Re: [SeaBIOS] [RFC PATCH] VGA BIOS init fails if first mode used is graphical

[David Woodhouse]

On Wed, 2013-02-13 at 12:50 +0100, Fred . wrote:
> Would it be possible to boot in  a resolution any more modern than the
> old IBM PC BIOS of 1980?
> Which probably used same resolution as something from 1960 or 1970.
> Maybe 132*60 instead of 40*25 or 80*25 rows/columns of text?

Please don't top-post. Do me the courtesy of properly trimming your
citations to quote *only* what is needed for context, and place your
reply *below* it, if you want me to do you the courtesy of taking the
time to reply. I will not reply to another top-posted message.

I really don't understand what you're even trying to achieve. The whole
*POINT* of SeaBIOS is to emulate the old IBM PC BIOS of 1980. Well, and
a few later developments, but basically that's the point.

DOS, and various other 16-bit bootloaders and operating systems, will
expect the standard 80x25 text mode. If they don't find that, then they
will fail to work correctly. Anything *else* can call the standard INT
10h video BIOS calls to set whatever mode it wants.

What user experience do you actually expect to achieve, from the changes
that you're suggesting?

Bootloaders like Grub these days will already use graphical modes. The
SeaBIOS splash screen can also be graphical, and you can go seamlessly
from one to the other. What is it that you actually *want*, in real
terms? I'm not even sure you know...

[RFC PATCH] VGA BIOS init fails if first mode used is graphical

[Fred .]

On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 5:15 PM, David Woodhouse wrote:
> What user experience do you actually expect to achieve, from the changes
> that you're suggesting?
>
> Bootloaders like Grub these days will already use graphical modes. The
> SeaBIOS splash screen can also be graphical, and you can go seamlessly
> from one to the other. What is it that you actually *want*, in real
> terms? I'm not even sure you know...

Yeah, I was thinking along the lines of using a splash screen then GRUB use
the same resolution and the same splash screen and it would transition
smoothly without any flicker or resetting of the screen mode, and then it
would go from there to Plymouth which would use the same splash screen, and
it would transition smoothly to the login manager.
> From boot to desktop, always in 1900x1200. Smooth experience. No flicker.