> Hi. I have some ignorant questions to ask members of this list. First, what
> is meant by a serial console, and how exactly does one boot off of one?

Hmm...  This would be a good one for a HOW-TO (probably worded better
than the below).

A console is the device that is the primary operator terminal.  It's the
terminal from which you should be shutting down the system, usually, and
is where special messages (booting messages, security notes, kernel
panics, etc.) are delivered.  A serial console is a serial terminal or
another computer with a terminal program that is connected to a serial
port of a machine that is configured to look for a serial console.

That is, if I hook up my PowerBook to my IIsi with the proper cables,
run ZTerm on the PowerBook (configured for 9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity,
1 stop bit), configure the NetBSD booter to look for a serial console on
the modem port, and boot NetBSD, all of the booting messages, etc. will
go to the ZTerm session, and I will be able to control the system from
there.  I could just as easily use a PC or an old VT100/Wyse60/ADM3A
terminal in place of the PowerBook.

-allen

-- 
  Allen Briggs - end killing - briggs@bev.net ** MacBSD == NetBSD/mac68k **
   Where does all my time go?  <a href="http://www.netbsd.org/">Guess.</a>