Any animation code that is running during kernel initialization would
likely have to be in the kernel. In addition, if we want to display
both a logo and boot messages or a boot message summary that will
likely require kernel code.
> but I still have to ask a question: WHY? How
> often do most of us even BOOT the kernel?
Several times a day in my case. Laptop batteries only last so long.
But the real reason why is because the boot messages look messy. The
difference between a good product and a great product is generally
the amount of attention payed to the little details. Just because
this is a relatively minor thing doesn't mean it shouldn't be
addressed.
> My machine's been up a
> couple of months without a reboot. On this relatively slow machine
> (cyrix 5x86-120mhz, 20mb ram), it takes only a little over a minute
> or two to boot the kernel AND run my rc scripts which do a lot in
> themselves. I'd just as soon watch boot messages scroll by than
> have some stupid win-95 type of graphic masking what is really
> happening ("fsck error: /dev/sdc1 CORRUPTED BEYOND RECOGNITION", oh
> I can't see that because I'm watching flying clouds (or maybe flying
> penguins).
That's certainly a valid concern. We probably should add something
to the code that shuts the system down to set a flag accessable by
the boot loader to indicate a clean shutdown. So the image only gets
display if the system shutdown cleanly last time.
> There is absolutely no reason to add this stuff to the kernel, it
> doesn't belong there.
If we just want to display an image that is likely the case. Which
is the main reason the boot loader is being looked at. If we want to
display a boot animation, or make enhancements to the boot up display
kernel modifications will likely be needed.
> If someone really wants it they could run a
> program in the background in their first rc.* script that switches
> to a certain tty and runs their precious screen saver.
Then we have to watch all the kernel boot messages.
--- Dwight Hubbard MCI ISN Tech Support MCIMAIL: 200-1654 VNET 820-6403 INNERMAIL: dwight.hubbard@mci.com