Re: Console mapping problems? [I hear about these - I wanna know!]

H. Peter Anvin (hpa@transmeta.com)
Wed, 10 Sep 1997 15:27:48 -0700 (PDT)


> > 8bit x 32 x {256,512} = 8192 or 16384 bytes.
>
> Whoops - I was thinking of the TGA code (8bitx16).... Though FWIW VGA
> only seems to use 8bit X 16....

The default font is 8x16, but it can do anything 8x2..32.

> > > Alright, already <g>.. But ARE there any problems with the 8bit -> Unicode
> > > -> console mappings?
> >
> > No, I think it is the right thing to do.
>
> I rephrase : Are there any known problems with the 8bit -> Unicode ->
> console mapping code in the kernel?

Not AFAIK.

> > A graphical console is a good example of something that belong in
> > userspace IMNSHO, both for complexity and flexibility.
>
> Yes - but device access MUST be _moderated_ by the kernel!
> (unlike X)
> But that's neither here nor now - and noone is likely to allow this into
> the kernel even if it worked <sigh>. Been through that fight before
> (though I was a spectator the last time).

I disagree; an arbiter process (such as the X server) can do that just
as well as the kernel. I think people are being too absolutist about
this. Of course, the fact that the GGI people so far has failed to
produce anything but hot air sort of reinforces that feeling....

-hpa