Re: Graphical install idea
On Fri, Jan 22, 1999 at 01:43:09PM -0500, Ben Pfaff wrote:
> 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?
We been thinking about that a few months ago (it's on boot-floppies
todo list), and I talked on IRC to one APT guy (Jason?) about adding
framebuffer support to APT's widget toolkit.
I've moved all widget toolkit dependent code to boxes.c to ease changing
to a different toolkit. If you are going to write a replacement and need
any help let me know. Altough there's not much space on the rescue disk,
an optional graphical boot disk for the CDs would be a nice "bragging
point". :-)
--
Enrique Zanardi ezanardi@ull.es
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