Verifying that Cygwin/X X Server can be built from xserver repositoryon freedesktop.org

[Harold L Hunt II <huntharo at msu dot edu>]

Currently, I am making Cygwin/X X Server releases from a local XFree86 
4.3.0 tree that has been heavily modified.  The latest Cygwin/X X Server 
code is stored in the xorg repository on freedesktop.org, but there are 
some small differences between the xorg code and the code that I build 
releases from (e.g. xorg has support for a new logging facility, while 
the 4.3.0 tree does not).


I would like to start making releases from the xorg tree, but it has not 
yet been tagged as 4.4.0, so I am hesitant to do this.  Furthermore, if 
I am going to change the tree that I make releases from, then I had 
better evaluate whether it is time to do what I ultimately intend to do: 
move the latest Cygwin/X X Server code to the xserver repository on 
freedesktop.org.


The prime benefit of moving to the xserver repository at this time is 
that we can use the new composite system that was recently created.  We 
can use the composite system in Cygwin/X to finally provide support for 
PseudoColor visuals on top of a TrueColor display.  Translation: People 
would finally be able to run 8 bit palettized color apps on their 15, 
16, 24, and 32 bit displays, while also runnings apps in the default 
color depth.  The composite system is of interest to me because I have 
been thinking recently about attacking the PseudoColor emulation problem 
again.


The prime drawback of moving to the xserver repository at this time is 
that it has the potential to be boring.  The autotools (autoconf, 
automake, etc.) are very slow on Cygwin and it is likely that changes 
would have to be made to the configuration files in order to get the 
build working on Cygwin.  Simple problems will possibly require several 
cycles of making small changes, waiting a few minutes for configure to 
finish, then trying a build.  There is unlikely to be anything difficult 
in this process, it is just likely to be time consuming.  On the other 
hand, things could work perfectly and the first reply to this message 
might be "it works".  So, go forth and try it!


I am **very** interested in moving to the xserver repository at this 
time.  I am seeking help from anyone that want to try checking out the 
xserver repository from freedesktop.org and attempting a build of it on 
Cygwin.  I am not interested in pledges of help in the future.  Class 
starts for me again on Monday, so if this is going to happen, then it 
will be 50% done by Saturday or it won't be happening.  If you are 
interested, checkout the code, try to build it, and start proposing 
patches for small problems that you notice.  I may start working on this 
myself, so it would be wise to site in #freedesktop and #cygwinx on 
freenode.org to make sure that we don't work on the same things 
simultaneously.  I can also provide assistance in those chat rooms, as 
can others that are already working with the xserver repository.


For information on the xserver repository (such as how to check it out), 
see:

http://freedesktop.org/Software/xserver


Thanks in advance to anyone that can help with getting xserver building 
on Cygwin,

Harold