[Novalug] Does the Linux Kernel need a BSOD?

[Nick Danger]

Don E. Groves, Jr. wrote:
> So your saying that you think that BSOD support in the Kernel is a good idea?
> Even though it may require moving driver code {the Video Graphic
> handler(s) in this case} back inside the kernel.

A SOD (be it B or otherwise) is always a good idea. Maybe it doesnt need
to be graphical but there should be some trail to follow when something
goes awry. Last night I had a CentOS box go down, and come back. Nothing
on console, nothing in logs, it was almost as if we had a power blink
but nothing else did it nor did anything else register (and its on two
UPSs) VERY weird. Not that I want a machine to 'hang', but I was on top
of the 'failed ping' report within a few minutes so had I been witness
do something on the console like a BSOD "failed XXXX ; rebooting in 300
seconds", it might have been useful.

Dont we already have video support in the kernel anyway? I get a lovely
linux penguin in the corner of my screen when I boot the kernel,
assuming I give it the right 'mode' line on startup. Maybe thats not the
same thing.

Nick