RE: [Linuxconsole-dev] writeup

[James S. <jsi...@ac...>]

> As I understand it (and have been corrected on), a head is a collection of
> input and output devices grouped around a single "display" (I can't think of
> a better word).  I believe a console would be the currently selected head.
> 
> That reminds me...  Can there be only ONE console?  In a multi-head
> environment, does each head have a console, or does the primary have the
> only console?

A console can be many things. It can be also a serial console like a real
vt100 plugged into your serial port. It can also be a virtual device built
from a keyboard and a video display. A head is a bit more flexiable. It's
a collect of input and output devices. A head is equal to a active VT
normally. If you ave more than one head than you have more than one
active VT. What I like to see is a raw interface to hardware devices
(/dev/fb,/dev/input, /dev/dsp) such a a userland app can grab them to
expand what a head is. This keeps the VT code simple and yet allows a
userland app great power. Of course you have to manage things so people
don't grab things that already belong to someone else. 

"Look it's a text editor, no it's a OS, no it's Emacs"
James Simmons                                           ____/| 
fbdev/gfx developer                                     \ o.O| 
http://www.linux-fbdev.org                               =(_)= 
http://linuxgfx.sourceforge.net                            U