On many systems, a large portion of boot time goes into providing legacy support for MS-DOS. Various projects, including LinuxBIOS and Open Firmware, are trying to replace the proprietary BIOS systems with streamlined pieces of code able to do only what is necessary to get a Linux kernel loaded and running. This article gives a brief overview of the field.
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Member since:
2005-07-23
I'd love to be able to use something like this; my desktop actually takes longer to boot than my (considerably slower) laptop, because it spends so long doing it's thing in BIOS. Having a second screen that invites you to "press F10" doesn't help I suspect...
On the other hand, I quite like that my computer actually works, and there's a fair chance that this might b0rk it completely.
It is frustrating though, that we're stuck with a slow irritating system due to lack of knowledge about the existing one. Stallman would no doubt have something to say about it.
Member since:2005-07-06
Last time there was a link on Osnews to an article ranting about the fact we had no choice in our BIOS selection, someone remarked that that was a good thing, since each BIOS was tailor-made for each mobo. It needs to be fairly specific with all onboard stuff after all. Open-source BIOSes would be a risky proposition 99% of the time I think, unless the mobo vendor has opted for openness. In that case open firmware is the way to go anyway (which I'd like to see implemented more either way).
Member since:2006-03-12
Stallman actually has rather a lot to say about it.
http://www.fsf.org/news/freebios.html
http://www.linuxelectrons.com/News/General/20050227164444547
http://www.betanews.com/article/Stallman_Closed_BIOS_Code_Unethical...
Member since:
2006-05-01
Member since:2006-07-19
Member since:2006-05-01
Member since:
2006-03-12
Its a good article. I've been exited by these project for a *long* time. Unfortunately they have been in development for a long time.
Trouble is these articles always focus on speed, or ethical issues. Yet is describes how the kernel can fit comfortably on there.
I want an article that describes the *fun* possibilities like advantages that this could bring for barebones systems, cheap firewall? tools like hard drive partioning or even a virus checker that the OS doesn't have to load to run, or a basic install of new hard drives. Hell if its linux based a *download* and install X OS on your system. Diagnostic utilities like memory checkers, or even some serious forensic tools. Hell why not some eye candy, X can run in a really small footprint, and I've not even mentioned the new OS buzzword Visulation.
Member since:
2006-02-15
who want a new bios for a given mobo are people who haven't bricked a device downloading 'firmware' to it.
Things like OpenBios are fun toys for computer hobbiests who have the skills and tools necessary to unbrick a mobo that's been improperly flashed, I suppose.
If you *really* want to play with "bioses", get yourself a cheap ARM board, (the NSLU2 slug, or a dev board like the TS7200, for example,) and play with redboot or das u boot.
If that doesn't cure you of wanting to futz the bios on a pc, *then* go play with one.
Member since:
2005-07-06
2B1 which the code name of OLPC has software that use LinuxBIOS as standard. You can check the built on OLPC wiki so people can see how LinuxBIOS works via emulator like QEMU http://wiki.laptop.org/go/OS_images
Member since:
2005-07-06
Member since:
2005-09-17
