[CentOS] Re: Language interfaces and X.Org sessions per user

[William L. Maltby]

On Wed, 2007-09-12 at 17:23 +0300, Ioannis Vranos wrote:
> OS: CentOS 5.0 x86.
> 
> 
> Q1: Is it possible different users to have different language interfaces
>      (menus etc) on the same machine under X.Org (GNOME or KDE)?

I'm not familiar enough with this to help, but I've done something that
may help you find your way on the next question. I suspect the normal
LC_* environmental stuff will be needed for the language solution.

> 
> Q2: Is it possible to have more than one X.Org sessions running on the
>      same machine, so as different users to log in at the same time, and
>      switch between users X.Org sessions (one using GNOME, other using 
> XFCE)
>      by using the usual Ctrl-Alt-Fx keys?

<soapbox>
It may be redundant, but please be *aware* of the security implications
of what you are seeking. "The law of unintended consequences" will
certainly come into play if you are truly multi-user. Effects in social
interactions, swap usage, system responsiveness can all be expected. You
can expect to be asked to do an excessive numbers of restores of backup
at a specific point in time (which you won't have) as user A destroys
user B's stuff, by intent or accident.

</soapbox>

As root, from shell,

    startx -- :1  # or 2, 3, ...

gets a session started as root. There are more params that can be
passed.

For a login process, a basic process is

    xdm -server ":1 local /usr/X11R6/bin/X :1"  # or 2, 3, ...

This gets a basic default layout session going. Other files and
parameters may be needed to suit your needs.

Your friend is "man xdm" and *many* others: startx, X, ... follow the
path in the "See Also" sections.

Many of the files are scripts. Viewing them can prove instructive.

I've not looked (no need) but I bet there are "primers" out on the web
for this sort of stuff too.

Investigate also, this line from /etc/inittab. It may prove more useful
to allow automatic start of the extra X instances.

    x:5:respawn:/etc/X11/prefdm -nodaemon

I would have responded sooner, but I'm such a neophyte at this X stuff
that I felt certain someone else would answer with better information.

Good luck.

<snip sig stuff>

HTH
--
Bill