XWinLogon vs. XWin32 and eXceed

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

XWinLogonStarnet’s XWin32Hummingbird eXceed
Commercial List Price$0.00$225.00$545.00
SSHIncludedIncluded$65.00
OpenGL SupportIncludedIncluded$295.00
Phone & Email SupportSearch the InternetIncludedAdditional Cost or Annual Fee
LicensingOpen SourceClosed SourceClosed Source
Languages SupportedEnglishEnglish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, SpanishEnglish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Installation Software UsedNSIS (As good as Install Shield)Install ShieldInstall Shield
Supported Operating SystemsSingle SourceWindows 9x, Windows NT/2000/XPSingle 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 OptionsTypicalTypical and CustomPersonal or All Users
Typical, Custom, or Complete
Minimum/Maximum Space Required22.1 meg21 meg110 meg
Reboot RequiredNoNoDepends on Options
Patch ApplicationComplete re-installationComplete re-installationHummingbird Live Update
SSH (Secure Shell)YesYesNo (Available on Optional Package)
Access ControlNoYesYes
XAuthNoYesYes
NIS (Network Information Services)NoNoYes
User Credential in start up scriptsNo start-up scriptsHard CodedSelectable
3D (Open GL – GLX)YesYesNo (Available at $120 premium)
Multiple X DisplaysYesYesYes
Window ModesSingle, Multiple, Multiple w/ external window managerSingle, Multiple, BothSingle, Multiple
Supported Color DepthsI forgot to add this feature1, 8, 241, 8, 12, 24
Root Window Depthunknown8, 24 planes24 planes
System Tray CapableYesYesYes
Configuration ToolNoYes (X-Config)Yes (Xconfig)
Session Startup ToolYesYesYes
Shortcut CreationNoYesYes
MouseYesYesYes
Middle WheelYesYesYes
ToolbarNoNoYes
Overlay UNIX and Windows Window ManagersYesYesYes
Multiple IP AddressesYesYesYes (only with XDMCP)
Power ManagementNoNoYes

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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