From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Mar 28 07:55:36 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DEDC71065674 for ; Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:55:36 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@psconsult.nl) Received: from mx1.psconsult.nl (unknown [IPv6:2001:7b8:30f:e0::5059:ee8a]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 96D718FC0C for ; Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:55:36 +0000 (UTC) Received: from mx1.psconsult.nl (psc11.adsl.iaf.nl [80.89.238.138]) by mx1.psconsult.nl (8.14.4/8.14.4) with ESMTP id p2S7tTAK034705 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NO) for ; Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:55:34 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from freebsd@psconsult.nl) Received: (from paul@localhost) by mx1.psconsult.nl (8.14.4/8.14.4/Submit) id p2S7tTTC034704 for freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org; Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:55:29 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from freebsd@psconsult.nl) X-Authentication-Warning: mx1.psconsult.nl: paul set sender to freebsd@psconsult.nl using -f Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:55:29 +0200 From: Paul Schenkeveld To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Message-ID: <20110328075529.GA1403@psconsult.nl> References: <16FA7C02-86B0-46E6-A923-BC61357478FA@vicor.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <16FA7C02-86B0-46E6-A923-BC61357478FA@vicor.com> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.21 (2010-09-15) Subject: Re: New Boot-Loader X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:55:37 -0000 On Sun, Mar 27, 2011 at 09:48:03PM -0700, Devin Teske wrote: > Hi fellow hackers, > > I'm designing an open-sourced replacement boot-loader for FreeBSD. I feel that the existing options in the boot-loader menu today can be whittled down significantly with a stateful menu system rather than a single-action item menu system. > > In designing the new menu, I'd like to get your opinions. From old: > > FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE: twitpic.com/4e485w > > to new: > > Replacement Boot-Loader: twitpic.com/4e46ol Very nice! Could you consider changing the number options to letters: v=verbose, a=acpi, s=single ... Having many (hundreds) of machines to manage it's confusing to need 6 for boot prompt on older versions and 5 on the newer where 6 on the newer reboots. Moving from digits to letters with digits resulting in either a beep or a pause saves a lot of frustration for sysadmins already annoyed by the ever increasing POST delay rapidly pressing 6 when the boot0 menu appears. Thanks for your work! Paul Schenkeveld