The Colorful History of X11 Color Names: A Clash of Standards

X11 color names, originating from a simple text file `rgb.txt` mapping strings to RGB values, have a long and winding history. This list, traditionally shipped with X11, became the basis for web colors when early browsers like Mosaic and Netscape adopted it. However, inconsistencies between X11 and W3C specifications, notably with "Gray," led to quirks like the lighter "Dark Gray" in CSS. Recent X11 releases now support W3C definitions, using prefixes to disambiguate conflicting names. The `rgb.txt` file also contains numerous grayscale shades and color variations, largely ignored by W3C standards. This story highlights the complexities of standardization and compatibility in technology.