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X11 for Mac OS X

Newer versions of Mac OS X include a pre-installed version of X11 in Applications->Utilities.

If you are using an older version of OS X, you might need to install X11

If you don’t find X11 in your Applications->Utilities folder, follow the instructions below to install it.

  1. Insert your OS X Install Disc (1), look for X11, and install it.
  2. After the install, you will find X11 in Applications->Utilities.

Using X11 :

  1. Open the X11 application, located in the Utilities folder in your Applications folder.
  2. An xterm window will open automatically when you start X11. In this window, you will type one of two commands, depending on the version of Mac OS X that you are using.
    • If you are using Mac OS X 10.3.0 – 10.3.9, the command to enter is
      ssh -X yourlogin@acs.bu.edu (substitute your own BU login name for yourlogin and substitute acs for another machine, if applicable).
    • If you are using Mac OS X 10.4.0 or higher, the command to enter is
      ssh -Y yourlogin@acs.bu.edu (substitute your own BU login name for yourlogin and substitute acs for another machine, if applicable).

      If you don’t know which version you are using, you can figure it out by going to the Apple Menu and selecting “About this Mac”.

  3. Type your Kerberos password when prompted.
  4. Now you can launch X Windows applications. To run SAS, for example, type
    sas & (the ‘&’ puts it in the background so that you can type other commands in your xterm window if you need to).
  5. When you’re done, quit out of any X applications you were running. Then, to exit the X11 program itself, go to the X11 menu and choose Quit X11.