[camccann]

In particular, the "X-Windows Disaster" chapter of the Unix Hater's Handbook should be required reading for anyone considering GUI work on a UNIX-derived platform--and is also absolutely hilarious.

An HTML version of the chapter is here: http://www.art.net/~hopkins/Don/unix-haters/x-windows/disast...

[rbanffy]

I would be happy to have a multi-architecture, network transparent, modular graphic environment nicer than X.

Do you have one? I certainly don't.

It's easy to criticize the work of others. Doing it better is a whole different game.

[gwern]

From the descriptions I've seen, NeWS https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/NeWS might well've been exactly that better alternative. But as usual, Worse is Better.

[camccann]

Eh, making light of something's flaws is not the same as denying its value or strengths. I haven't been a desktop linux user for 5+ years because I hate the X Window System.

Did you read the chapter I linked to? It really is quite entertaining.