Re:The X-Windows Disaster (1994)
by brianpaul on Thursday March 05, 2020 @11:16PM
(#22500950)
I think there's kind of two aspects to that (why client/server):
1. The X protocol was roughly like an evolution of the VT-like protocols which were used for text-based terminals back in the day. Those protocols supported cursor control, simple character-based graphics, and later, simple vector graphics. X was an evolution of that to deal with bitmapped displays, mice, etc.
2. Hardware was pretty expensive. Giving everyone in the office an X terminal was far cheaper than giving everyone a workstation. Again, that was an evolution of VT terminals vs. minicomputers.
Even X terminals weren't cheap. In the early 90's a monochrome 15" terminal could be a couple thousand dollars while the workstation was at least 10x more.
1. The X protocol was roughly like an evolution of the VT-like protocols which were used for text-based terminals back in the day. Those protocols supported cursor control, simple character-based graphics, and later, simple vector graphics. X was an evolution of that to deal with bitmapped displays, mice, etc.
2. Hardware was pretty expensive. Giving everyone in the office an X terminal was far cheaper than giving everyone a workstation. Again, that was an evolution of VT terminals vs. minicomputers.
Even X terminals weren't cheap. In the early 90's a monochrome 15" terminal could be a couple thousand dollars while the workstation was at least 10x more.