Long-time X11 developer Keith Packard is now working on a much-needed
new rendering system
for X11. Much-needed because the X system was designed during the 1980s
when terminals had fewer colours, and modern applications (such as most of
the kick-ass Linux window managers/MP3 players/&c) have largely been
bypassing X's rather dated rendering functions, and using it as a glorified
pixel blitter. Anyway, the rendering system will do things like alpha
blending and image compositing. This should be something to watch...