Re: [linuxsh-dev] sh_console_unregister

[Greg B. <gn...@al...>]

NIIBE Yutaka wrote:
> 
> I'm preparing the update patch (to mainstream).  To avoid the changes
> small, I'd like to apply following changes for console handling.
> 
> I assume that EARLY_PRINTK feature is for SH serial console only,

  Well, yes and no. Its for delegating printk() to the BIOS, which
at the moment happens to mean serial console only.  But the BIOS
mechanism is more general, and can be applied to (say) a framebuffer
console.

> so
> it's OK to place calling unregister routine at SCI driver.

  Actually that's where I put it originally ;-)  I then moved it to
console_init() when I realised I would probably be working with a
framebuffer console in a few weeks' time.

> Yes, if someone extend the BIOS to support other serial chiip, this
> is not good.  But until that time, I think this is good thing.

  Sure, but that time is rapidly approaching.

> I just thought that the smaller patch is the better. 

  Yes.

> I don't think
> this is the solution.

  It's certainly not the solution today.  It will probably become a
solution soon.  It's a tough decision given the current state of
mainstream kernel development.

> I think that "early printk" feature could be generalized to generic
> issue (not specific to SuperH).  Say, serial console on x86 could
> also have the feature.  Let's go further.

  Yes, in fact I stole the name from CONFIG_IA64_EARLY_PRINTK which
I believe prints to a VGA console.  Trouble is, while the concept
is generic the implementation is very system-specific.


Greg.
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