Re: VTs (was: How to get more developers)

[Marcus Brinkmann <Marcus.Brinkmann@ruhr-uni-bochum.de>]

Norbert Nemec wrote:
> 
> It is userspace - meaning: you have to log in first before you have
> consoles.

This is true with screen, but this would not be true with the default
terminal server component in the Hurd (used by the term server).

> I fins it very comfortable on Linux, to have syslog output sent to
> tty12. So no matter what happens, I can simply switch to tty12 and see
> what's going on internally in my computer. That will not be possible that
> easy in userspace.

It will be exactly the same.
 
> It runs on top of VT220 - meaning: Once you send a control sequence that
> screws up the VT220 completely (so that you have to chance to type "reset"
> any more) you are out of luck. In my time working on Linux, I have had quite
> a number of consoles screwed up, but I have never ever been in a situation
> that console switching was not possible any more (unless, of course, the
> computer was completely dead)

Okay, here is a more thorough explanation: The server I mean gets the
keyboard events directly from GNU Mach, and goes from that. So as long
as GNU Mach and this server are fine, they will work correctly and
process
console switch command just fine, regardless of the state of the various
terminals.
 
> I do not believe that one will ever get a single console with userspace VTs
> as reliable as the Linux VTs are.

I hope my explanation makes it more clear how it is possible.

Thanks,
Marcus