RE: Cosmetic JFFS patch.

Torrey Hoffman
2001-06-30T18:27:09Z

(cc's trimmed a little.)

As someone who actually has created an embedded Linux distribution
for a set top box, I can say that the boot output has never been
a problem for me. I like verbose output, it's useful.

Developers probably know that once you have the system booting
nicely and you've quit messing with the kernel, you can put
APPEND = "console=/dev/tty2 CONSOLE=/dev/tty2"
in lilo.conf.

With framebuffer support and a custom, full screen boot logo, the
graphics appear immediately after the kernel starts, and no text
ever appears on screen. After init gets going, you can continue to
dump text output to tty2 while you display pretty pictures in the
framebuffer or start X.

So, I can't see verbose text output being a problem for anyone
developing for embedded systems... that memory is all freed after
boot anyway.

So here's a real copyright / trademark / GPL question:

Suppose some embedded Linux system developer wants to put their
trademarked, copyrighted logo on the screen during the boot.

So they compile it into the linux_logo.h image. It's now under the
GPL, of course... what does that do to the legal status of the logo?

Incidentally, the copyright and other messages have never bothered me.

I figure if some company is going to do me the favor of sponsoring
development of software I can use for free, I really don't mind being
reminded of it. MP3.com definitely scores karma points with me for
sponsoring Reiser, for instance.

Torrey Hoffman