XWin32 and eXceed are the leading Windows X Servers on the market today. Both of them are commercial software costing hundreds of dollars, sometimes almost as much as a new computer. XWin32 comes into the market as a cost effective Windows X Server used by many educational institutions. eXceed is a higher level package that provides few more advanced features, except its ability to allow control of multiple workstation installations from a single network location. This would be very advantageous to a large corporate network with hundreds of users, but very costly as well. XWinLogon was developed as an interface to pre-existing free software. The technology has existed for years, and only required a pretty interface and some packaging to make it available to end users. Below is a chart that further explores the features and advantages of each Windows X Server.
XWinLogon v1.0 vs. Starnet’s XWin32 v5.3 and Hummingbird eXceed v7.1
| XWinLogon | Starnet’s XWin32 | Hummingbird eXceed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial List Price | $0.00 | $225.00 | $545.00 |
| SSH | Included | Included | $65.00 |
| OpenGL Support | Included | Included | $295.00 |
| Phone & Email Support | Search the Internet | Included | Additional Cost or Annual Fee |
| Licensing | Open Source | Closed Source | Closed Source |
| Languages Supported | English | English, French, German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish | English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Installation Software Used | NSIS (As good as Install Shield) | Install Shield | Install Shield |
| Supported Operating Systems | Single SourceWindows 9x, Windows NT/2000/XP | Single SourceWindows 9x, Windows NT/2000/XPCitrix Metaframe and Windows Terminal Server support
Windows 3x version available |
Dual SourceWindows 9x, Windows NT/2000/XPCitrix Metaframe and Windows Terminal Server support
Windows 3x version available |
| Installation Options | Typical | Typical and Custom | Personal or All Users Typical, Custom, or Complete |
| Minimum/Maximum Space Required | 22.1 meg | 21 meg | 110 meg |
| Reboot Required | No | No | Depends on Options |
| Patch Application | Complete re-installation | Complete re-installation | Hummingbird Live Update |
| SSH (Secure Shell) | Yes | Yes | No (Available on Optional Package) |
| Access Control | No | Yes | Yes |
| XAuth | No | Yes | Yes |
| NIS (Network Information Services) | No | No | Yes |
| User Credential in start up scripts | No start-up scripts | Hard Coded | Selectable |
| 3D (Open GL – GLX) | Yes | Yes | No (Available at $120 premium) |
| Multiple X Displays | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Window Modes | Single, Multiple, Multiple w/ external window manager | Single, Multiple, Both | Single, Multiple |
| Supported Color Depths | I forgot to add this feature | 1, 8, 24 | 1, 8, 12, 24 |
| Root Window Depth | unknown | 8, 24 planes | 24 planes |
| System Tray Capable | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Configuration Tool | No | Yes (X-Config) | Yes (Xconfig) |
| Session Startup Tool | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcut Creation | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mouse | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Middle Wheel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Toolbar | No | No | Yes |
| Overlay UNIX and Windows Window Managers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple IP Addresses | Yes | Yes | Yes (only with XDMCP) |
| Power Management | No | No | Yes |
Overall you can see that if you need certain specific features such as central management you may need XWin32 or eXceed. However, you can also see that for basic applications, XWin32 and eXceed do not offer substantial enough advantages to overcome the price and flexibility of XWinLogon. Just think about the training costs for example. Do you think that it would cost in excess of $200 per person to teach them how to use XWinLogon over XWin32 or eXceed? Not likely. Download XWinLogon and check it out for yourself. If you have any questions, look into our XWinLogon mailing list or contact me directly.
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