New computer. Installed 6.1 - Custom install - check install everything. Start up X either with startx or telinit 5. Running Gnome. Did not do any customizing. Run xterm or the one that comes with gnome and cannot get any text printed in window. Will take commands, but no output. Checked colors of text and background and they are different. Other functions in Gnome work fine.
bet is 10 to 1 you have a SiS card. See the support site -- SiS cards were not well supported by out XFree86 3.3.5 release (RHL 6.1). Fixed for next release.