Boot Splash

[thenktor]

I just think it's not worth the effort at the moment.

[ray]

Actually I'm not keen on having a boot splash anymore, so at least I won't investigate this problem in the near future

Well i guess you can always turn off the splash if you dont prefer it, but for the distro not have it at all? Shouldnt you consider the users?
No offence intended, but scrolling messages arent the most user friendly thing

[thenktor]

As soon as it is ok on 99% of the machines again, we will implement it again. But AFAIK this is not the case at the moment.

[pwatk]

Well i guess you can always turn off the splash if you dont prefer it, but for the distro not have it at all? Shouldnt you consider the users?
No offence intended, but scrolling messages arent the most user friendly thing

I promise this'll be the last I'll say on the matter and I know I'm gonna sound like an ass for saying this so I apologise in advance...

You have got to be kidding me.

What does boot splash really bring to the distro? It looks pretty... that's it! Scrolling messages tells the user what's happening and if something fails it can be seen in plain view. IMO boot splash is a waste of time and effort like patching syslinux or grub so you can have a pretty gfxboot menu that is overly complicated to configure.

What I like about Slackware (and Salix alike) is it's simplicity. I will agree it's not easy for a new comer but it's shear simplicity always brings me back time after time. This isn't necessarily meant to be directed at you but the old adage still stands... 'If you want to learn Linux use Slackware' and if you want a slightly refined Slackware then stay with Salix, you won't be disappointed. But if you just want another Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Fedora or whatever then just use one of them instead.

End of rant

[lmello]

Well, a system boot with a bit more color may 'solve' the issue for a while. It certainly wouldn't hurt, IMHO. Here's what I did in my box (in ready-to-go patch format):

Code: Select all

--- rc.S.orig	2010-07-28 17:11:51.353886590 -0300
+++ rc.S	2010-07-30 18:29:15.965869513 -0300
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@
 # Tell the viewers what's going to happen.
 echo
 echo -e "${BOLDYELLOW}Initializing.${COLOR_RESET}"
+echo
 
 PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin
 
 # Try to mount /proc:
-echo -e "${BOLDCYAN}Mounting proc filesystem:${COLOR_RESET}"
+echo -e "${BOLDCYAN}Mounting proc filesystem.${COLOR_RESET}"
 /sbin/mount -v proc /proc -n -t proc 2> /dev/null
 
 # Mount sysfs next, if the kernel supports it:
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@
 fi
 
 # Enable swapping:
-echo -e "${BOLDCYAN}Enabling swap partition:${COLOR_RESET}"
+echo -e "${BOLDCYAN}Enabling swap partition.${COLOR_RESET}"
 /sbin/swapon -a 2> /dev/null
 
 # Start FUSE, if requested:

Code: Select all

--- rc.M.orig	2010-07-28 17:07:13.288205615 -0300
+++ rc.M	2010-08-05 11:03:13.292162722 -0300
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 
 # Tell the viewers what's going to happen.
 echo
-echo -e "${BOLDYELLOW}Going to multi user mode.${COLOR_RESET}"
+echo -e "${BOLDYELLOW}Going to multi-user mode.${COLOR_RESET}"
+echo
 
 # Screen blanks after 15 minutes idle time, and powers down in one hour
 # if the kernel supports APM or ACPI power management:
@@ -75,8 +76,13 @@
   fi
 fi
 
+echo
+echo -e "${BOLDBLUE}Configuring network.${COLOR_RESET}"
+echo
+
 # Initialize the networking hardware.
 if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting network interfaces:${COLOR_RESET}"
   . /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1
 fi
 
@@ -87,13 +93,14 @@
 
 # Start networking daemons:
 if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.inet2 ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting network daemons:${COLOR_RESET}"
   . /etc/rc.d/rc.inet2
 fi
 
-# Mount any additional filesystem types that haven't already been mounted:
-mount -a -v 2> /dev/null | grep -v "already mounted"
 
 
+# Mount any additional filesystem types that haven't already been mounted:
+mount -a -v 2> /dev/null | grep -v "already mounted"
 
 # Remove stale locks and junk files (must be done after mount -a!)
 /bin/rm -f /var/lock/* /var/spool/uucp/LCK..* /tmp/.X*lock /tmp/core /core 2> /dev/null
@@ -155,6 +162,7 @@
 fi
 
 # Start the print spooling system.  This will usually be LPRng (lpd) or CUPS.
+echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting the print spooling system:${COLOR_RESET}"
 if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.cups ]; then
   # Start CUPS:
   /etc/rc.d/rc.cups start
@@ -172,9 +180,9 @@
 # hard drives and reports any problems.  Note some devices (which aren't
 # smart, I guess ;) will hang if probed by smartd, so it's commented out
 # by default.
-#if [ -x /usr/sbin/smartd ]; then
-#  /usr/sbin/smartd
-#fi
+if [ -x /usr/sbin/smartd ]; then
+  /usr/sbin/smartd
+fi
 
 # If we're using udev, make /dev/cdrom and any other optical drive symlinks
 # if some udev rule hasn't made them already:
@@ -193,10 +201,10 @@
 # /usr/doc/genpower-*/ directory.
 # You'll also need to configure a similar block in /etc/rc.d/rc.6 if you want
 # support for stopping the UPS's inverter after the machine halts.
-#if [ -x /sbin/genpowerd ]; then
-#  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting genpowerd daemon.${COLOR_RESET}"
-#  /sbin/genpowerd
-#fi
+if [ -x /sbin/genpowerd ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting genpowerd daemon.${COLOR_RESET}"
+  /sbin/genpowerd
+fi
 
 # Turn on process accounting.  To enable process accounting, make sure the
 # option for BSD process accounting is enabled in your kernel, and then
@@ -212,13 +220,13 @@
 # If you want cron to actually log activity to /var/log/cron, then change
 # -l10 to -l8 to increase the logging level.
 if [ -x /usr/sbin/crond ]; then
-  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting the cron scheduling daemon:${COLOR_RESET}"
+  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting the cron scheduling daemon.${COLOR_RESET}"
   /usr/sbin/crond -l10 >>/var/log/cron 2>&1
 fi
 
 # Start atd (manages jobs scheduled with 'at'):
 if [ -x /usr/sbin/atd ]; then
-  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting the at scheduling daemon:${COLOR_RESET}"
+  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Starting the at scheduling daemon.${COLOR_RESET}"
   /usr/sbin/atd -b 15 -l 1
 fi
 
@@ -266,14 +274,10 @@
 
 # Load ALSA (sound) defaults:
 if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Configuring sound:${COLOR_RESET}"
   . /etc/rc.d/rc.alsa
 fi
 
-# Load a custom keymap if the user has an rc.keymap script.
-if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.keymap ]; then
-  . /etc/rc.d/rc.keymap
-fi
-
 # Start the MySQL database:
 if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.mysqld ]; then
   . /etc/rc.d/rc.mysqld start
@@ -310,6 +314,12 @@
 	python /etc/rc.d/rc.services
 fi
 
+# Load a custom keymap if the user has an rc.keymap script.
+if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.keymap ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Loading custom keymap:${COLOR_RESET}"
+  . /etc/rc.d/rc.keymap
+fi
+
 # Start numlockx if it's activated.
 if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.numlock ]; then
   . /etc/rc.d/rc.numlock start
@@ -317,6 +327,7 @@
 
 # Load a custom screen font if the user has an rc.font script.
 if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.font ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLDWHITE}Loading custom screen font:${COLOR_RESET}"
   . /etc/rc.d/rc.font
 fi
 
@@ -330,6 +341,7 @@
 
 # Start the local setup procedure.
 if [ -x /etc/rc.d/rc.local ]; then
+  echo -e "${BOLDBLUE}Running local configuration tasks.${COLOR_RESET}"
   . /etc/rc.d/rc.local
 fi

Code: Select all

--- rc.6.orig	2010-07-30 18:29:57.431480624 -0300
+++ rc.6	2010-07-30 18:30:08.324661623 -0300
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 # Tell the viewers what's going to happen...
 echo
 echo -e "${BOLDYELLOW}Preparing to halt all processes.${COLOR_RESET}"
+echo
 
 # Set the path.
 PATH=/sbin:/etc:/bin:/usr/bin

Code: Select all

--- rc.4.orig	2010-07-26 00:42:53.044835775 -0300
+++ rc.4	2010-07-30 18:17:15.161480426 -0300
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@
 . /etc/shell-colors
 
 # Tell the viewers what's going to happen...
+echo
 echo -e "${BOLDGREEN}Starting up X11 session manager...${COLOR_RESET}"
+echo
 
-# Try lxdm first
+# Wait a little while.
+sleep 5
+clear
+
+# Try lxdm first,
 if [ -x /usr/sbin/lxdm ]; then
   exec /usr/sbin/lxdm
 fi
@@ -25,12 +31,12 @@
   exec /usr/bin/lxdm
 fi
 
-# Then tru slim
+# Then tru slim:
 if [ -x /usr/bin/slim ]; then
   exec /usr/bin/slim
 fi
 
-# Then try gdm
+# Then try gdm:
 if [ -x /usr/bin/gdm ]; then
   exec /usr/bin/gdm -nodaemon
 fi

[ray]

What I like about Slackware (and Salix alike) is it's simplicity. I will agree it's not easy for a new comer but it's shear simplicity always brings me back time after time. This isn't necessarily meant to be directed at you but the old adage still stands... 'If you want to learn Linux use Slackware' and if you want a slightly refined Slackware then stay with Salix, you won't be disappointed. But if you just want another Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Fedora or whatever then just use one of them instead.

End of rant

Agreed,

But, what about people who arent using salix because they want to learn linux?
I try to persuade people i know to use linux and i dont want to install ubuntu for them, its too damn slow on even computers that are 2 years old!
Salix flies on these systems and what these people mostly do is browse, chat & watch movies, for which they need no linux knowledge.

Scrolling messages confuse such people. I agree with what you say, but i dont see how adding a boot splash would un-simpilfy salix? Like i said before, you can always turn it off if you dont like it.

No offence intended, just trying to put my point forward.

[pwatk]

No offence taken, I just think it's more work for the developers that could be best spent elsewhere!

I convinced my wife to try Linux about six months ago and I started her off with OpenSUSE, a notably good looking OS. Last week I installed Salix, all she had to say about the boot messages was "what's this" followed a few minutes later by "bloody hell this is faster". She was more taken back by the DE (a subsequent question being "where's my photos" ) than the boot messages.

I suppose we'll just have to put it down to personal preference and agree to disagree.

Oops I said I wouldn't say any more, I'll shut up now

[try-alls]

although splash/plymouth can look good an if they ever get more theme-able could pimp any pc, surely the loading of images an extra things during boot will slow down the boot process?

[Akuna]

As soon as it is ok on 99% of the machines again, we will implement it again. But AFAIK this is not the case at the moment.

[mimosa]

As a curious newcomer, I don't mind either way, and as Akuna says, nobody is suggesting not bringing it back. The colours are nice, too.

Every distro I have tried has required me to be "curious" at times, even Ubuntu. But there is an important question about users who aren't curious at all. Distros like Ubuntu seem to be trying very hard to accommodate them, though in my opinion they haven't quite got there yet. With 10.04, for instance, I had to do a bit of work to fix two or three things, and maybe there were two or three more irritations I just decided to live with; but somebody like my wife would just go back to Windows. I did have to roll up my sleeves and get my hands dirty. Personally, I feel comfortable with Linux because it encourages users to be curious, contrary to Windows which encourages them to just put up with an often appallingly clunky environment and above all not to meddle.

Salix takes the distro with the reputation of being hardest of all for newcomers and makes it inviting to the curious and, largely, kind to the incurious. I still can't get my wife to use it, though. There are always those few problems, some of which you end up living with, but some important enough to really need fixing. The question is, should Linux aim to educate users into becoming more independent / "curious" and taking greater control of their working environment, or should it just aim to provide a better environment? I suspect that the distinctive qualities of Linux depend on at least a bit of the former, even at the cost of considerably reducing its potential reach.