Linux is a proof that most of the information we might want to pass to
   the kernel doesn't really fit in a list of name=value items.


actually, the information i'm mostly thinking about is network booting
configuration that currently can only be supplied by dhcp/bootp/
bootparams server.  i find it really annoying to have to reconfigure
my dhcpd.conf (including restarting dhcpd) just to use a different
root path for my test machine.  i wish i could just type "boot net
netbsd32.mp root=/export/root/sparc" to test a 32 bit kernel/userland
on my ultra2 but it's not that simple.

all that information is easily given on the linux kernel command line.
that's where i don't want to be hand-typing plists.


it would be ok if the boot loader parsed this and did something useful
with it, but, i'd also like to be able to type info like this at the
kernel when it's asking for root device information.  i'd also like to
be able to supply ip/netmask/router/server/etc on a per-boot basis,
and this all works just fine with foo=bar.


.mrg.