Bug#488804: merge messages into dmesg by default for exact playback of booting console

[jidanni@jidanni.org]

Package: initramfs-tools
Version: 0.92b
Severity: wishlist

One wishes there is nothing shown on the console upon boot that is not
also captured somewhere in /var/log/.

dmesg(1), /var/log/dmesg, /var/log/boot capture almost everything,
except (99%?) for the initramfs-tools messages. Perhaps merge them into
dmesg, so one can see a playback exactly like what was on the console,
before they flew off before anyone can figure them out, and too far
for Shift PageUp to find.

Please make capturing the default, and disabling an option for expert
users. Yes, the initramfs-tools man pages mentions some logging
options, but all basic users know is they can see most of what went by
so fast by looking in /var/log/, except for a few lines that turn out
to be initramfs-tools message, and they wish they were also in
/var/log/ by default, without needing to adjust any fancy tools...

Another problem is identifying who is doing the talking. Apparently
lines with the fractional seconds prefixes are the kernel.

Lines without are the boot scripts... and also initramfs-tools...
All very clear for power users, but not for non-power users.