Baslinux mailing list

[James Miller <jamtat AT mailsnare.net>]

I read today about an interesting project that aims to make a framebuffer 
the runs within the kernel (that's my poor grasp of what it is, anyway).  
It's something to maybe keep an eye on for BL, low-resource computing 
needs.  Problems with it currently are: 1) that it's still in very stages 
of development; 2) it's only available for more recent 2.6.x kernels (was 
available for 2.6.8, will soon be available for 2.6.9).  Here are some 
excerpts from the site, along with a url (sccreenshot available):

FBUI

FBUI is a small, in-kernel graphical user interface for Linux. It permits 
you to put windows in each framebuffer-based virtual console, to read 
keyboard input and track the mouse pointer. 

I've put this code in the kernel as a preventative measure against 
software bloat. Most programmers have the tendency to produce ever-growing 
software, and if one wants to prevent unlimited growth, it is convenient 
to put the GUI in a place that does not tolerate it -- the kernel. 

Software bloat is bad because 

* It keeps us all on the treadmill of always buying new hardware, which 
ultimately new software makes painfully slow, thus were are always falling 
behind. But the software makes the system slow because it is poorly 
designed, poorly implemented and therefore bloated. Thus the 
purchasing-treadmill is economically wasteful. 

Bloat is also bad for the Environment, since the manufacture of computer 
equipment involves the use of numerous very nasty chemicals which 
inevitably end up in the soil and water. Similarly, the disposal of 
electronics results in chemicals leaching out of circuit boards, LCDs 
(which contain mercury) and so on. 

FBUI, besides helping with Bloat Liberation, also assists people who are 
prohibited from using X Windows because they are using resource-limited 
platforms such as older computers and embedded devices. On these, X is 
often an undesired burden. FBUI is so small it could never be burden. 

Taken from: http://home.comcast.net/~plinius/fbui.html