vt console driver and default vga mode: breaking POLA

[Borja Marcos]

Hi

I apologise for being late on this, but I just noticed. The new vt console driver has a very important
change in behavior, replacing the ancient “BIOS” text mode with a graphic VGA mode.

I don’t know how many people relies on BIOS serial redirection for consoles, but at least
HP’s iLO system offers the possibility of accessing the console through a ssh connection instead
of requiring a bloated Java console, and it’s a very convenient feature. But it only works in pure
“BIOS text mode” (the old sc console driver used this mode as a default).

I would rather change the default behavior of vt to hw.vga.textmode=1 so that its behavior mimics
the old sc driver.

I know the current fad is to hide boot messages with panda bears and beautiful butterflies revolving
around them, but boot messages are critical when diagnosing problems.

I should have chimed in earlier, I know. But anyway it’s a very minor change.




What do you think?




Borja.