Tenon Interystems has announced that they will offer a fully functional, OS X version of the popular X Windows user interface. The OS X version will incorporate the best features of OS X and Aqua, while providing the expected power and flexibility of X Windows. According to Tenon:
Tenon Intersystems announced today that they will offer a fully integrated X Desktop for Mac OS X. Tenonis high-performance X Window Server will provide seamless integration between an X Window display environment and Macintosh applications. Tenonis new X Window Server will be an easy-to-use, flexible Mac OS X application that will integrate the best elements of Appleis Aqua desktop with state-of-the-art X Window tools to provide a powerful extension to Appleis new OS.
The new X (pronounced X) for OS X (pronounced iteni) will not only allow remote X applications to be displayed on the Mac OS X desktop, but will also include complete set of X tools and libraries to support local execution of X applications and X games on OS X. Extending Mac OS X with an X Window porting environment will enable high-resolution 3D-modeling & animation, graphical visualization and image rendering applications to be built directly on Mac OS X.
The X Window System is an open source, industry standard for displaying remote graphical applications. X is highly portable, being both hardware and operating system independent, so users on one computer can work directly with applications on another computer. The X Window System allows enterprise-wide personal computer desktops to connect to mission critical applications and information-based systems on UNIX, Linux, and NT servers. Having an X Window Server on Appleis new Mac OS X Aqua desktop will extend the reach and strength of Mac OS X. Appleis OS X will not only be the most appealing desktop, but by virtue of the strength of OS X itself and the power of the G4 platforms, with X Window support the new Macs can be the desktop of choice for all enterprise applications, be they local or remote.
Tenonis new X product, based on the latest X11R6.4 X Window release, will include a suite of pre-compiled X client applications. It will support rootless display of X Windows, as well as a full-screen mode, where X Window applications are displayed on a ivirtual screeni. Full icopy and pastei will be available between native Macintosh applications and the X Window Server. The new X will support OpenGL, a full range of X Extensions, use of a three-button mouse, CDE (Common Desktop Environment) fonts, and will be XDM (X Window Display Management) capable. It will also support web-based display of X client applications via "Broadway" - an X Window extension to allow remote X applications to be invoked and displayed via a browser. An Aqua-like window manager and Aqua-like widget set will be included to give local X applications a more Mac-like appearance and minimized X Windows will be supported by use of the OS X dock.
Tenonis X Windows beta will be available for download when Apple announces OS X beta, and the final version will be on sale in January, when OS X Consumer ships. You can find more information at the Aestiva web site, or visit their booth (#1537) at MACWORLD.