Scenario:
I typically log in as 'root' on the first console. I then invoke fluxbox as the GUI.
# XSESSION=fluxbox startx -- :0
I then ctl-alt-F2 another console and login as 'user1'. I then invoke KDE as the GUI.
$ XSESSION=kde-3.1.4 startx -- :1
I may or may not ctl-alt-Fn and login as 'usern' and repeat the process.
Several thoughts:
1} I've seen Nick Piggin's suggestion of nicing X server to -10. At the moment, the only way I know to do this is something like
# XSESSION=fluxbox nice --adjustment=-10 startx -- :N
A} My default security is that only 'root' can perform nice with negative values. I am reluctant to play with security for such a crticial command.
B} All child threads inherit the new nice value. So in the example just above, this means all applications started from the GUI desktop run at a nice value of -10. I believe enhancing the X server nice value this way defeats the purpose of nicing it to begin with. Obviously, despite my readings and attempts at research, I'm must be missing something here.
2} I expect to travel down to Florida for Xmass to visit family. One of the things I had hoped to do was to set up my mother's computer as an X server and hang a thin client terminal {read: older PC} off of it. This would allowed my mother and brother to share a reasonably modern system at the same time.
This is not me just being cheap. I'm interested in setting up diskless workstations aound a good central X server. I see such setups as appropriate for a number of situations. If the X server requires 'nicing' in a single user environment, what happens in an LTSP environment?
My base reference environment is 2.4.20. I still actively use it for everything I do as everything works as expected.
Despite my enthusiasm for 2.6, I find it difficult to get everything to 'just work'. I still see problems in the area of nForce based mobos {stupid proprietary nVidia!}, broken BIOSes, and scheduler issues like the above.