Remove mention of X11 from your reqs webpage: I installed xorg-server accidentally after misreading the page

[jasonspiro4@…]

​www.macports.org/install.php#requirements includes three sentences about X11. I skimmed them too fast. So I didn't realize all modern versions of OS X -- 10.5 "Leopard" and newer -- preinstall X11 by default.

I didn't know where this MacBook's OS X DVD was. So I used MacPorts to build and install a second copy of X11, not knowing that I already had one copy installed. I wasted time, disk space, and electricity.

Please remove X11 from the list of MacPorts requirements, so that nobody else will make the same mistake as me. :)

[mf2k (Frank Schima)]

The macports version of X11 is the most recent version with bug fixes and enhancements. I would say that that is more desirable than using the built-in version. I always install the xorg-server port on my machines. It is hardly a "mistake" to install it. Plus the docs say "if you wish" to install it, not that you have to install the port.

[jasonspiro4@…]

It was a mistake because I think OS X's preinstalled X11 would have met my needs fine. It's not always worthwhile to spend time, disk space, and electricity just to get the 'latest and greatest'.

About the fact that the docs say you can install the port 'if you wish': You are right. (It was my sloppy reading of a different sentence that led me to make my mistake: the sentence before. After my sloppy reading, I thought that if I wanted to avoid building xorg-server, I'd need the OS DVD that shipped with the MacBook I was on.)

Could you please change the sentence before the 'if you wish' one to the following?

'The “X11 User” package is installed by default on Leopard and newer. See <a href="​http://www.simplehelp.net/2006/10/22/how-to-install-x11-in-os-x/">these instructions for users of older OSes</a> if needed.'

There are two reasons why sloppy readers like me are less likely to misread this improved sentence: It mentions the X11-is-preinstalled case first. And it makes clear that the link to X11 User installation instructions is for users of older OSes, which implies that it isn't necessary for users of newer OSes.

[drkp (Dan Ports)]

I think we should drop it entirely, considering that we no longer support Tiger and X11 is preinstalled on everything newer.

[ryandesign (Ryan Carsten Schmidt)]

Aaaand now things have changed again with Mountain Lion, in which Apple not only does not pre-install X11, but does not provide any version of X11 even optionally, and instead requires you to go get XQuartz or else install the xorg-server port.

[mf2k (Frank Schima)]

It's not clear what needs to happen here. X11 needs to be installed on a modern OS X and the instructions say that you can optionally install it and how to do that.