Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 11:15:14 +0200 From: Alexander Leidinger <Alexander@Leidinger.net> To: /dev/null <null@dnswatch.com> Cc: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: boot banner project Message-ID: <20050429111514.je0mg399kos00ooo@netchild.homeip.net> In-Reply-To: <53801.216.177.243.35.1114720139.localmail@webmail.dnswatch.com> References: <57436.216.177.243.42.1114582155.localmail@webmail.dnswatch.com><426FDE69.8090909@samsco.org> <426FE1EA.7020900@kutulu.org><20050427212637.GL98718@over-yonder.net> <20050428115258.rpvu466t68so80w4@netchild.homeip.net> <53801.216.177.243.35.1114720139.localmail@webmail.dnswatch.com>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
/dev/null <null@dnswatch.com> wrote: >> I think restructuring our userland boot message would be a good start. I'm >> not talking about the above proposal, even if I think it's nice (but a >> little bit too terse for me), I'm talking about rethinking the actual >> (since >> the new rc system) clutter. >> >> The 4.x startup looks structured (it could be improved to be more eye >> friendly, but the beauty lies in the eye of the beholder), while the 5+ >> one >> is neither fish nor meat. It's a mixture of the 4.x one with the "Starting >> xyz" messages from the new system. Since we don't try to keep the new >> system >> diff friendly with the NetBSD source anymore, I think we could change it >> to >> fit our needs. > > Maybe this would be a better place for me to start > (assuming no objection(s)). I mean, it may turn out > the large majority of opinion is: boot-banner SUX! So If root is able to switch the boot-banner on/off, and as long as headless and serial-console enabled systems behave as usual, nothing should stop you from doing this project. > in either case; making what already exists more desirable/ > funcional; seems the best place to start something. As > opposed to adding to something that might me better polished > up. What's more, I was thinking; what if the current settings > ( verbose/ terse ) were expanded and prettified(stylized). > Example: 3 settings; > > 1) no output: black, or blank screen until the prompt/ login. That's not a good option (from an usability point of view). You need at least some progress indicator, else an user will ask if the system freezed or not. > 2) terse: > a) only dumps warnings > b) dumps item at succesful load, or else failure message as returned by > failed object. > > 3) verbose: > a) raw (pretty much the way it is now but unify/ sanitize the messages > returned - (4.x ify?)) > b) prettified > (example(s): > > mysql <loaded> > > or > > mysql <message returned upon load/ or load failure>) > > both <loaded> or <message> *could* be colorized. That's too much options IMHO ("less" is "more", you know? ;-) ). You need a progress indicator in 2), and you need the possibility to report errors in 1), so I think you can reduce it to a) progress indicator + error output b) raw (as is, or polished up) c) nice But since we don't have an option to shut up the kernel messages on boot, I think we don't need a). If you want to proceeed with this, you should move over to the freebsd rc mailinglist. Bye, Alexander. -- http://www.Leidinger.net Alexander @ Leidinger.net: PGP ID = B0063FE7 http://www.FreeBSD.org netchild @ FreeBSD.org : PGP ID = 72077137 If sex is such a natural phenomenon, how come there are so many books on how to? -- Bette Midler
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?20050429111514.je0mg399kos00ooo>