[HEADS UP] switch default xorg version in 9.1 and later

[Thomas Mueller]

from Niclas Zeising:

> This update is being held off for now.  There was some concern regarding
> the lack of working VT switching when using the KMS-enabled Intel
> driver, so we have decided to keep the old xorg as the default for now,
> while the VT switching issues are being worked on.

I can understand, especially after my experience where startx crashed and required Reset button.

But I might possibly try the new Xorg if I build and run FreeBSD-current, knowing that will be mainly for testing and experimentation rather than production use.

I will want to run releng-9 (STABLE) for more everyday use, but that would likely be in a different GPT partition on the same hard drive.

Is that too dangerous, could FreeBSD-current run amok and trash other partitions, should I run on a separate drive or USB 3.0 stick?

But probably less dangerous than any NetBSD.

I would want to keep a vesa version of xorg.conf for fallback.

I will also need to know how to open a root xterm after starting X as nonroot.

This response is delayed because of all the time I spent trying in vain to set up my HP LaserJet printer using hplip for both FreeBSD (ports) and NetBSD (pkgsrc).

NetBSD pkgsrc has also gone to xorg-server-1.12.4 which I imagine might be comparable to FreeBSD regarding the new xorg.  I was able to not crash and to get back to the text VT when running vesa version of xorg.conf, so maybe that fallback is good for FreeBSD too?  But with NetBSD in X, the mouse pointer could be moved right-to-left and back but not up and down: one of many glitches and undependabilities tht I've experienced with NetBSD.

Tom