network type console and /etc/ttys

[Gary W. Swearingen]

Matthew Seaman <m.seaman at infracaninophile.co.uk> writes:

> ... It's pretty pointless having a remote console if you
> can't type 'boot' into it.  And it's hard to have the network
> interface configured and up, with network comms programs running when
> the system is sitting at the boot-loader prompt.

Hmmmm.  I was thinking that the serial port only got into the picture
after the kernel was loaded and / was mounted so /etc/ttys could be
read to configure the console, but you remind me that it comes into
play during a mid-phase of the boot loading.  So what I'm looking for
would require a considerable change to the boot loader.  I wonder if
it has to fit into a few (up to about 15, IIRC) boot records, or if it
could use some code under /boot/?  Oh well, you've convinced me that
Ethernet consoles can't be easily supported (though it still seems
useful enough that someone would have done it by now).  Thanks.