The X Windows System is a large and complex set of interacting X clients and X servers.
Red Hat Linux simplifies configuring this complex system by isolating configuration details into a few files and tools.
In this module, you will learn about the X Windows System's functionality, and about the XFree86 project's free implementation of X Windows. You will also install and configure the X Windows System with Red Hat tools.
Finally, to make your desktop behave exactly the way you want it to, you will learn to customize your startup X applications.
Ultimately, using the X Windows System increases your Linux productivity because X allows you to view and manipulate data easily.
This module shows you the necessary first steps to get X Windows up and running.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. Describe the function and basic installation of the X Windows System
2. List the factors that influence the installation of XFree86
3. Explain the various methods to obtain video card specifications
4. Configure XFree86 with command line tools
5. Discuss gdm and startx
6. Configure X startup with .xinitrc