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SubjectRe: OpenBIOS (was Re: UDI and Politics (was Re: Linux, UDI and SCO.) )
On Sat, Sep 19, 1998 at 08:35:44PM -0400, Adam Sulmicki wrote:
> Since BIOS is software, most of what BIOS can do linux can do too.
>
> Moreover, since most of the bioses today are on FLASH-ROM so it is easy
> to update. Furthermore those FLASH-ROOMS are usually big, of magnitude
> of 1-2mb.
>
> What is boils down to, is that I would like to see bios concentrate on
> the thing which it is desinted to: a) init device from which it is
> to load kernel b) load kernel c) _optionally_ provide some basic Input
> output.

Linux can probably do all these things itself, apart from initialising
the motherboard chipset. And for some friendly chipsets, it may be
possible to do this too.

So why not make up an embedded Linux kernel and load _that_ into the
FLASH-ROM?

There would still need to be some way to update the ROM from floppy or
similar in an emergency (e.g. if you downloaded a duff kernel). And it
would be essential to be able to load and jump to a new kernel from disk
if desired. But that's actually quite easy.

-- Jamie

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