[ros-kernel] Texmode consoles.

[Waldo Alvarez]

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003, Richard Campbell wrote:

> umm it's actually quite simple, blue.sys gets loaded, comp goes to 
> console, blue.sys doesn't, comp goes to graphical.  why fix what isn't 
> broken?
> 
> KJK::Hyperion wrote:
> 
> > At 17.36 18/12/2003, you wrote:
> >
> >> Bad:
> >>  How is unicode text going to be printed in text mode consoles. I 
> >> beleive it is imposible.
> >
> >
> > it's converted to the OEM codepage. Hey, it's called "OEM" for a 
> > reason - it's the codepage used by the display hardware, if it 
> > supports text mode. I mean, duh

I don't remeber very well but I'm sure VGA video cards supported a very 
limited number of fonts, less than 65535 (well UTF-16 uses a little bit 
less)

> >
> >>  Video mode switching stresses the video hardware, specially monitors.
> >
> >
> > monitors are immortal. They get old, they lose colors, they lose 
> > focus, but they keep working. I remember monitors at the CERN labs in 
> > Swiss working metres away from giant electromagnets. Sure, the 
> > pictures on them were all warped and distorted, but they kept working. 
> > And some of them were *really* old - I mean, have *you* ever seen a 
> > hardware VT-100?

No, they aren't. Mine is still broken and the guy who is repairing is 
still working on it after two months (and the guy knows his job). Now you 
know one of the reasons I'm interested in such a thing :)) Even more it is 
the third time I have to repair it. I'm about to give it such kick... Grrr 

> >
> > Besides, who cares. Text mode (GUI-less, actually - text-only is just 
> > a detail) isn't for nostalgic DOS users: you boot in text mode to stay 
> > in text mode
> >
> >>  You can't use very good looking bootup screens.
> >
> >
> > now explain why. I have a counter-example ready, be aware of that

 :))) Sorry.

Well is posible, sure why not. I must have said you can't use very good 
looking bootup screens without doing video mode switching and making it 
more complex. My mistake. And even that is not a good reason, I agree.

> >
> >>  Having a dual kind of consoles will only cause confusion, to both 
> >> users and developers.
> >
> > let users and developers decide if it does. I decide... uhm, not

Well let's see what happens with time. But at the end. What beneficts give 
you the text mode console? Only some little speed, but unnoticeable, look 
at graphical consoles, they are not slow at all even maximixed a lot (Ok 
I agree that my video adapter has 2d acceleration too, but i have seen 
those little very old 2Mb VGA cards behave quite well with graphical 
consoles even those ancient VESA cards). Also who uses full screen 
consoles, almost nobody. Even more, most ppl hate console applications 
making them fullscreen will only make the pain bigger and 
in windows itself when you press the alt+enter the text can get sometimes 
wrecked. Want to see an example, fire up midnight commander and make it 
fullscreen. I have not tested this but I have the impression that win2k XP 
recovery consoles use graphic mode too. Also not much changes if you use 
text mode in reactos, it will load win32k.sys, freetype, etc.. You won't 
win memory or at least very little if you use only textmode. 

At the end.
What's the point about texmode consoles?

Big speech, but I'm defending my opinion. Which doesn't have to be the 
right and that is one of the reasons I posted it here. But I truly beleive 
it is.

Ahh one more thing if they are going to stay, I beleive that video mode 
switching should be done when an application is loaded and in the PE 
header says it is a GUI application. My impression.

Well

Best regards ppl
Waldo Alvarez

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