Setting up a second monitor

[Tobias Baldauf]

I tried to follow this thread because I hoped to find some help as I
have tried the very same thing just a couple of days ago & failed. The
flaming within this topic didn't quite help...

I'll just try to make a somewhat professional question - maybe I'll get
good answer that'll stop the flaming:

I was also trying to extend my desktop via a second monitor like I am
used to in M$-Win. I'm working on an Acer laptop (Aspire 1694 WLMI)
I do not have a second graphic-card - I just connect the VGA-cable of
the external monitor (CRT) to my laptop's VGA-port (where one can
connect beamers etc...)

As soon as X starts the CRT-Monitor goes into Standby. While working
without X it mirrors what's displayed on my laptop's LCD-monitor.

I browsed search-engine-hits before I thought about consulting the
mailing-list. I read about Xinerama, but it was said that it is not
necessary for the basic concept of a dual-monitor-system to work. Is
that true?

Furthermore, I edited my xorg.conf to setup a second monitor-device and
changed the server-layout part to something like "Monitor=X" and
"MonitorX" RightOf "MonitorY" etc... but it did not work.

Could someone please point out the basics of dual-monitoring? What
setting does X require? Does one definately need Xinerama? Is it
possible to not just mirror but to actually extend one's desktop onto
the second monitor in Ubuntu?

I'll gladly paste my recent xorg-conf if that's of any help!

Thanks a lot for your help!

tobias