[R-SIG-Mac] X11 and R - very beginners question

[Simon Urbanek]

Graham,

X11 is a window system used for applications that come from the unix  
world and have not been ported to Mac OS X window system (Aqua) yet.  
There is a handful of packages in R that require it (e.g. tcltk,  
RGtk2 and friends), as well as some R bitmap output routines (png,  
jpeg..) and the X11 R device (unsurprisingly). You don't have to use  
any of those (there are better options e.g. for the bitmap output),  
but if you do, you have to start X11.

Cheers,
Simon


On Aug 14, 2007, at 7:15 AM, Graham Smith wrote:

> I am brand new to the Mac, and wondered what exactly X11, does.
>
> The faq says it is optional, but equally, it seems important enough  
> for it
> to have an icon in the r-Console.
>
> Having been using R in Windows, X11 is a completely new concept to  
> me and
> wondered if someone could explain its purpose.
>
> I understand roughly what it is from googling, but can't make the  
> link with
> it purpose in R on the Mac.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Graham
>
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