary distributions of this release can be found in the
<htmlurl name="Installation Document" url="Install.html">.  Information about
obtaining the release in source form is given below.
]]>

<![ %updaterel; [
The source for version &relvers; is available as a patch relative to
&prevrelvers;.
The patch file is <tt>&prevrelvers;-&relvers;.diff.gz</tt>.

The patch
should be applied to a clean &prevrelvers; source tree, working from
the directory containing the <tt>xc/</tt> directory.  The patch should
be applied by running:

<tscreen><verb>
gzip -d &lt; &prevrelvers;-&relvers;.diff.gz | patch -p0 -E
</verb></tscreen>

Information about getting the source for &prevrelvers can be found in the
README file for that version, which can be found on the
<url name="XFree86 web site" url="http://www.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/&prevrelvers;/README.html">.
]]>

<![ %fullrel [
The source for version &fullrelvers; is split into seven tarballs:

<tscreen><verb>
XFree86-&fullrelvers;-src-1.tgz
XFree86-&fullrelvers;-src-2.tgz
XFree86-&fullrelvers;-src-3.tgz
XFree86-&fullrelvers;-src-4.tgz
XFree86-&fullrelvers;-src-5.tgz
XFree86-&fullrelvers;-src-6.tgz
XFree86-&fullrelvers;-src-7.tgz
</verb></tscreen>

The first three contain everything
except the fonts and general X11 documentation.  Those three are sufficient
for building XFree86 if you already have a set of fonts.  The fourth
and fifth contain the fonts.  The sixth contains the source for the
general X11 documentation.  The seventh contains the general X11
documentation in hardcopy format.

<![ %onediff; [
A source patch relative to version &prevfullrelvers; is also available.
The patch file is <tt>XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff.gz</tt>.
<![ %difftar; [
There is also a tarball that contains some files that have components that
can't be included in a diff.  It is
<tt>XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-diff0.tgz</tt>.
]]>
The patch
should be applied to a clean &prevfullrelvers; source tree, working from
the directory containing the <tt>xc/</tt> directory.  The patch should
be applied by running:

<tscreen><verb>
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff.gz | patch -p0 -E
</verb></tscreen>
<![ %difftar; [
<tscreen><verb>
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-diff0.tgz | tar vxf -
</verb></tscreen>
]]>
]]>

<![ %twodiffs; [
A source patch relative to version &prevfullrelvers; is also available.
Because of its size, it is split into two parts.  The patch files are
<tt>XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff1.gz</tt> and
<tt>XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff2.gz</tt>.
<![ %difftar; [
There is also a tarball that contains some files that have components that
can't be included in a diff.  It is <tt>XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-diff0.tgz</tt>.
]]>
These patches should
be applied to a clean &prevfullrelvers; source tree, working from the directory
containing the <tt>xc/</tt> directory.  The patches should be applied by
running:

<tscreen><verb>
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff1.gz | patch -p0 -E
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff2.gz | patch -p0 -E
</verb></tscreen>
<![ %difftar; [
<tscreen><verb>
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-diff0.tgz | tar vxf -
</verb></tscreen>
]]>
]]>

<![ %threediffs; [
A source patch relative to version &prevfullrelvers; is also available.
Because of its size, it is split into three parts.
The patch files are:

<tscreen><verb>
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff1.gz
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff2.gz
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff3.gz
</verb></tscreen>

<![ %difftar; [
There is also a tarball that contains some files that have components that
can't be included in a diff.  It is
<tt>XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-diff0.tgz</tt>.
]]>
These patches should
be applied to a clean &prevfullrelvers; source tree, working from the directory
containing the <tt>xc/</tt> directory.  The patches should be applied by
running:

<tscreen><verb>
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff1.gz | patch -p0 -E
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff2.gz | patch -p0 -E
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff3.gz | patch -p0 -E
</verb></tscreen>
<![ %difftar; [
<tscreen><verb>
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-diff0.tgz | tar vxf -
</verb></tscreen>
]]>
]]>

<![ %fourdiffs; [
A source patch relative to version &prevfullrelvers; is also available.
Because of its size, it is split into four parts.
The patch files are:

<tscreen><verb>
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff1.gz
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff2.gz
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff3.gz
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff4.gz
</verb></tscreen>

<![ %difftar; [
There is also a tarball and a cleanup script that handle files that have
components that can't be included in a diff.  These are:

<tscreen><verb>
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-diff0.tgz
XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-cleanup.sh
</verb></tscreen>

]]>
These patches should
be applied to a clean &prevfullrelvers; source tree, working from the directory
containing the <tt>xc/</tt> directory.  The patches should be applied by
running:

<tscreen><verb>
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff1.gz | patch -p0 -E
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff2.gz | patch -p0 -E
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff3.gz | patch -p0 -E
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;.diff4.gz | patch -p0 -E
</verb></tscreen>
<![ %difftar; [
<tscreen><verb>
sh XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-cleanup.sh
gzip -d &lt; XFree86-&prevfullrelvers;-&fullrelvers;-diff0.tgz | tar vxf -
</verb></tscreen>
]]>
]]>

<!--
<![ %prevrelwasupdate; [
Patches might also be available relative to &prevrelvers;.  If so, the
instructions for applying them are the same, except that you should start 
with a clean &prevrelvers; source tree.
]]>
-->

To format the XFree86 documentation use the latest version of our doctools
package available from the XFree86 CVS repository's "doctools" module,
and from our <url name="ftp site"
url="ftp://ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/misc/doctools-&doctoolsvers;.tgz">.
]]>  <!-- fullrel -->

The XFree86 source code for this and all releases/snapshots as well as
development versions can also be accessed via the XFree86 CVS repository.
Information about accessing this can be found at the <url name="CVS page"
url="http://www.xfree86.org/cvs/"> on our web site.  It's also possible
to browse the XFree86 CVS repository at our <url name="CVSWeb server"
url="http://cvsweb.xfree86.org/">.  The CVS tag for this version is
"&reltag;".
<![ %notsnapshot [
The CVS tag for the stable branch for this release is "&relbranchtag;".
]]>
To check out the latest development version, don't specify any tag.


<sect>Reporting Bugs
<p>

Bugs should be reported to <email>XFree86@XFree86.org</email>.  Before
reporting bugs, please check the XFree86 server log file, which can be
found at <tt>/var/log/XFree86.0.log</tt> on most platforms.  If you
can't resolve the problem yourself, send the entire log file with your
bug report but not the operating system core dump.  Do not edit  the
log file as our developers use it to reproduce and debug your problem.

<sect>Supporting XFree86
<p>

The XFree86 Project, Inc is a nonprofit that oversees the development
of XFree86.  As with the XFree86 software, the nonprofit is run and
operated entirely by unpaid volunteers.  Donations to The XFree86 Project
go towards maintaining our online presence and related infrastructure
and modest operating expenses.  If you find XFree86 useful, and would like
to help us continue in our work, please consider a small <url name="
donation" url="http://www.xfree86.org/donations/">.

</article>
