>Don wrote the chapter on the X-Windows Disaster. (To annoy X fanatics, Don specifically asked that we include the hyphen after the letter "X,", as well as the plural of the word "Windows," in his chapter title.

I published a better version on Medium that has a few typos fixed, and includes a flyer that was handed out at the X-Windows conference, and an article I found in my archives from Volume 1 Number 2, of the June 1988 of the “XNextEvent” newsletter, “The Official Newsletter of XUG, the X User’s Group”:

https://medium.com/@donhopkins/the-x-windows-disaster-128d39...

Official Dangerous Virus Notice Distributed at the X-Windows Conference

Official Notice

Post Immediately

X x
X x
X x
X
x X
x X
x X

Dangerous Virus!

First, a little history. The X window system escaped from Project Athena at MIT where it was being held in isolation. When notified, MIT stated publicly that “MIT assumes no responsibility…”. This is a very disturbing statement. It then infiltrated Digital Equipment Corporation, where it has since corrupted the technical judgement of this organization.

After sabotaging Digital Equipment Corporation, a sinister X consortium was created to find a way to use X as part of a plan to dominate and control interactive window systems. X windows is sometimes distributed by this secret consortium free of charge to unsuspecting victims. The destructive cost of X cannot even be guessed.
X is truly obese — whether it’s mutilating your hard disk or actively infesting your system, you can be sure it’s up to no good. Innocent users need to be protected from this dangerous virus. Even as you read this, the X source distribution and the executable environment is being maintained on hundreds of computers, maybe even your own.

Digital Equipment Corporation is already shipping machines that carry this dreaded infestation. It must be destroyed.

This is what happens when software with good intentions goes bad. It victimizes innocent users by distorting their perception of what is and what is not good software. This malignant window system must be destroyed.
Ultimately DEC and MIT must be held accountable for this heinous software crime, brought to justice, and made to pay for a software cleanup. Until DEC and MIT answer to these charges, they both should be assumed to be protecting dangerous software criminals.

Don’t be fooled! Just say no to X.

X-Windows: …A mistake carried out to perfection. X-Windows: …Dissatisfaction guaranteed. X-Windows: …Don’t get frustrated without it. X-Windows: …Even your dog won’t like it. X-Windows: …Flaky and built to stay that way. X-Windows: …Complex non-solutions to simple non-problems. X-Windows: …Flawed beyond belief. X-Windows: …Form follows malfunction. X-Windows: …Garbage at your fingertips. X-Windows: …Ignorance is our most important resource. X-Windows: …It could be worse, but it’ll take time. X-Windows: …It could happen to you. X-Windows: …Japan’s secret weapon. X-Windows: …Let it get in your way. X-Windows: …Live the nightmare. X-Windows: …More than enough rope. X-Windows: …Never had it, never will. X-Windows: …No hardware is safe. X-Windows: …Power tools for power fools. X-Windows: …Putting new limits on productivity. X-Windows: …Simplicity made complex. X-Windows: …The cutting edge of obsolescence. X-Windows: …The art of incompetence. X-Windows: …The defacto substandard. X-Windows: …The first fully modular software disaster. X-Windows: …The joke that kills. X-Windows: …The problem for your problem. X-Windows: …There’s got to be a better way. X-Windows: …Warn your friends about it. X-Windows: …You’d better sit down. X-Windows: …You’ll envy the dead.

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Things That Happen When You Say ‘X Windows’

I was digging through some old papers, and ran across a 15 year old “XNextEvent” newsletter, “The Official Newsletter of XUG, the X User’s Group”, Volume 1 Number 2, from June 1988. Here’s an article that illustrates how far the usage of the term “X Windows” has evolved over the past 15 years. (Too bad The Window System Improperly Known as X Windows itself hasn’t evolved.)

Someone on slashdot asks, “Why is it still called X-Windows?”. Predictably, the first reply says: “It isn’t. It’s called ‘The X Window System.’ Or simply ‘X’. ‘X Windows’ is a misnomer.”

He didn’t ask why it is “X-Windows”. He asked why it’s called “X-Windows”. You’re wrong that it isn’t called “X-Windows”. It is! It’s just that it isn’t “X-Windows”. Being something is independent of being called something.

The answer to the question ‘Why is it still called X-Windows?’ is: It’s still called X-Windows in order to annoy the X-Windows Fanatics, who take it upon themselves to correct you every time you call it X-Windows. That’s why it’s called X-Windows.

The following definitive guide to the consequences of saying “X Windows” is from the June 1988 “XNextEvent” newsletter, “The Official Newsletter of XUG, the X User’s Group”, Volume 1 Number 2:

Things That Happen When You Say ‘X Windows’

THE OFFICIAL NAMES

The official names of the software described herein are:

X

X Window System

X Version 11

X Window System, Version 11

X11

Note that the phrases X.11, X-11, X Windows or any permutation thereof, are explicitly excluded from this list and should not be used to describe the X Window System (window system should be thought of as one word).

The above should be enough to scare anyone into using the proper terminology, but sadly enough, it’s not. Recently, certain people, lacking sufficient motivation to change their speech patterns, have fallen victim to various ‘accidents’, or ‘misfortune’. I’ve compiled a short list of happenings, some of which I have witnessed, others which remain heresay. I’m not claiming any direct connection between their speech habits and the reported incidents, but you be the judge… And woe betide any who set the cursed phrase into print!

You are forced to explain toolkit programming to X neophytes.

Bob Schiefler says, “You should know better than that!”

The Power Supply (and unknown boards) on your workstation mysteriously give up the ghost.

Ditto for the controller board for the disk on your new Sun.

Your hair falls out.

xmh refuses to come up in a useful size, no matter what you fiddle.

You inexplicitly lose both of your complete Ultrix Doc sets.

R2 won’t build.

Bob Schiefler says “Type ‘man X’”.

Your nifty new X screen saver just won’t go away.

The window you’re working in loses input focus. Permanently.