AW: AW: Here's a plan

[Stephan Mueller]

> > initialize VGA-BIOS (call it), but this has to be done in
>
> Realmode, right?
> > a little problem....
>  Yes, that's a real problem.  You could switch to Real
>
> Mode, execute the ROM, and switch back.  Or you could run
> it in Virtual 8086 mode, which would provide more control.
> Or we could just handle the device ourselves, like Linux
> does.

Virtual mode. Hm. What's if the VGA-rom wants to write to a port we didn't
accept?
This could cause in no display. :)
The best Idea is to support Standard-VGA-Cards. Nearly every card is
compatible with it (look at the Linux-kernel, i think it's got it's own
VGA-driver, right?)
>  I don't like adapter ROMs.  They are, in effect, device
>
> drivers written for an obsolete CPU architecture (the 8086)
> and an antique operating system (DOS).  And they are always
> closed-source, usually bearing the message "DECOMPILATION
> OR DISASSEMBLY PROHIBITED".

:-)
>  There are really two problems we need to solve:  VGA
>
> and SCSI.  The OS can take care of everything else.

That's the reason why we NEED a modulary-design like the linux-kernel.
a gzip-compression like the linux kernel (an analogy to the LHA-compression
of Award-Bioses)
>  All VGA cards support 80x25 text mode in hardware, and
>
> that is sufficient for our needs.  We don't need any of the
> INT 10h services, so the only question left is "How do I
> turn on this card?".

By writing the standard data onto the ports.
(i hope so, i think we have to test this)
>  For SCSI, we'll offer stripped-down replicas of the
>
> Linux SCSI drivers.  If your SCSI card is not yet supported
> by OpenBIOS, you'll need to load the OS kernel off a floppy
> or IDE drive.

Funny. :)
>  On another topic, should we all work on different
>
> motherboards, or focus our efforts on one?  My choice would
> be one of those new 100MHz Super-7 boards with a VIA Apollo
> chipset, because it's the fastest board you can get with
> "No Intel Inside".

Yeah, i've got a FIC VA503+ (Via MVP3-based)
Rulez! :)
But my father's got a VB601 (Intel 440BX-based), of course we need drivers
for this chipset, too
I think we should make a list of the most popular chipsets. And, of course,
a generic-driver.
But the biggest problem is: If somebody decides to flash his board with the
openBIOS, there is no
turning back, if it isn't working he has got a problem! :)

Ciao,
    Stephan [SpaceNet-Systems]