Re: About boot logo

H. Peter Anvin (hpa@transmeta.com)
14 May 1998 05:25:16 GMT

Followup to: <355A5514.A2282DD4@got.net>
By author: Brian Weiss <brian@got.net>
In newsgroup: linux.dev.kernel
>
> Also, there could be major problems with anything involving real
> graphics, such that it would require something similar to svgalib. The
> first reason for this is that Linux (graphics especially) doesn't
> usually just *work* right off the bat like win95 does somewhat. It
> usually requires at least some configuring and fixing up. Due to this
> it's safe to assume that this boot logo or splash screen would not just
> work for a lot of people. And since it would run before anything else it
> would increase the chances of things going wrong. The last thing Linux
> needs is problems with the booting itself :). Probably the safest way
> (at least for now) to do something like this would just to have a small
> logo that is displayed like a simple ansi logo.
>
> Suggestions and comments about these ideas would be good... no more
> arguing and more intelligent thoughts :)
>

Actually, as long as you use a standard (i.e. VGA) resolution, it is
trivial to load the image at boot time (while you still have the
BIOS.) You could also use the VESA BIOS to get more interesting modes
such as 640x480x256, but then you may be in for a surprise when the
kernel tries to restore text mode. One option is to not have the
kernel do that, but require the init scripts to use SVGATextMode to do
so; if so this isn't a problem.

Otherwise, it isn't too hard to restore text mode on plain VGA,
although you better have a font available (in graphic mode you lose
your text font, which is otherwise stored in BIOS ROM. However, there
is standard way to get the location in VGA ROM which contains the
font, so that could be done pretty easily.)

-hpa

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