Hiya all
My two pennies worth...<G>
Asbjoernsen@atntr.telemax.no wrote:
Too Big. Each chipset got it's own data and specs (don't forget we're talking about 386, 486, LX, BX, VX, FX chipset and they got lots of differences) - combining them all together will give a binary file that will probably won't fit into the flash (not mentioning other features we want to have).
We aren't talking about compiling in support for all and every supported chipsets, just making it configurable, so one could add support for more chipsets in one binary, of course limited by size. This would for instance be nice for admins having a large pool of computers with two different motherboards.
Compile time config on chipset support will be the answer.. I have an FX so i need just to compile FX support... I have FX & HX boards so I'll compile both separatly --> or compile HX & FX into the same binary.... that has to be decided i think...
I think this is the answer to many discussions we will probably see:
- Do we want a boot logo?
Yes i think so, even if optional...
- Should it support loading the kernel directly?
Only if the kernel is placed in a _standardised_ place, like the MBR currently.... If people want kernel ROMs surely it will be better, _and_ SAFER to just compile a linux kernel boot ROM and pop it onto their nearest Net/VGA/SCSI card.... cause most are capable of holding custom boot ROMs, and executing them.
- Should we support 16bit functions for compatibility
Again compile time ... remember you get your _generic_ Linux kernel, you then compile it to do _exactly_ what _you_ want then you install it.
The generic BIOS is of course the current MB BIOS's, if they take on OpenBIOS, then implementing the current Flash failsafe (which IMHO is not very well implemented), similar to the 3Com Router BIOS/Firmware(which is implemented beautifully <G>), should be made the default.
3Com router Firmware has 3 parts:
Boot Loader - initialises hardware can checks for valid checksum on flash. Provides a method of re-writing boot/main code, or erasing flash - Does nothing hardware dependant, works across platform. Main Code - Takes into account Version/Revision/Chipset can do all functions of Bootloader, but provides user stuff - the real BIOS as it were..... Data Code - Settings/config - user deturmined.
- ...
Make it configurable (tm) :)
tu chez!
yours
Matthew (aka Mickey)