On Thu, Jul 31, 2025 at 8:19 AM Dan Purgert <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Jul 31, 2025, mick.crane wrote: > > I've never really known what a serial console is. > > Say in relation to a Raspberry Pi or Arduino > > Skipping a *LOT* of history (and linguistics, etc), a "serial console" > is a "console" (user interface) provided remotely to the device in > question over a serial communications channel. I don't believe the term > really came into use until *after* ethernet took over. > > You see this pretty frequently in networking gear or similar devices > that don't have need for their own "video" output capabilities (VGA or > whatever). Provided that the network is actually working, chances are > that you won't use the "serial console" to manage the device -- you'll > just use telnet or ssh, rather than lugging your laptop and a serial > cable down to the network closet. > > > I assumed a serial console was a device with a screen and keyboard. > > If you're thinking of things like the VT-100; I believe that the > physical device would be referred to as a "Terminal" (which would then > allow you to access the machine Console). > > It's pretty fuzzy though -- since if "console" means "user interface", > then the VT-100 (being a physical manifestation of "user interface") is > a console. Not 100% sure what makes the distinction there. > > > When people talk about a serial console they are talking about > > connecting a Debian PC to a device with a parallel, wired cable to a > > parallel port or an adaptor on a PC and emulating this console thing > > with software? > > Well, a "Serial" cable, but otherwise yes. The "console" itself isn't > really emulated.
If Gene doesn't chime in here I will be worried about him.
