Re: [Linux-fbdev-devel] [PATCH] Add VirtIO Frame Buffer Support

[Alexander G. <ag...@su...>]

On 03.11.2009, at 00:51, Ondrej Zajicek wrote:

> On Mon, Nov 02, 2009 at 11:42:11PM +0100, Alexander Graf wrote:
>>
>> Am 02.11.2009 um 23:32 schrieb Ondrej Zajicek  
>> <san...@cr...>:
>>
>>> On Mon, Nov 02, 2009 at 11:09:19PM +0100, Alexander Graf wrote:
>>>> When we want to create a full VirtIO based machine, we're still
>>>> missing
>>>> graphics output. Fortunately, Linux provides us with most of the
>>>> frameworks
>>>> to render text and everything, we only need to implement a  
>>>> transport.
>>>>
>>>> So this is a frame buffer backend written for VirtIO. Using this  
>>>> and
>>>> my
>>>> patch to qemu, you can use paravirtualized graphics.
>>>
>>> Just a note: it might be useful to allow paravirtualized graphics to
>>> handle text mode. In that case, it can be done in fbdev layer using
>>> tileblit operations.
>>
>> Is there any real driver implementing this already? I'd prefer to  
>> copy
>> from working code instead of writing my own :-).
>
> Yes, for example s3fb and vt8623fb (struct fb_tile_ops).
>
>> Also, we still need to keep the local frame buffer copy in sync so we
>> can mmap and read from it, right? So it's not really worth it
>> probably...
>
> Advantages might be on Qemu side (like ability to run in text-only
> mode without need to change console on virtualized sytem).

Oh, so we could use the curses frontend. That's a neat idea.

But that also means we'll lose the penguin, right?


Alex