[Cbe-oss-dev] PS3 Linux boot loader discussions

[Benjamin Herrenschmidt]

> From the Linux Live DVD/Install DVD developer's view, it's better to
> have a single common format, independent from back ends.
> If we have various config formats, Linux Live DVD/Install DVD need to
> have all corresponding config files on one DVD.
> 
> Is there any objection? If anyone doesn't have. We'll  move to discuss
> what is desirable for "common" config file, such as, "kboot.conf is a
> good for common coifig file?/Grub config is better?".

Well, the idea is to have a "primary" format (native) which will
probably be something based on grub to make things easy for distros. The
ability to parse the other formats is mostly to be compatible with
existing stuff (like YDL 5, gentoo livecd, ...)

LiveCD/DVDs don't need to install all the corresponding files at all,
they need only one, the idea is more like the bootloader can handle
several so it's backward compatible with things using kboot.conf.

> > For that, we want to start defining a proper tagged format for the
> > content of the "nvram" flash, so that bootloader, linux, distro bits
> > etc... can all use that space without walking on each other toes. I
> > haven't had time to write a formal proposal for that yet though I do
> > have some ideas based on a list of { vendor,tag,size,data... } .
> 
> This would be covered by Geoff's E-mail.

Yes. I'm happy to let him define something.

> From the Linux Live DVD/Install DVD developer's view, it's better to have
> common minimal environments. For instance, suppose that someone makes
> Live Linux on USB flash, the developer expect to boot loader has capable
> to boot it.

Well, as I said. The bootloader will support pretty much everything you
can throw at it, though we will probably define the "preferred method".

Ben.