> i've installed linux for several non-technical people. i just tell them
> that the information scrolling by is the system configuing itself, and
> that unless there is a warning or alert (each of which are unlikely), then
> they can safely ignore the messages, and thier meanings will become clear
> over time.
What about how DOS systems Boot, my dos bootup is 100% more verbose
than my Linux setup and the information is of much less value.
I do however favour the option for a quieter boot. Thinking of the
Transition from SunOS 4.1.3 to Solaris 2.5 I made a work recently the
quiter boot of Solaris 2.5 was worrying at first but nice to have as an
option.
As for all these alternative message displays, I think the best way to do
this is to have a quite boot option and use your init scripts to display
what the local admin (or distribution developer) thinks is a good idea to
display.
If nothing else the Linux version 2..... message should be the first thing
that appears after the lilo prompt, okay maybe after the uncompressing
messages on x86 but definitely before an messages about Console modes or
networking or anything else.
If people are very concerned about copyright messages then maybe an option
to printk that allows printing of the message in quite mode might be
viable for them.
I think that this should be a boot parameter (set via lilo,loadling,milo
whatever) and not a kernel config option.
-- Darren J Moffat