1. A method for cross-environment prioritizing of graphical user interface tasks of an X-based application in a visual display of a computer system having at least one CPU executing a multitasking Unix-based operating system, said computer system including an X-server comprising: displaying a plurality of visual window indicators each corresponding to a different one of said tasks executing at a corresponding priority; selecting one of said indicators; storing with said X-based application in a shell window in said X-server of said computer system a WM.sub.-- Process atom corresponding to said application for mapping between window-ids and process-ids; accessing, with said atom and one of said window-ids corresponding to said application, one of said process-ids corresponding to said one of said window-ids; and adjusting said corresponding priority of one of said tasks relative to remaining ones of said tasks in response to said selecting said one of said indicators and said accessing with said atom.