Hello Gilbert,

  GF> the problem with i386 is the console is not using
    > framebuffer but a mode that is available on all video
    > cards and you cannot load any font like you would do
    > on a framebuffer based machine like powerpc, sparc and
    > some other machines, sadly.
    >
    > you can load a 8x16 or 8x8 font...

Also 8x10 according to the vga driver man page.

  GF> the trick to be able to load any font we would like is
    > to write code to support use of framebuffer. trouble:
    > this has to be done for (almost) each kind of graphic
    > card. so we would have to write code for (for example)
    > ati cards, then nvidia cards and so on and we might
    > even have to handle some brand cards in different ways
    > according to their revision or model. best would be to
    > have a framebuffer device with code on kernel land (a
    > core team member would know better so we should ask
    > them) like it's done on linux. 

It sounds as though this would generate a lot of work, and
I'm not sure how many people would take advantage of it.
Perhaps limiting support to VESA standard modes could help
though.

  GF> trouble is framebuffer hits the video ram of card, so
    > you get one console...

Ah, that's a drawback that I had not considered.

  GF> i dont recall what's the 12" resolution on boot, but
    > as far i remember it's 8-bit depth set to the default
    > display resolution (which is 800x600 and can be set to
    > 1024x768).

106 2/3 DPI... interesting.

  GF> i'm gonna grab my sister's ibook and install a netbsd
    > there + panther. from it i'll write an install howto +
    > small font on console.  i'll tell you once done, won't
    > take me too long.

Thanks.  Perhaps you could keep Mark's question in mind too:
think about how he can use a larger font.

- Andy Ball