boot banner project

[Eric Anderson]

Toxa wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 27, 2005 at 03:03:06PM -0400, Mike Edenfield wrote:
> 
>>Scott Long wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Is it possible to do this without having to switch to an entirely
>>>raster-based console?  Raster consoles (like what SuSE uses) have
>>>been discussed in the past, and the common thinking is that the
>>>loss in reliability and loss in speed is a significant issue to
>>>consider.
>>
>>One possible alternative to an all-out graphics display would be a 
>>'prettified' text console.  I'm thinking of what Gentoo and older RedHat 
>>systems did (haven't used RH in years, dunno if this still applies) 
>>where about 80% of the system log messages are hidden behind a simple 
>>task list:
>>
>>Mounting File Systems ... [ok]
>>Starting xl0          ... [ok]
>>
>>etc.  With, of course, the obligatory cyan, magenta, and bright green 
>>colors.  While partly eye candy, I find it much easier to deal with than 
> 
> 
> This is the most stupid idea I've ever head. Please, PLEASE, don't waste
> your time turning FreeBSD into pink lolypop. Is it already
> super-perfect-mega-stable-with-all-desired-features-implemeted? IMHO if
> somebody wants to  spare his time and skills working on freebsd, he should choose 
> more useful direction for his mights and power. For example, take a look
> at all these PRs...

Stop and think that maybe some people can help in the areas that aren't 
C coding, or kernel debugging.  We still need ideas like this (even if 
we choose not to use them), and calling them stupid I think isn't very 
constructive for anyone.  Ok, so you don't like the idea, we got it.

On the PRs - there are tons of PRs with patches, waiting to be 
committed.  All it takes is for a committer to grab it, compile, test, 
and commit, but regular old FreeBSD supporters like myself can't commit 
the code, so what would you like us to do? (That's a rhetorical 
question, I don't need an answer).

I, myself, am used to the FreeBSD blast-a-bunch-of-text-at-me bootup 
message, and I don't mind it.  However, that doesn't mean it couldn't 
use some cleaning up.  It would be nice if it was a *little* more 
organized so you could easily glance at the screen and see whats 
happening.  The little [OK] messages have been around for quite some 
time, and I don't think Redhat invented them - I've seen them on older 
HP-UX boxes too, and I have to say, it's a lot easier to tell what is 
going on than our current ascii-spray we have now.   I've even had 
people ask if my machine just crashed when they see it boot.

This could easily be an rc.conf option I'm sure..

Eric




-- 
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Eric Anderson        Sr. Systems Administrator        Centaur Technology
A lost ounce of gold may be found, a lost moment of time never.
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