The X Factor

eXceed v4.1.1
The installation of eXceed was a little more complicated than installing the other products because eXceed can be located on a local disk, on a network server, or on a combination of the two. The installation process also tests the performance of your display subsystem and gives you the opportunity to password-protect the configuration module. I tested eXceed's commercial version 4.1.1 and encountered no problems. Screen 1 shows the two program groups created by the installation process.

The X program-launch facility in eXceed supports initiation via RSH, REXEC, and RLOGIN. The basic facility is a dialog that allows you to store your individual launch commands (Screen 2). You can access it from the program group or from the X Server Control Panel when it's operating in single-window mode. Alternatively, eXceed supports a session-launch facility where the server software and multiple X programs can be started simultaneously. However, Hummingbird does not provide a monitoring interface to track the status of program initiation.

eXceed contains the standard X11 fonts, optional HP fonts, Digital fonts, the Andrew Consortium toolkit fonts, and generic PC fonts as NT TrueType font files (.FON). A font-conversion tool is also provided, as is support for a font server. Based on my lab tests, eXceed provides excellent font compatibility and is one of only two products that could run the lab's favorite legacy HP calculator tool--the other is WRQ's Reflection X.

Bottom line: Hummingbird's eXceed is a top-of-the-line X Server product loaded with extra features and functions. It's the only product I reviewed that offers a local Window Manager for the single-window environment. Hummingbird also offers several companion products for eXceed that enable remote X access and X program development under NT.

eXalt v1.1
Installation of eXalt was very simple and resulted in the program group shown in Screen 3. A remove command is included so the program can be uninstalled later. I tested commercial version 1.1 of eXalt and encountered some minor problems. For example, when I was running the X11R3 MWM, I experienced a ghosting of 3D effects when controls were selected and deselected. I encountered no problems when running X programs on the NT desktop.

The launch utility in eXalt is activated from the program group or from the X Server Control Panel when it is operating in single-window mode. The launch utility provides a simple dialog to select the host, user information, and the remote X program command (see Screen 4). A history of information is maintained, allowing you to re-launch programs fairly easily. Programs can be launched via RSH or REXEC, but there is no launch monitor.

Intergraph's eXalt includes the standard X11 fonts in X11 Portable Compiled Format (.PCF) files. Additional font packs can be purchased from Intergraph. Alternatively, .PCF fonts, Bitmap Distribution Format (.BDF) fonts, and Speedo (.SPD) fonts can be imported and used by eXalt as is; no conversion utility is needed (or provided). The program also supports a font server.

Bottom line: Intergraph's eXalt is a bare-bones X Server implementation that pales in comparison to competitive offerings. The most appealing feature of eXalt is its ability to directly support the .PCF and .BDF X11 font formats--no conversion process is required. I recommend that you wait and look at the next release of eXalt (2.0), which should be available by the time you read this.

Reflection X for Windows v5.0 Beta 2
Reflection X is easy to install and the installation process includes some of the finest images of northwest American mountains I've seen. Unfortunately, no uninstall utility exists, and if you need to remove this product, you will have to do it manually. By the time you read this, the final version of Reflection X v5.0 should be on the market. I reviewed a beta copy and encountered no errors during my tests. Screen 5 shows the program group contents after installation.

Reflection X includes a client-launch dialog that allows you to start remote X programs using RSH, REXEC, RLOGIN, or Telnet (see Screen 6). Each command can be stored in a file for subsequent recall, making it easy to re-launch programs later. This facility is available from the Reflection X program group or directly from the X Server module when it's running in single-window mode. It also includes an optional monitor that provides progress reports on the steps taken in launching a program.

In terms of fonts, Reflection X provided the standard X11 fonts, Asian fonts, and a variety of HP, Digital, and IBM fonts. All the fonts are provided as NT TrueType (.FON) files. If additional fonts are needed, Reflection X includes a font-conversion utility and supports a font server. Based on my lab tests, Reflection X provided the best overall font compatibility and was one of only two products that could run the lab's favorite HP calculator tool--the other is Hummingbird's eXceed.

Bottom line: WRQ's Reflection X is a fully functional, highly compatible, and easy-to-use X Server product that includes extra fonts to support many of the proprietary X tools developed by HP, Digital, and IBM. One unusual feature of Reflection X is its ability to support a remote Window Manager for X programs running on the Windows desktop--the programs take on the attributes of the remote Window Manager even though they are running on Windows. WRQ's solid history of developing terminal emulation and connectivity software for the HP, Digital, and IBM markets really shows in this product.

XoftWare/32 for Windows v4.0 Beta (July '95)
XoftWare/32 includes slick installation software with lots of gauges and indicators to assure you that the product is installing correctly. XoftWare/32 also comes with an uninstall facility, providing a painless means of removing the product. The final version of XoftWare/32 v4.0 should be on the market by the time you read this. I reviewed a beta version and encountered no serious errors during my tests. Screen 7 shows the XoftWare/32 program group contents after installation

XoftWare/32's launch facility is embedded in its Control Panel program (see Screen 8). This Control Panel is contained in the XoftWare/32 program group and can be accessed from the X Server module when it's running in single-window mode. Note that this Control Panel is totally unrelated to the NT Control Panel.

At first, not being able to access a launch facility from an icon seemed awkward, but it turns out that XoftWare/32 automatically stores each launch command as its own Program Manager icon. This could be a boon in many environments because it eliminates the need to interact with a dialog to re-launch X programs. The launch facility supports RSH, REXEC, RLOGIN, and Telnet. It also includes an optional monitor that provides launch progress reports.

XoftWare/32 includes the standard X11 fonts, Kanji fonts, as well as Digital, HP-ISO, and HP Roman8 fonts for compatibility with proprietary X programs. All fonts are provided in NT TrueType format (.FON). Additional fonts can be supported via a font server or by converting fonts using the included font-conversion utility.

Bottom line: AGE's XoftWare/32 is a versatile X Server with extra fonts to support many legacy HP and Digital X tools. The ability to launch clients directly from Program Manager icons allows XoftWare/32 a high degree of integration with the NT environment.

Closing the X Files
My lab experiences with these X servers led to several interesting observations. First, and most important, Windows NT proves to be a more than adequate operating environment for X server software. If you ever had the (mis)fortune of running X server software in the 16-bit Windows environment, you owe it to yourself to at least look at X server software running under NT. The performance difference is dramatic to the extreme.

Second, I found that the best fit, the best feel, and the best overall performance was always achieved by running X Window applications in native windows on the NT desktop. Although this requires that you sacrifice the look and feel of an X11 Window Manager, getting the look and feel of native NT windows in return isn't such a bad trade-off because you get consistency across all applications, regardless of their origin.