diff --git a/stepmania/src/archutils/Unix/X11Helper.cpp b/stepmania/src/archutils/Unix/X11Helper.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2277fd6d50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stepmania/src/archutils/Unix/X11Helper.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+#include "X11Helper.h"
+
+#include <X11/Xlib.h>		// Display, Window
+
+#include "RageDisplay.h"	// RageDisplay
+
+vector<Callback_t> pCBacks;	// Callbacks for the rendering thread
+Display *pDpy;			// Running X connection
+Window *pWin;			// Current window
+unsigned short int pCt = 0;	// Number of subsystems using the X connection
+
+bool X11Helper::Go()
+{
+	if(pCt == 0)
+	{
+		pDpy = XOpenDisplay(0);
+		if(pDpy == NULL) { return false; }
+	}
+	pCt++;
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+Display *X11Helper::Dpy()
+{
+	return pDpy;
+}
+
+bool X11Helper::MakeWindow(int screenNum, int depth, Visual *visual int width=64, int height=64)
+{
+	if(dpy == NULL) { return false; }
+
+	XSetWindowAttributes winAttribs;
+
+	winAttribs.border_pixel = 0;
+	winAttribs.event_mask = StructureNotifyMask;
+
+	winAttribs.colormap = XCreateColorMap(pDpy, RootWindow(pDpy, screenNum),
+							visual, AllocNone);
+
+	pWin = XCreateWindow(pDpy, RootWindow(pDpy, screenNum), 0, 0, width, height
+}
+
+bool X11Helper::Callback(Callback_t cb)
+{
+	pCBacks.push_back(cb);
+
+	return true;
+}
+
+void X11Helper::Stop()
+{
+	pCt--;
+
+	if(pCt == 0)
+	{
+		XCloseDisplay(pDpy);
+	}
+}
+
+/*
+ * (c) 2005 Ben Anderson
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+ * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+ * "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+ * without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+ * distribute, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to
+ * whom the Software is furnished to do so, provided that the above
+ * copyright notice(s) and this permission notice appear in all copies of
+ * the Software and that both the above copyright notice(s) and this
+ * permission notice appear in supporting documentation.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+ * OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+ * MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT OF
+ * THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR HOLDERS
+ * INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, OR ANY SPECIAL INDIRECT
+ * OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS
+ * OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR
+ * OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
+ * PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+ */
diff --git a/stepmania/src/archutils/Unix/X11Helper.h b/stepmania/src/archutils/Unix/X11Helper.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b7002fcdd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stepmania/src/archutils/Unix/X11Helper.h
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/* Manages our X connection and window. */
+#ifndef X11_HELPER_H
+#define X11_HELPER_H
+
+#include <X11/Xlib.h>		// Window
+
+#include "RageDisplay.h"	// RageDisplay
+
+namespace X11Helper
+{
+	// Create the connection, if necessary; otherwise do some important
+	// internal session-tracking stuff (so you should call this anyway).
+	// True on success, false failure.
+	bool Go();
+
+	// Get the current Display (connection). Behavior is undefined if you
+	// didn't call Go() with a successful result first.
+	Display *Dpy();
+
+	// (Re)create the window on the screen of this number with this depth,
+	// this visual type, this width (optional -- you can resize the window
+	// in your callback later), and this height (optional). Returns true on
+	// success, false on failure.
+	bool MakeWindow(int screenNum, int depth, Visual *visual, int width=64,
+								int height=64);
+
+	// Callback type.
+	typedef void (*Callback_t)(Window*);
+
+	//  TODO: We need to manage event masks here, to keep the InputHandler
+	// and LowLevelWindow code separate.
+	
+	// Register a callback for new windows (including the initial window).
+	// This callback will be called with 0 if I try to create a new window,
+	// but fail. Returns false if for some really messed up reason it fails
+	// (shouldn't happen), false otherwise
+	bool Callback(Callback_t cb);
+
+	// Destroy the connection, if appropriate; otherwise do some important
+	// internal session-tracking stuff (so you should call it anyway).
+	// True success, false failure.
+	void Stop();
+}
+
+#endif
+
+/*
+ * (c) 2005 Ben Anderson
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
+ * copy of this software and associated documentation files (the
+ * "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including
+ * without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish,
+ * distribute, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to
+ * whom the Software is furnished to do so, provided that the above
+ * copyright notice(s) and this permission notice appear in all copies of
+ * the Software and that both the above copyright notice(s) and this
+ * permission notice appear in supporting documentation.
+ *
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS
+ * OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+ * MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT OF
+ * THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR HOLDERS
+ * INCLUDED IN THIS NOTICE BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, OR ANY SPECIAL INDIRECT
+ * OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS
+ * OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR
+ * OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR
+ * PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+ */