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Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 15:47:32 -0700
From: Julian Elischer <julian@whistle.com>
Organization: Whistle Communications
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To: Michael Smith <msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au>
CC: sos@freebsd.org, current@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: non-console mode..
References: <199610150819.RAA21035@genesis.atrad.adelaide.edu.au>
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Michael Smith wrote:
> 
> sos@FreeBSD.org stands accused of saying:
> >
> > In reply to Julian Elischer who wrote:
> > >
> > > I need to make the system run with it's console disabled..
> > > in other words..
> > > the device exists, bu tut acts as if there is no console
> > >
> > > if anyone has violent objections, I'd like to hear of them before
> > > I start work on this
> >
> > Maybe.
> 
> There's no need for either work or violent objections - the 'no console'
> case is already supported.  Look at i386/i386/cons.c.

I'm very familiar with that..

In actual fact if you had no console, the system would crash.
I committed a patch to fix that.
but that is not what I want..
What I want to add (I have working code) is the ability to 
have a console-able device exist, but have that device
enabled/disabled from acting as a console

another way of thinking of it would be to
"Mute" the console device.
output still goes to dmesg and syslog, but
not out to the physical device (e.g. sio0)
which can then be used for other things.

for debugging, the 'switch' can be thrown and 
teh console reactivated. but by default, it's not on.


> 
> > > p.s. yes there are good reasons for doing this :)
> >
> > Such as ?? ????
not wasting a serial port on a console whne you have a better 
use for it...?