Boot Splash

[butterball]

I like the option of boot splash but like being able to see if there is a problem! Is it possible to have an option to enable/disable splash if it was integrated?

[Akuna]

Yes, of course, that would always be the case (verbose mode) .

[BakUp]

I like boot splashes ! Doesn't matter to me if Salix uses one or not because my three computers all have at least four different Linux distros on them.

So I just have one of the other distros boot up on their boot loader that uses the splash instead of Salix.......no problem in this case !!!

[phayz]

BakUp,

I'm not sure if two diferent things are being mixed up here. There are graphical bootloaders, which present the selection of OS to be booted, and bootsplashes, which are a graphical, (usually) animated display which occurs while the OS is itself is booting.

I do like graphical bootsplashes but I can get but without them.

[woodsman]

This thread is a tad old, but I'll post here.

I realize 13.2 is still beta, but are there plans to add a boot splash in 13.2? I do not notice one in the beta I'm testing.

From what I understand reading this thread, there are some technical challenges to providing a boot splash. Those challenges were not explicitly detailed here in this thread so I can only guess what they might be.

I prefer no boot splash but I am envisioning Salix as a system for friends and acquaintances. They all are non technical people. A boot splash is more comforting to them. They do not want to see stdout during booting.

The Salix team has added some nice polish that I have wanted for years in Slackware --- not for myself but for friends and acquaintances that I might install and help. A boot splash helps quiet their fears about Linux based systems being for geeks.

I accept that Salix is targeted primarily for "lazy Slackers" and not the non technical crowd (at least not primarily). Salix has colorized boot scripts. Nice, but not enough for the technophobes.

I also accept that the team does not want to have a custom kernel. Perhaps the default should be the upstream from Slackware, but a patched kernel with a boot splash can be just another package.

If there are plans, then if possible I would like to see an administrative option to enable or disable, as well as the standard "Press F2 for verbose mode" option.

Just hoping for the option to use a boot splash if available. Not demanding one be implemented.

Thanks.

[gapan]

I realize 13.2 is still beta, but are there plans to add a boot splash in 13.2?

No. Because there is no sane way to have a bootsplash.

[woodsman]

What are the technical issues?

Could a custom kernel with boot splash support be provided as a package in the Salix "Extra" repositories and not installed by default? That would allow some users both options and not interfere with the upstream compatibility requirement.

[gapan]

What are the technical issues?

There is just no bootsplash implementation that will work without kernel patching and with all hardware.

Could a custom kernel with boot splash support be provided as a package in the Salix "Extra" repositories and not installed by default? That would allow some users both options and not interfere with the upstream compatibility requirement.

It could. If someone is interested in creating one and maintaining it. BTW, there are no "extra" repositories.

[woodsman]

There is just no bootsplash implementation that will work without kernel patching and with all hardware.

I found two recent threads at LQ Slackware for creating a boot splash. One approach does not require kernel patching and uses stock Slackware packages.

Not to mention the many distros circulating where boot splashes are common. Still, your statement about "all hardware" must be the key I don't understand. Would provide some examples when this all breaks?

I'm trying to wrap my head around this. I want to add such a feature for friends and acquaintances. I'm not expecting upstream support. I just want to know when a boot splash will break and why.

Thanks much.

[gapan]

I found two recent threads at LQ Slackware for creating a boot splash. One approach does not require kernel patching and uses stock Slackware packages.

Not to mention the many distros circulating where boot splashes are common. Still, your statement about "all hardware" must be the key I don't understand. Would provide some examples when this all breaks?

It will probably not work in KMS enabled graphics cards. Or if it does, it will not work on graphics card with no KMS support. Another problem is stated clearly in that thread you linked. You have to know the framebuffer size so you can make the splash image exactly the same size, but you never know that.