Subject: New 2.0.107 console scheme

From: Jesse Barnes <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 13:26:25 -0700

Does the main kernel source tree have support for Indys natively, and
if so, is the new fbcon method supported for the console?  

Also, what's preventing Linux/SGI from running on O2s?  I've got an
R10k O2 sitting on my desk and I'd really like to see Linux running on
it.  I have device driver writing experience on PCs under DOS and NT,
but I've never written one for a Unix type system.  If there's
something small that I could tackle to start out, that would be great.

Thanks,
Jesse Barnes

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From: [email-masked] (Alan Cox)
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 21:47:41 +0100 (BST)

> if so, is the new fbcon method supported for the console?  

Almost and no. Its not fb_con thats relevant for the indy. fbcon is a directly
accessible bitmapped display. The indy will need to use abscon directly  to
issue newport commands

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From: Mike Shaver <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 18:11:09 -0400

> accessible bitmapped display. The indy will need to use abscon directly  to

So, um, yeah.
I've been wading through the newport docs and the X server code and docs
and so forth for about 3 days now (good thing my boss is away!), and I'm
starting to think that I might almost understand what I have to do.

Things that are still unclear:
- do we use /dev/graphics, and make that work correctly (it doesn't
quite right now), or do we tweak the Newport HW from the X server
directly for things like board detection, etc.?
- where is the mouse driver coming from?
- why does it always take me so long to read these silly docs?
- why are there no good examples of writing a non-frame-buffered X
server?
- why haven't I yet bothered the people I work with at Netscape who
worked on the original SGI X server?
- why (and I've looked closely at this for 5 hours this week) does EFS
still do dumb things?

Thank you for listening.  I feel much better now.

Mike

-- 
452526.29 378522.30

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From: Miguel de Icaza <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 18:42:18 -0500

> directly for things like board detection, etc.?

Fix /dev/graphics if it is broken.

Miguel