Precise X staging

[Chase Douglas]

Hi all,

At UDS we decided to use the X.org 1.11 server with the input subsystem
backported from 1.12 for multitouch. The upstream 1.12 server
development branch just landed the multitouch support, so I packaged it
up for Precise.

Ubuntu has had multitouch support in our X server since 11.04, but it
was a prototype implementation. The protocol specification and
implementation merged upstream is very similar, but includes a few key
modifications.

Over the past week, Chris Halse-Rogers and I have created a staging PPA
(ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-testing) for all the X packages and any packages
that need fixes due to the input protocol changes. This PPA is as much
for our own development benefit as it as a chance for others to test it
out. We would gladly appreciate feedback on ubuntu-x at lists.ubuntu.com.
However, note that the code is still rather unstable.

We need to determine what to do about the qt4-x11 package in particular.
The Ubuntu package includes a patch that enables multitouch using the
prototype implementation. I have reworked the patch for the upstream
implementation (it was far easier than I thought it would be :), and it
is available in the ppa as well. For the transition, we could do one of
the following:

1. Drop the patch from qt4-x11 now, and add it back in after the X
packages land in precise.

2. Synchronize the X package and Qt package uploads and use "Breaks"
debian control clauses to hold back packages during the transition period.

I proposed option #1 to Scott on irc this past week. I think it's the
least hassle because it does not require significant synchronization
between the kubuntu packagers and the ubuntu-x teams. There are no
API/ABI changes from the patch, it merely hooks up the plumbing in the
qt x11 implementation. I am also unaware of any applications in the
archive using the qt multitouch capability yet. However, I have no
issues with either approach. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

-- Chase