vt console driver and default vga mode: breaking POLA

[Jan Bramkamp]

On 09/09/16 11:59, Borja Marcos wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> I apologise for being late on this, but I just noticed. The new vt console driver has a very important
> change in behavior, replacing the ancient “BIOS” text mode with a graphic VGA mode.
>
> I don’t know how many people relies on BIOS serial redirection for consoles, but at least
> HP’s iLO system offers the possibility of accessing the console through a ssh connection instead
> of requiring a bloated Java console, and it’s a very convenient feature. But it only works in pure
> “BIOS text mode” (the old sc console driver used this mode as a default).
>
> I would rather change the default behavior of vt to hw.vga.textmode=1 so that its behavior mimics
> the old sc driver.
>
> I know the current fad is to hide boot messages with panda bears and beautiful butterflies revolving
> around them, but boot messages are critical when diagnosing problems.
>
> I should have chimed in earlier, I know. But anyway it’s a very minor change.
>
>
>
>
> What do you think?

The presence of a ipmi* device could be a good heuristic to select the 
default mode.