2002-09-27 07:04:30

by Joerg

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Framebuffer still "EXPERIMENTAL"?

Hello Listees,
yesterday I compiled 2.5.38 for the first time and noticed that the
framebuffer option is still marked "EXPERIMENTAL". Well, I know for sure
that I used the VESA-FB 3 years ago to get X running on a strange laptop
graphic chip, so it is at least that long available (actually I think it
got introduced for the Sparc port somewhen in 1995??).

I think it's about time to promote the framebuffer code to a full fledged
kernel feature. Comments?

Regards
J?rg

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Regards
Joerg


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2002-09-27 10:52:54

by jbradford

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Framebuffer still "EXPERIMENTAL"?

> Hello Listees,
> yesterday I compiled 2.5.38 for the first time and noticed that the
> framebuffer option is still marked "EXPERIMENTAL". Well, I know for sure
> that I used the VESA-FB 3 years ago to get X running on a strange laptop
> graphic chip, so it is at least that long available (actually I think it
> got introduced for the Sparc port somewhen in 1995??).
>
> I think it's about time to promote the framebuffer code to a full fledged
> kernel feature. Comments?

I've noticed a bug with it, but haven't had time to investigate more fully, infact it might not be a kernel bug, but I suspect that it is. I don't usually use the framebuffer, (I prefer the standard text mode).

On a standard Slackware 8.1 install, (kernel 2.4.18), on a machine with an ATI graphics card, and with the framebuffer enabled, if you type clear, then fill the screen with text so that it scrolls, (e.g. do a find /), the top four lines where the penguin used to be do not scroll, they just keep the text that is originally put there. If you press shift-pageup, and then shift-pagedown, it fixes it.

If anybody has got the time to look in to this, I'll post more details.

John.

2002-09-28 15:17:57

by Ken Moffat

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Framebuffer still "EXPERIMENTAL"?

On Fri, 27 Sep 2002 [email protected] wrote:

> > Hello Listees,
> > yesterday I compiled 2.5.38 for the first time and noticed that the
> > framebuffer option is still marked "EXPERIMENTAL". Well, I know for sure
> > that I used the VESA-FB 3 years ago to get X running on a strange laptop
> > graphic chip, so it is at least that long available (actually I think it
> > got introduced for the Sparc port somewhen in 1995??).
> >
> > I think it's about time to promote the framebuffer code to a full fledged
> > kernel feature. Comments?
>
> I've noticed a bug with it, but haven't had time to investigate more fully, infact it might not be a kernel bug, but I suspect that it is. I don't usually use the framebuffer, (I prefer the standard text mode).
>
> On a standard Slackware 8.1 install, (kernel 2.4.18), on a machine with an ATI graphics card, and with the framebuffer enabled, if you type clear, then fill the screen with text so that it scrolls, (e.g. do a find /), the top four lines where the penguin used to be do not scroll, they just keep the text that is originally put there. If you press shift-pageup, and then shift-pagedown, it fixes it.
>
> If anybody has got the time to look in to this, I'll post more details.
>
> John.

Normal operation. Either switch to a different tty, or set a font.

There does seem to be a bug in your mailer, though (excessive line
length) :->

Ken
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worse". So I smiled, and lo, things became worse.



2002-09-28 15:37:07

by jbradford

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Framebuffer still "EXPERIMENTAL"?

> > > Hello Listees,
> > > yesterday I compiled 2.5.38 for the first time and noticed that the
> > > framebuffer option is still marked "EXPERIMENTAL". Well, I know for sure
> > > that I used the VESA-FB 3 years ago to get X running on a strange laptop
> > > graphic chip, so it is at least that long available (actually I think it
> > > got introduced for the Sparc port somewhen in 1995??).
> > >
> > > I think it's about time to promote the framebuffer code to a full fledged
> > > kernel feature. Comments?
> >
> > I've noticed a bug with it, but haven't had time to investigate more fully,
> > infact it might not be a kernel bug, but I suspect that it is. I don't
> > usually use the framebuffer, (I prefer the standard text mode).
> >
> > On a standard Slackware 8.1 install, (kernel 2.4.18), on a machine with an
> > ATI graphics card, and with the framebuffer enabled, if you type clear, then
> > fill the screen with text so that it scrolls, (e.g. do a find /), the top
> > four lines where the penguin used to be do not scroll, they just keep the
> > text that is originally put there. If you press shift-pageup, and then
> > shift-pagedown, it fixes it.
> >
> > If anybody has got the time to look in to this, I'll post more details.
> >
> > John.
>
> Normal operation. Either switch to a different tty, or set a font.

Hmmm, if that's normal operation, surely it's a bug?

Infact, why not use the wasted space to the right of the penguin for something useful - I.E. a status line, like on old terminals, showing disk and serial port activity!?

> There does seem to be a bug in your mailer, though (excessive line
> length) :->

I guess maybe it's time for me to move away from using 'mail' from the command line for my day to day E-Mail needs :-(. Already, I have to use elm when I need the quoting capabilities so lacking from my favourite mailer :-).

John.

2002-09-28 23:53:40

by Ken Moffat

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: Framebuffer still "EXPERIMENTAL"?

On Sat, 28 Sep 2002 [email protected] wrote:

> >
> > Normal operation. Either switch to a different tty, or set a font.
>
> Hmmm, if that's normal operation, surely it's a bug?
>
Only if you don't need to set a font anyway to be able to see your
desired character set !

> Infact, why not use the wasted space to the right of the penguin for something useful - I.E. a status line, like on old terminals, showing disk and serial port activity!?
>
That space is reserved for more penguins! Think SMP, or perhaps a P4 with
hyperthreading! But seriously, once you've configured your machine
correctly the penguin doesn't stay around for long, so the space is not
available for a status line.

> > There does seem to be a bug in your mailer, though (excessive line
> > length) :->
>
> I guess maybe it's time for me to move away from using 'mail' from the command line for my day to day E-Mail needs :-(. Already, I have to use elm when I need the quoting capabilities so lacking from my favourite mailer :-).
>
> John.
>
Nothing wrong with doing it the hard way, I s'pose <g>

Ken
--
Out of the darkness a voice spake unto me, saying "smile, things could be
worse". So I smiled, and lo, things became worse.