[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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