Re: svgalib + framebuffer

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From: Tony Nugent (tony@growzone.com.au)
Date: Mon 26 Jun 2000 - 07:47:36 IDT


On Sun Jun 25 2000 at 12:30, Matan Ziv-Av wrote:

> > I'm just wondering if svgalib is now, or will soon be, able to work
> > with framebuffer text modes (that are set using the kernel's
> > framebuffer device at bootup, eg, "vga="791").
> 
> Theoretically it should work now.

Nice to hear...

> I don't use fbright now, but I got some reports of svgalib interacting
> well with fb.

That is even better to hear!  :-)

Normally I would regard framebuffer text modes (with a Tux or two up
there looking at you from the top of the screen) as cool but little
more than a mere gimick - sort of like "it can be done, so why not
do it".

Now that I have inherited a nice little laptop, I'm now using it
seriously... the stupid chipset on the card (trident cyber) simply
refuses to be coerced into doing any VESA 132-column modes, and text
modes occupy only 50% of the available screen.  But with the
framebuffer, not only do I get an opportunity to impress people by
putting Tux on display, I can get a nice usable 128x48 screen with a
font that covers the entire screen.

Anyway, I can now feel much more confident in attempting to use
svgalib applications from now on.  Thanks.

BTW, according to the documentation in the redhat 6.2 reference
guide (which I have been browsing through recently), it seems that
svgalib is on the "soon to be depreciated" list (probably to be put
into the powertools collection as an "optional" package).
Personally, I think that this is a misjudgement on their part...

Cheers
Tony
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  Tony Nugent <Tony@growzone.com.au>    Systems Administrator, RHCE
  GrowZone OnLine       (a project of) GrowZone Development Network
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