On Thu, 27 Jan 2000 15:09:30 -0800 
 Hal Murray <murray@pa.dec.com> wrote:

 > Would it be reasonable for the code that gets into DDB to get linked 
 > up with the display driver (if there is one on the box) and do something 
 > simple but conspicuous like video reversal to indicate that you are 
 > in DDB rather than hung? 

If we were able to do that on a PC, we'd be able to drop you back into
text mode.

The problem is that the kernel hasn't any idea how to get PC video
cards into/out of graphics mode (because there are ... so many different
ways...)

 > or play a tune on the keyboard or ...  Anything to provide a strong 
 > hint that will indicate that the system isn't really hung.

A tune on the keyboard certainly couldn't hurt, actually....

        -- Jason R. Thorpe <thorpej@nas.nasa.gov>