Graphical install idea

[pfaffben@pilot.msu.edu (Ben Pfaff)]

One of the complaints I get from new users sometimes is that Linux
``isn't graphical enough.''  Well for a long time I've assumed that it
would essentially be impossible to make graphical boot disks.  But an
idea occurred to me this morning that might make it possible:

Kernel 2.2 supports VESA framebuffer devices, where the mode is set by
the bootloader using a BIOS call before the kernel is given control.
Using this same method, a 640x480x16 framebuffer device driver could
be written, and it could probably be made to work on 99+% of the PC
graphics hardware out there; after all, the VGA16 X server does.

With this technique, I'm thinking about writing some experimental
graphical boot disks, either from a new code base or as a plug-in
replacement for boxes.c.  I'll also have to obtain a VGA16 kernel
driver, or write one, of course, but I think I can do it without
excessive pain.

Does anyone have comments or suggestions?

Ben