[ Thanks to Greta
Durr/LinuxMall.com for this link. ]
“In algebraic references, X indicates an unknown quantity
that must be solved for by studying the way in which it relates to
other, known, factors. The X Window System and the XFree86 Project
work to bridge that gap between known, stable operating systems
(OSs) and their unknown, unpredictable human users.
“The X Window System provides a complete Graphical User
Interface (GUI) for UNIX and UNIX-like systems. It was originally
developed by the now-defunct Project Athena, a five-year
exploration of innovative computing at MIT. The project’s end
result, the Athena system, survives as MIT’s academic computing
infrastructure.”
“X is currently developed and distributed commercially by the X
Consortium, X.Org. X.Org is a non-profit organization dedicated to
maintaining the existing X Window base code and engineering
market-driven enhancements. The X Window System’s licensing
structure allows the existence of free and low-cost
implementations–Accelerated X, MetroX and XSuSE are examples of
this.”