> 2. xinit *is* finding .xinitrc. It was originally reporting syntax errors
> in that file, as i found by eliminating the offending line.

startx is the correct way to run xinit.  I assume that you've followed
the README instructions to update your ldconfig so that the X programs
can find the X libraries?  You might double-check that by just trying to
run, say, xcalc or xterm.  You should get a "Can't open display" error
message.  Try running it as:

(csh) % startx >& x.out
(sh) $ startx > x.out 2>&1

and post the resulting x.out file...

> 3. xinit, whether run directly, or from startx, nevertheless still reports
> an error (it orginally reported 2 errors, it now only reports one). The
> error it reports for all users trying to run startx, is: server not found
> - or words to that effect.

It always helps to have the exact text of the error message...

> 4. it fills the screen with the desktop, shows the x cursor, flashes the
> error at the bottom of the screen momentarily as well as scrolls the
> desktop pattern up the screen. It then clears the screen and shows a blank
> console prompt, not running x.

This says to me that the server is starting OK, but the clients aren't,
then it's shutting down for some reason.

> 5. if I run xdm it behaves a bit better. But i have been advised by people
> on this list that there is something wrong with doing it that way

For an "owner-operator" machine, xdm doesn't make much sense--it
uses a lot of memory and there's no need for a cute graphical login
application...  ;-)  I don't know of any other reason to avoid it if
you know how to configure it.  It _is_ easier to get X running with
just startx/.xinitrc, though.

> 6. I understand that startx is a shell script which ultimately runs xinit
> anyway.

Exactly, you can look at it like xinit is the low-level program and
startx is the more user-friendly front end to it.

> discovered that for some reason, the tar file did not contain the standard
> settings files, esp those in /usr/X11R6/lib/x11/xdm/. I presume part of

That's odd.  BTW, that directory should be "X11" instead of "X11".

-allen

-- 
              Allen Briggs - end killing - briggs@macbsd.com
   Where does all my time go?  <a href="http://www.macbsd.com/">Here</a>
                           and <a href="http://www.rrinc.com/">Here</a>