On Fri, May 26, 2000 at 03:45:41PM -0500, Brad wrote: > On Thu, May 25, 2000 at 10:42:29AM -0700, kmself@ix.netcom.com wrote: > > > > Unix, Windows, Mac, OpenVMS, etc. Client-server -- though the > > nomenclature is backwards from the usual meaning, your display is a > > "server", and applications are "clients", running on it. You'll > > hear people refer to "X clients" from time to time. > > It depends on your definition of "client" and "server". For example, if > you define them like this: > Server: a program that runs on a computer to listen for connections, > and takes some action when a connection is made. Usually, that > action involves transferring data to and from the client, but > may include manipulating local files, hardware, or the like. > Client: a program that actively makes a connection to a server, > has the server do something, and then disconects. Sometimes > clients will manipulate local files, hardware, etc. > > Defined this way, it doesn't seem backwards at all. Or else i'm just > confused out of my mind ;)
The C/S "reversal" of X11 was probably more distressing in an age in which cluster/hub relationships were more common. These days with peered networks, it's not uncommon to find various "server" tasks distributed among several "client" systems, each of which servers and/or receives various tasks. However, it is a bit of the historical discussion. The Unix Haters page on X11 is also uproariously educational. http://www.catalog.com/hopkins/unix-haters/x-windows/disaster.html X: The First Fully Modular Software Disaster Also: http://www.catalog.com/hopkins/unix-haters/login.html http://www.catalog.com/hopkins/unix-haters/x-windows/dangerous-virus.html ...You'll envy the dead. -- Karsten M. Self <kmself@ix.netcom.com> http://www.netcom.com/~kmself Evangelist, Opensales, Inc. http://www.opensales.org What part of "Gestalt" don't you understand? Debian GNU/Linux rocks! http://gestalt-system.sourceforge.net/ K5: http://www.kuro5hin.org GPG fingerprint: F932 8B25 5FDD 2528 D595 DC61 3847 889F 55F2 B9B0
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