Re: Xfs from xinetd?

On Wed, Dec 08, 2004 at 11:24:36AM -0800, Torrey Lyons wrote:
> 
> This is actually a small can of worms that I'd be happy for some 
> input on. The underlying issue is that its not clear how Xfs and Xprt 
> (the X font and print servers) should be started in a Mac OS X 
> environment. They are often started at boot time on other *nixen. 
> However, on other platforms they are providing key services to the 
> core window server (the X server). On Mac OS X the X server is run in 
> a user context and without root privileges. Should the X server 
> (XDarwin) just start Xfs and Xprt itself? (Some configuration options 
> could be provided to turn on one or both.) Or should they be run as 
> root daemons like other places using the Mac OS X specific 
> StartupItems or new bootstrap daemon mechanisms?

Well, I'd be up for modifying xfs to have a flag to start from xinetd.
There are really 2 models that it could follow:
1) an xfs process per request.  Depending on how the X server makes
its requests (as needed or if a constant TCP session is maintained
for the life of the X server) this may not/may be a good idea.
2) the xfs server is launched when the first request comes in, and
services all incoming requests.  Whenever the xfs server dies, 
xinetd will relaunch when the next subsequent request is recieved.
xfs can die whenever it feels like it (after a fixed time period,
after a fixed time of no requests, etc.)

In addition to any downsides mentioned above, xfs will run as root
from xinetd.

I'd rather not start down this path this is not what people want
(aka won't be accepted =)

Rob