From owner-freebsd-hackers Sun Nov 16 00:36:03 1997 Return-Path: Received: (from root@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.7/8.8.7) id AAA28424 for hackers-outgoing; Sun, 16 Nov 1997 00:36:03 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from owner-freebsd-hackers) Received: from sos.freebsd.dk (sos.freebsd.dk [195.8.129.33]) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.7/8.8.7) with ESMTP id AAA28400 for ; Sun, 16 Nov 1997 00:35:58 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from sos@sos.freebsd.dk) Received: (from sos@localhost) by sos.freebsd.dk (8.8.8/8.7.3) id JAA11296; Sun, 16 Nov 1997 09:36:25 +0100 (MET) Message-Id: <199711160836.JAA11296@sos.freebsd.dk> Subject: Re: VESA VBE 1.2 and 2.0 library In-Reply-To: <19971115163359.29992@micron.mini.net> from Jonathan Mini at "Nov 15, 97 04:33:59 pm" To: mini@d198-232.uoregon.edu (Jonathan Mini) Date: Sun, 16 Nov 1997 09:36:23 +0100 (MET) Cc: hackers@FreeBSD.ORG From: Søren Schmidt Reply-to: sos@FreeBSD.dk X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4ME+ PL30 (25)] MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk In reply to Jonathan Mini who wrote: Sounds VERY interesting! I'll help out testing and what else I'm able to do... You have commit privs right?, just grap yourself the next free dev #... > I am developing a library which will provide VESA VBE 1.2 and 2.0 support > for FreeBSD. It works as follows : > 1) There is a device in the kernel which provides memory mappings for > the video card, and (if needed) a virtual framebuffer mapping in kernel > memory. (this ensures that the framebuffer won't get swapped out) > 2) a vm86 daemon which contains mappings to the virtual framebuffer (if > in use) and io privelege to the video card's I/O space. This daemon has > two purposes : one, it performs VBE calls requested by the vesa device > and returns the results (often data tables) where the vesa device can > reach them to pass back to the caller. > 3) A library which acts as a front-end for the vesa device and hides the > whole interface between the vesa device and userland. It also will manage > contention against syscons, if enabled. (For example, it will handle > switching between vtys, changing the keyboard mode, etc) > > This provides support for all VESA VBE video modes on any card which supports > 1.2 or better of the spec. (I have never seen a card which did not suport at > least VBE 1.2, and this is including old 8 bit VGA wanna-be cards that are so > slow you would never want to use one) It will also use a linear framebuffer > if the card provides it, and if not, a virtual frambuffer will be made > available. The virtual framebuffer is much slower, but it works. > > So, I am officially requesting a major number to be assigned to me for the > device 'vesa' which provides the memory mappings needed for this system to > work. > > -- > Jonathan Mini Ingenious Productions > Software Development P.O. Box 5693, > Eugene, Or. 97405 > > "A child of five could understand this! Quick -- Fetch me a child of five." > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Søren Schmidt (sos@FreeBSD.org) FreeBSD Core Team Even more code to hack -- will it ever end ..