[olug] to X or not to X (on a server)?

[William E. Kempf]

Eric Penne said:
> I don't install X on any of my servers.  Primarily because they aren't
> connected to a monitor.  I also don't want to have another mouse sitting
> next to the server.  I like to put the server in an inconspicuous place
> and lay the keyboard on top of it.  X is just one more thing to
> configure and update.  None of the things I use a server for need a
> graphical interface.  I don't think their would be any sort of
> performance benefit unless you leave X running all the time.

You don't have to have the server connected to a Monitor for X to be used.
 Either remote X sessions or VNC could still be used for a "monitorless"
server.

But if it's strictly a server, I can't think of too many things that X
would be good for.  GUI admin tools... well, WebMin does a fair job for
most things, and doesn't require X on the server.  Multiple terminals
open... well, you can do that from a remote machine as well.  So I'm not
disagreeing with Eric... only pointing out that, at least in theory, there
may be a use for X even on a server that's buried in the closet with no
monitor/mouse/keyboard.

-- 
William E. Kempf