if you hadn't already known this about the PDP-8

From: Doc <doc_at_mdrconsult.com>
Date: Fri Dec 14 23:04:57 2001

On Fri, 14 Dec 2001, Boatman on the River of Suck wrote:

> I believe Linux will now run with a serial terminal. NetBSD certainly
> does.

 AFAIK, Linux has always run with just a serial terminal. It's only
lately (~18 months, I think) that you could really install it that way

> > Thirdly, is there any good reason why you can't use a serial terminal
> > linked to an RS232 port any more? In which case the PC wouldn't need a
> > video card at all, unless it needs one to pass the POST (and you don't
> > know how to patch the bios to get round it).
>
> This should work just fine. You just have to compile the kernel with the
> necessary options.

 All the kernel needs is serial and serial console support, which is
the default in all the distros I play in. You just have to know the
boottime parameters. But, again, a lot of desktop BIOS's won't POST at
all without a graphics card installed. And most folk who know how to
patch a BIOS aren't running PCs.
 Interesting fact: RedHat now accomodates a serial-console install, but
even done like that, the installed system boots looking for a VGA
console. You have to hand-edit the boot configuration after the install,
before you reboot.

 Doc
Received on Fri Dec 14 2001 - 23:04:57 GMT