XFree86® server 4.x Design (DRAFT) : Preface
Previous: XFree86® server 4.x Design (DRAFT)
Next: The XF86Config File

## 1. Preface

The broad design principles are:

- keep it reasonable
  - We cannot rewrite the complete server
  - We don't want to re-invent the wheel
- keep it modular
  - As many things as possible should go into modules
  - The basic loader binary should be minimal
  - A clean design with well defined layering is important
  - DDX specific global variables are a nono
  - The structure should be flexible enough to allow future extensions
  - The structure should minimize duplication of common code
- keep important features in mind
  - multiple screens, including multiple instances of drivers
  - mixing different color depths and visuals on different and ideally even on the same screen
  - better control of the PCI device used
  - better config file parser
  - get rid of all VGA compatibility assumptions

Unless we find major deficiencies in the DIX layer, we should avoid making changes there.

XFree86® server 4.x Design (DRAFT) : Preface
Previous: XFree86® server 4.x Design (DRAFT)
Next: The XF86Config File