Talk:BIOS: Difference between revisions

I've moved the following fromt he front page b/c someone expressed reservations about whether it's true. I'm not the person to verify it, but I think it should be gone over, and the correct parts returned to the front page. --KQ

I'm not sure about this bit...

Although BIOS technology helped to create a standard hardware platform for commodity operating systems, it also hindered the PC architecture.

Thats not NPOV

Read-Only Memory (ROM) chips are much slower to read than Random Access Memory (RAM). True. See later.

The storage capability of a ROM is also an issue, computer programs placed in ROM must be small and limited in features. In addition, BIOS code is a guarded trade secret, and the handful of vendors are often obfuscated their BIOS code to protect it from reverse-engineering. As technology advances, the features and functionalities built into the BIOS code begin to remove most of the limitations, or provide a workaround for them.

Most systems these days copy the BIOS code from the slow ROM into the faster RAM. Known as shadow RAM... done to speed up the BIOS routines.

The latest BIOS code support Plug and Play hardware components and Operating Systems, making system configuration much easier. Also, more and more manufacturer's license BIOS technology and optimize it to work with their components or systems.

My main reservation about the bits I cut out are: a) It views BIOS just a the PC BIOS everyone initially thinks of b) I'm not sure of its NPOV c) BIOS'es (in the PC ROM sense) are more like bootstrap roms than anything else, as most OS'es don't even use low level BIOS routines anymore.

Made several additions based on coding BIOSs for Phoenix Technologies. Though most people today equate BIOS = firmware = PC BIOS = boot, the first time I saw the term 'BIOS' was in 1981 source code from IBM's Technical Reference Manual. Thus, BIOS may be specific to the IBM PC, though it's meaning may have expanded in the last 20 years. Robert Keller

Is "While the name BIOS is an acronym, it is also a play on the Greek word βιος (bios) life. " intentional, or not? Dysprosia 08:15, 22 Mar 2004 (UTC)

It seems plausible to me, though of course I can't say for certain, that they thought of the meaning of the Greek word when they called the BIOS that. — Timwi 09:49, 22 Mar 2004 (UTC)

I had thought that the greek bios represented the connection that bonds your soul to your physical self. In a sense, that could be comparable to the computer bios, I guess. -Wisestfool, added July 30th

Actually to be more accurate.. the greek bios is the connection between the spirit and the body. Much like electricity (spirit) is applied to the element (body) in a light bulb, and the result is light (life,soul,bios). Life and soul are interchangable words for the greek bios. Spirit, soul and body are what make up our triune nature. - added November 17th, 2004

This is interesting, but still doesn't answer the question of intentionality? Suggest removing the sentence or changing unless a reference can be found? Chris Wood 03:27, 26 Jan 2005 (UTC)

I've changed the sentence to "may be" a play on the word Chris Wood 01:02, 5 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Can we please get some mention of the new EFI BIOS?

The link to INT appears to be incorrect. The author was probably referring to the CPU 'interrupt' instruction. (Example interrupt table.)

--Bobbymcr 15:58, 20 Sep 2004 (UTC)

I think the whole BBS section needs to go. Its more of a suggestion than a specification. As far as I know the "BBS API" is just the PnP and PCI config space which the BBS suggests a BIOS read to get device information. Granted, its been 5 years since I read this "specification", but it was no specification the last time I saw it. It pointed out issues and problems but didn't have hard-line solutions for most of them. Furthermore, the issues it did try to solve, if implemented, no one would use/buy the result. Has there been an update since the original? If so, I haven't seen it. In short, BBS should not be taken seriously.

Some comments about the article: “which at a minimum drives the keyboard and provides primitive output to a display. ” This is incorrect. There is no need for keyboard support and the output to a display is misleading (especially on the primitive note). For example, A server BIOS has no need for keyboard support and for USB keyboard, the BIOS needs only to support USB HID’s and not act as a driver for the KBC. Rather, at a minimum, the BIOS initializes memory and programs the memory controller. Also, it discovers and initializes buses on the system (be it PCI, ISA, PCI-E or whatnot).

As for the primitive output display – it seems this “primitive” aspect should be something more about ASCII which could be on a local display or sent out say a serial port to a remote display. In the latter case, the display function, strictly speaking, is not supported. Maybe it would be better to say it would support ASCII console (at a minimum). That could be local or remote.

“most modern BIOS implementations” I would say all BIOSes are modern, maybe contemporary would put a finer point on it.

“My main reservation about the bits I cut out are: a) It views BIOS just a the PC BIOS everyone initially thinks of b) I'm not sure of its NPOV c) BIOS'es (in the PC ROM sense) are more like bootstrap roms than anything else, as most OS'es don't even use low level BIOS routines anymore.”

I am not sure what this is referencing, but it has an inaccurate characterization in it. That is to say, sure contemporary OSes no longer use the runtime services provided by the BIOS, but they are still provided. It is still a useful thing to be able to boot to DOS. If we are talking about this stuff, then it seems fair to mention ACPI as well.

As to EFI, I can draft up something if you would like. It is going to be the new PC standard. Starting with longhorn, and theoretically afterwards the only MS supported firmware interface. There are some introductory things about it on Intels website.

I reverted the changes made to the article by 217.43.173.223. Moron. 68.9.205.10 03:02, 29 Dec 2004 (UTC)

BIOS is also the Greek word for "life".

Would be a good idear, especially a new page for the changes made by 80.222.200.41 (talk · contribs), which by the way seems like some kind of hidden advertising to me, would be nice. RoceKiller 12:01, 30 May 2005 (UTC)[reply]