GhostBSD, the most user-friendly graphical FreeBSD distribution, is planning to replace the standard Xorg X11 server with XLibre, a controversial fork created by Enrico Weigelt. Maintainer Eric Turgeon cites concerns about Xorg stagnation, Red Hat's push toward Wayland-only environments, and the potential future removal of X11 support from GTK 5. The move is intended to better support GhostBSD's MATE and Xfce desktops, as well as the new GNUstep-based Gershwin desktop. The article contextualizes how Red Hat's indirect influence over FOSS projects — through staffing decisions and product direction — ripples beyond Linux into the BSD ecosystem. XLibre has seen 18 releases since its June 2025 fork and is gaining adoption, though its lead developer's controversial views make it a polarizing choice.
