X Server Configuration Files - Red Hat ENTERPRISE LINUX 5 - DEPLOYMENT Deployment Manual

Four window managers are included with Red Hat Enterprise Linux:
kwin
The KWin window manager is the default window manager for KDE. It is an efficient window
manager which supports custom themes.
metacity
The Metacity window manager is the default window manager for GNOME. It is a simple and
efficient window manager which also supports custom themes. To run this window manager, you
need to install the metacity package.
mwm
The Motif Window Manager (mwm) is a basic, stand-alone window manager. Since it is designed to
be a stand-alone window manager, it should not be used in conjunction with GNOME or KDE. To
run this window manager, you need to install the openmotif package.
twm
The minimalist Tab Window Manager (twm, which provides the most basic tool set of any of
the window managers, can be used either as a stand-alone or with a desktop environment. It is
installed as part of the X11R7.1 release.
To run any of the aforementioned window managers, you will first need to boot into Runlevel 3. For
instructions on how to do this, refer to
Once you are logged in to Runlevel 3, you will be presented with a terminal prompt, not a graphical
environment. To start a window manager, type xinit -e <path-to-window-manager> at the
prompt.
<path-to-window-manager> is the location of the window manager binary file. The binary file can
be located by typing which window-manager-name, where window-manager-name is the name
of the window manager you want to run.
For example:
user@host# which twm
/usr/bin/twm
user@host# xinit -e /usr/bin/twm
The first command above returns the absolute path to the twm window manager, the second
command starts twm.
To exit a window manager, close the last window or press Ctrl+Alt+Backspace. Once you have
exited the window manager, you can log back into Runlevel 5 by typing startx at the prompt.

31.3. X Server Configuration Files

The X server is a single binary executable (/usr/bin/Xorg). Associated configuration files are
stored in the /etc/X11/ directory (as is a symbolic link — X — which points to /usr/bin/Xorg).
The configuration file for the X server is /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
The directory /usr/lib/xorg/modules/ contains X server modules that can be loaded
dynamically at runtime. By default, only some modules in /usr/lib/xorg/modules/ are
automatically loaded by the X server.
Section 16.1, "Runlevels".
X Server Configuration Files
455