I just stumbled upon XQuartz project and I can't find a direct and clear answer to the subj on their site.
2 Answers
I think you have it confused. From what I understand XQuartz is the same open-source X11 server that Apple uses (and probably helps developing). So its no different. However, Apple doesn't update its own version (meaning the one that it distributes with the OS or developer disks) as frequently. If you want to have the most recent update of XQuartz, you have to download it from the XQuartz project page. It still doesn't answer the question under what circumstance one would want to install XQuartz from the project page? I don't know?
From the XQuartz project page:
The XQuartz project is an open-source effort to develop a version
of the X.org X Window System that runs on Mac OS X. Together with
supporting libraries and applications, it forms the X11.app that
Apple has shipped with OS X since version 10.5.
So, as it states above, the main reason to use XQuartz is preferring Open Source. I don't find any statements on their page that XQuartz is supposed to be better than X11.app in any (other) way. Actually, I interpret the above in a way that XQuartz is used in X11.app, as the X.org implementation.
-
thats what I get too, but then I see all those people recommending to upgrade to Xquartz for some reason. Thats what I'm trying to understand. Why upgrade? Jun 1, 2010 at 15:17