> > The _FONT_ is loaded into the videocard - when necessary...
> > ... this could be stored in virtual-mem and reloaded if necessary...
>
> There is no kernel facility for accessing virtual memory. Creating
> such a facility would be very expensive.
Definitely userspace then... (but one adjustment : can access virtual
memory [jump through hoops]; How about create?)
> > FWIW the font remapping and font itself are quite small: 8bitx16x256 chars
> > being normal == 4096 bytes per font (1 page). though there ARE 2-page
> > fonts I would guess.
>
> 8bit x 32 x {256,512} = 8192 or 16384 bytes.
Whoops - I was thinking of the TGA code (8bitx16).... Though FWIW VGA
only seems to use 8bit X 16....
> > Alright, already <g>.. But ARE there any problems with the 8bit -> Unicode
> > -> console mappings?
>
> No, I think it is the right thing to do.
I rephrase : Are there any known problems with the 8bit -> Unicode ->
console mapping code in the kernel?
> A graphical console is a good example of something that belong in
> userspace IMNSHO, both for complexity and flexibility.
Yes - but device access MUST be _moderated_ by the kernel!
(unlike X)
But that's neither here nor now - and noone is likely to allow this into
the kernel even if it worked <sigh>. Been through that fight before
(though I was a spectator the last time).
G'day, eh?
- Teunis