From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Jan 8 02:14:57 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3106416A4CE; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 02:14:57 -0800 (PST) Received: from praetor.linc-it.com (adsl-068-157-070-217.sip.jan.bellsouth.net [68.157.70.217]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CCD0743D45; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 02:14:54 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from fullermd@over-yonder.net) Received: from mortis.over-yonder.net (adsl-19-157-169.jan.bellsouth.net [68.19.157.169]) (using TLSv1 with cipher DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by praetor.linc-it.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 802341521C; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 04:14:53 -0600 (CST) Received: by mortis.over-yonder.net (Postfix, from userid 100) id 6F92920F2A; Thu, 8 Jan 2004 04:14:51 -0600 (CST) Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 04:14:51 -0600 From: "Matthew D. Fuller" To: Scott Long Message-ID: <20040108101451.GK48603@over-yonder.net> References: <20040107235737.I32227@pooker.samsco.home> <20040108075059.GK53429@silverwraith.com> <20040108075811.GJ48603@over-yonder.net> <20040108015954.V32598@pooker.samsco.home> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20040108015954.V32598@pooker.samsco.home> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.1i-fullermd.1 X-Editor: vi X-OS: FreeBSD cc: hackers@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: Discussion on the future of floppies in 5.x and 6.x X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 08 Jan 2004 10:14:57 -0000 On Thu, Jan 08, 2004 at 02:05:14AM -0700 I heard the voice of Scott Long, and lo! it spake thus: > > For 5.x we already have a 3rd floppy that is dedicated to modules. > Unfortunately, it doesn't work nearly as well as it should because there > is no way to activate it during the boot sequence; it can only be used > once sysinstall is running. Also, it too is nearly overflowing. Well, that's why I suggest more. Have a "network cards" floppy, and a "mass storage devices" floppy, etc. We should be able to fit the half-dozen most common network cards, the ata drivers, and a half dozen of the more common SCSI drivers on the boot kernel. That'll get us far enough to be able to load the drivers off the other disks, as well as install with just that on many systems. It won't necessarily be the prettiest process, but I'm in favor of letting the floppies be a bit ugly, or even explicitly moving them to "experienced users only" status. I just find them far too convenient, as well as ubiquitous, to see them sent into the Great Bitbucket In The Sky yet. If somebody wants "pretty" and "not have to fudge around to find the driver to load for my RAID controller", THEN let 'em download the CD :) -- Matthew Fuller (MF4839) | fullermd@over-yonder.net Systems/Network Administrator | http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/ "The only reason I'm burning my candle at both ends, is because I haven't figured out how to light the middle yet"