Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2000 02:55:42 -0400 (EDT) From: Mike Nowlin <mike@argos.org> To: Mike Smith <msmith@FreeBSD.ORG> Cc: Jung-uk Kim <juikim@engin.umd.umich.edu>, freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Anybody working on FreeBSD BIOS? Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.4.05.10006160238570.18411-100000@jason.argos.org> In-Reply-To: <200006151946.MAA00400@mass.osd.bsdi.com>
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> Two words: "forget it".
>
> > I read an article about Linux BIOS project on Slashdot.org. Is there
> > anybody working on FreeBSD BIOS?
> >
> > I really like to see something like 'boot net - install' or serial
> > console. It would be cool to have dignostics routine, too.
I haven't looked at the project recently, but it seems that the name
should be changed from "Linux BIOS" to "New BIOS that doesn't make stupid
assumptions".
The main reasons people need to go into the BIOS:
- change the clock
- What? You added memory? You must now go into setup, do nothing,
and then save & exit!
- Occasionally, (new systems and when the BBRAM gets glitched), go in
and tweak a few timing/cache/misc. settings
- Hard drives -- there's absolutely no reason these days to have to set
the parameters for these. Even the "NONE" setting is pointless -- if
you don't see a drive within a few seconds, there's not one there.
The moral of this story: Other than the clock and MAYBE some of the timing
parameters, the need for a "BIOS Setup Screen" is pointless. Get a BIOS
version running that allows for some sort of protected on-the-fly
configuration changes, and the world is a much better place. Maybe we
should drop a few hints to the group working on this project to get it
right, not create some kludged monster -- then, with the proper support on
the part of the OS, it would be useful for pretty much anything, not just
Linux.
That's just my opinion, I could be wrong... But it's unlikely. :)
(Sorry, a sarcastic Dennis Miller rip-off there.)
--mike
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Understated/funny man-page sentence of the current time period:
From route(4) on FreeBSD-3.4, DESCRIPTION section:
"FreeBSD provides some packet routing facilities."
...duh.......
Mike Nowlin, N8NVW mike@argos.org http://www.viewsnet.com
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