explain X Windows?

[stupidquestion]

I'm not clear on what X Windows does. I'm reading that it's used for remote GUI. Does that mean I can display the desktop of say a remote Ubuntu machine?

Also, just to make sure, it has nothing to do with the default Terminal, right?

[kerry_s]

xwindows is the graphical user interface(gui) it's what presnts what you see on the screen.

[grahammechanical]

Explaining subjects can get complicated. So, read about it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System

Regards.

[stupidquestion]

I did read the Wiki article briefly but was not sure how it related to Ubuntu. Like is it a separate program, or is it just the foundation of the Ubuntu GUI. From what you're saying it sounds like it's just the latter.

[Lars Noodén]

It's a layer in the foundation of Ubuntu. You can use it to display the graphical output of programs actually running on other machines. But mostly it just displays the output of programs running on the same machine.

[stupidquestion]

I'm also reading that Ubuntu is abandoning X window in favor of something called Mir:
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/03/ubuntu-dumps-x-window-system-creates-replacement-for-pc-and-mobile/

[1clue]

You really need to read a bit on this. Mir is a rewrite/refactoring, not a replacement.

[Adam_Kleiner]

X windowing is a very flexible platform. Yes, it can be used for remote windowing, but in practice it's usually run on localhost.