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Date:      Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:45:21 -0800
From:      Devin Teske <devin.teske@fisglobal.com>
To:        Daniel Eischen <deischen@freebsd.org>
Cc:        Adrian Chadd <adrian@freebsd.org>, Devin Teske <dteske@freebsd.org>, freebsd-arch@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: HEADS-UP: Boot Loader Interface Fixes
Message-ID:  <8706EBE6-0068-49F5-9654-D0F3EE050331@fisglobal.com>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GSO.4.64.1211152135010.14282@sea.ntplx.net>
References:  <9643EC52-E905-43FB-8B18-5EF052271725@fisglobal.com> <Pine.GSO.4.64.1211152135010.14282@sea.ntplx.net>

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On Nov 15, 2012, at 6:38 PM, Daniel Eischen wrote:

> On Thu, 15 Nov 2012, Devin Teske wrote:
>=20
>> Hi All,
>>=20
>> I'm back with more changes to the boot loader menu.
>>=20
>> First, don't panic!
>>=20
>> Second, calm down!
>>=20
>> Let's go over where we've been so-far so we don't repeat it here.
>>=20
>> 1. Changing the order of items should be avoided as it "moves the goal p=
osts"
>>=20
>> Agreed. This is not always avoidable, but should be avoided if possible.
>>=20
>> 2. Hiding "Single User" mode behind a submenu is bad.
>>=20
>> Agreed. It's been suggested, "why can't it be an action item?" I've thou=
ght about it and it doesn't seem right to be an action item because it's a =
setting in loader.conf(5). However, nobody said it can't be both an action =
item _and_ a boolean option.
>>=20
>> =3D=3D=3D
>>=20
>> Now that we've covered those basics, let me explain the current situatio=
n:
>>=20
>> If you are a proponent of the "goal posts" argument, then you may find y=
ourself astonished one day to find that the following procedure does not wo=
rk:
>>=20
>> + Boot to beastie menu
>> + Press V to enable verbosity
>> + Press Enter to boot
>>=20
>> The reason the above may fail and violate POLA is because of the improve=
ments made in SVN r241523. Since r241523, adding something like:
>>=20
>> 	boot_verbose=3D"YES"
>>=20
>> to loader.conf(5) will not cause the boot menu to display a default ON-s=
tatus for the Verbose boot option. In this case, booting and pressing V wil=
l disable verbose boot.
>>=20
>> Given that all boot options in the menu are dynamically-initializing and=
 will inherit the states of their respective options from loader.conf(5), a=
 new problem emerges:
>>=20
>> 	Q. How does one go about restoring the defaults in the event that a sys=
tem doesn't boot?
>>=20
>> Furthermore, the person may not know what the defaults are.
>>=20
>> The need arises to have a "Load Defaults" option.
>>=20
>> However, the introduction of this new menu item would both crowd the mai=
n menu and (unless appended to the end) violate the first rule of not re-or=
dering items (which we just argued that it doesn't matter if you memorize t=
he numbers, their initial state may be negated from what the user expects).
>>=20
>> The latter arguments of crowded main-menu and that the memorization of n=
umbers is broken right now brings up the good idea of utilizing submenus (r=
easoning that if we have to make a change, best to make a change that can l=
ast).
>>=20
>> =3D=3D=3D
>>=20
>> I want to move the boot options into a submenu. This submenu will have a=
ll the boot options you see today on the main menu.
>>=20
>> At the same time, add a "Load Defaults" action item for resetting the va=
rious boot options to their hard-coded defaults (overriding loader.conf(5) =
inheritance).
>>=20
>> =3D=3D=3D
>>=20
>> While proposing this, I realize that we need an easy way to get to singl=
e-user mode. So in-addition to be able to access SUM as a boolean option in=
 the "Boot Options" submenu, I propose adding a new "alternate boot" menu i=
tem to the main menu.
>>=20
>> At the same time, I've recognized the need to have more feedback in the =
"Boot" option. For example, it would be nice if setting boot_single=3D"YES"=
 in loader.conf(5) that the first menu item said "Boot Single User [Enter]"=
 -- vociferating the default boot action. Meanwhile, the "Alternate Boot" (=
not actually titled that) gives a quick and easy way of booting Multi-User =
in the case of boot_single=3D"YES" or vice-versa.
>=20
> I always disliked adding the large FreeBSD logo and beastie
> to the boot screen.  Nearly 3/4 of the real-estate is that.
>=20

echo "loader_logo=3Dnone" >> /boot/loader.conf
echo "loader_brand=3Dnone" >> /boot/loader.conf
--=20
Devin


> I'd rather put all the information on one screen and do
> away with the large logo and beastie.  Perhaps there
> should be an option to "6: Show Large Logo and Beastie" ;-)
>=20
> --=20
> DE

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