Hmm...
% size Xaccel-elf
text data bss dec hex filename
322516 43141 78908 444565 6c895 Xaccel-elf
% size s3.ddx
text data bss dec hex filename
231057 1660 20 232737 38d21 s3.ddx
Doesn't seem too big to me (and this will probably more-or-less match the size
of the modules, which _do_ seem to big to me for the kernel). If you don't
like the GUI people put on top of the X Windows server, try this: install the
VGA font, rip the VT100 emulator from xterm or the kernel, start X and create
a 1024x768 window for the terminal emulator with the VGA font. Now, the only
thing you'll have to do is to put console switching into the X server (should
be easy enough) and you're all done.
The reason the X server eats so much core is mainly that all kinds of windows
are created with backing store etc. But most of the time my server settles
down at about 3.5Mb RSS, which I presume includes mmap'ing the 2Mb card memory
(even when it doesn't, I think it's acceptable).
Personally, I think kernel-level VGA drivers is reinventing the wheel (if you
want to optimise stuff, you'll need to know about monitors, frequencies, and
all) and not nearly as flexible as X11.
Just my Hfl 0.02...
-- Cees de Groot <C.deGroot@inter.NL.net> OpenLink Software, Inc.