[PROPOSAL] extended payload handling
Eric W. Biederman
ebiederman at lnxi.com
Mon Jun 14 11:31:01 CEST 2004
> 2.)
> LinuxBIOS can currently execute one payload. For greater flexibility and
> isolated development cycles of the firmware related code parts/projects
> LinuxBIOS should allow payload chains, ie. executing multiple payloads
> one after the other.
>
> LinuxBIOS wants to keep up it's modularity, letting each module do it's
> job. This possibility of not doing more than one task should be passed
> on to the payloads.
Stepping back a moment. I see the line at elfload is that the
hardware is sufficiently initialized that we can run stand-alone
programs.
Motherboard specific information should be passed between the BIOS
and the OS which allows a general purpose OS to be built that
does not need to know how each chip is hooked up on each motherboard.
The only argument I have seen for payload chaining is testbios. I do
not see a reason to exclude this from LinuxBIOS. It fits in nicely as
an init method for a generic pc compatible vga device. As long as
this code can be compiled out for those boards that don't have a slot
you can plug in a vga compatible card into all is good.
As the discussion has shown multiple payloads are one form of runtime
service and we once we add one a whole lot more are wanted.
....
My take on runtime services is if they are provided at all they belong
in their own personality/bootloader. If you want the ability to
switch personalities it is simple enough to add an elf loader to
load other personalities.
Eric
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