# xsok

> generic Sokoban game for X11

**Wikidata**: [Q114335500](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114335500)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/xsok

## Summary
xsok is a generic implementation of the Sokoban puzzle video game designed for the X Window System (X11). Released in 1994, it is free software licensed under the GNU General Public License. The game was inspired by a previous implementation called XSokoban, from which it derived its wall graphics and mouse button assignments.

## Key Facts
- **Genre:** Puzzle video game.
- **Initial Release:** 1994.
- **License:** GNU General Public License, version 2.0 or later.
- **Platform:** X11 (X Window System).
- **Inspiration:** Based on XSokoban, an implementation by Joseph L. Traub.
- **Software Class:** Free software, computer program.
- **Package Availability:** Available as `xsok` in Debian (stable and source) and Ubuntu repositories.
- **Programming Language:** C (referenced as Q15777).
- **Compatibility:** Capable of using level files from XSokoban without modification.

## FAQs
### Q: Is xsok the same game as XSokoban?
A: No. While xsok drew inspiration and graphical assets from XSokoban (created by Joseph L. Traub), it is listed as a distinct, generic implementation of Sokoban for X11.

### Q: What software license does xsok use?
A: xsok is distributed as free software under the GNU General Public License, version 2.0 or later.

### Q: Can I use my old XSokoban levels in xsok?
A: Yes. According to the software documentation, xsok can use XSokoban level files without change, although xsok combines level files into a single file by default.

### Q: Is xsok still under active development?
A: While specific development status is not detailed, it is available in current Debian and Ubuntu repositories and has a copyright status indicating it is copyrighted.

## Why It Matters
xsok serves as a significant example of the open-source gaming ecosystem within the Unix/Linux environment during the mid-1990s. As a "generic" implementation of the popular Sokoban puzzle mechanics for the X Window System, it provided a standardized, free, and accessible version of the game for users of free operating systems. Its inclusion in major Linux distributions like Debian and Ubuntu highlights its role as a staple utility in the free software world, ensuring that a classic logic puzzle remained available to system administrators and users for decades.

The project also illustrates the collaborative nature of early open-source development. By explicitly reusing assets—such as wall graphics and mouse button assignments—from Joseph L. Traub's earlier XSokoban, while establishing itself as a separate entity (`different_from: XSokoban`), xsok demonstrates how developers built upon existing works to create variations better suited for specific packaging systems or user preferences. It solves the problem of boredom on terminal-based systems by offering a lightweight, logic-based diversion that runs directly within the graphical X11 interface.

## Notable For
- **X11 Integration:** Being a specific implementation of Sokoban tailored for the X Window System, distinct from terminal or other OS versions.
- **Asset Reuse:** Explicitly utilizing wall graphics and mouse button logic from the earlier XSokoban by Joseph L. Traub.
- **Debian Longevity:** Maintaining a presence in the Debian source and stable package repositories since at least the year 2000.
- **Generic Implementation:** Identifying as a "generic" Sokoban game, implying broad compatibility and standard rules.
- **License Flexibility:** Using the GPL v2 or later, allowing for wide distribution and modification.

## Body
### Development and Inspiration
xsok was developed as a generic Sokoban game for the X11 environment. Its inception dates back to 1994. The project is distinct from, but heavily inspired by, XSokoban, a previous implementation of the game by Joseph L. Traub.

According to the software's manual pages, the inspiration from Traub's work was direct and practical. The developers of xsok utilized the wall graphics and the mouse button assignment schemes from XSokoban. Furthermore, the game was designed with backward compatibility in mind; it can utilize XSokoban's level files without changes, though the default configuration in xsok combines all level files of a subset into a single file.

### Technical Specifications
The software is written in the C programming language (Q15777). It is categorized as a puzzle video game and functions as a computer program under the broader umbrella of free software.

- **Operating System:** It operates on Q3251801 (Linux/Unix environment) via the X Window System.
- **Copyright:** The software is copyrighted, with terms allowing for free distribution and modification under the GNU General Public License.
- **User Interface:** The game relies on X11 for its graphical display and utilizes a mouse for button input, a feature inherited from the XSokoban implementation.

### Distribution and Availability
xsok is widely accessible through free software repositories. It is available as the package `xsok` in both Ubuntu and Debian distributions.
- **Debian Details:** The Debian source package is named `xsok`, with records indicating its presence in the stable repository starting around the year 2000.
- **Documentation:** The user manual is hosted at `manpages.org` and `manpages.debian.org`, providing detailed instructions on gameplay and level file management.
- **Identifiers:** The game is tracked in various databases, including Wikidata and video game lists (vglist ID: 48970, gamerprofiles ID: 8gVQ1).

## References

1. [Source](https://manpages.org/xsok/6)
2. [Source](https://manpages.debian.org/unstable/xsok/xsok.6x.en.html)
3. [Source](https://sources.debian.org/src/xsok/1.02-19/etc/COPYRIGHT.xsok/)
4. Q124398839