GUI crash
My girlfriend has managed to crash her X server (vvhichever version comes vvith RH7.1). If you have a GUI process running and the X server crashes, can the process continue to run?
I hope I’m vvrong, but if the ansvver to the above question is no, then it raises an interesting question. Linux is famous for its stability. Hovvever, in my experience, the XServer falls on its face every novv and then -even if the rest of the system continues to vvork. If you’re using Linux as an everyday desktop Computer (i.e. not a server) and the majority of the applications you use are probably GUl-based, then the stability of your system, depends quite a lot on the stability of your Xserver.
I knovv I’m over-simplifying things, since ‘stability’ can mean a lot of things (e.g. one app doesn’t bring the vvtıole thing dovvn), but 1 vvould be interested to knovv vvhat you think. Aaron, via email
İf II Processes vvhich are connected to your X if 4 M server wil1 generally die vvhen the X f ***** 1 server dies, as they are smart enough to knovv that they should. Occasionally, though, they can end up being ‘zombie’ processes, vvhich vvill need to be killed by hand. Netscape is, rather unsurprisingly, a rather good example of something that just vvon’t die properiy.
The stability of the X server is of obvious importance, hence the reason to make sure that you keep up vvith the releases of XFree86, so you don’t end up vvith an old X installation vvhich leaks memory, has security exploits, or just crashes for no obvious reason every once in a vvhile.
Certain X servers are more stable than others, so if the need for X to stay up and running is of majör importance, it may be vvorth spending some time checking out the different X servers and seeing vvhich one is the most mature. İt’s also vvorth buying a video card that you’re sure is fully supported by your choice of X server.