[syslinux] Opinions about timeout

[Jim Cromie]

H. Peter Anvin wrote:

> I'm increasingly getting to be of the opinion that the current timeout 
> behaviour of the menu system is ridiculous.  I did it this way because 
> someone on this list had expressed concern that serial port glitches 
> would trigger a character which then would cause the thing to sit 
> indefinitely.  Well, first of all, such an automatic system would 
> hardly use the menu system, and second of all, I think it's optimizing 
> for the wrong thing.
>
> Thus, I'm proposing -- and I would like comments -- of reverting the 
> menu system to "you press a key - the timeout stops."  I might 
> eventually introduce an optional "grand timeout" for both the CLI and 
> the menu (if no selection within time X, boot the default regardless), 
> but it wouldn't make it into 3.11.
>
> Yes/no/maybe?
>
>     -hpa
>

If someone doesnt like the existing timeout, they can always hit TAB on 
any selection.
That stops the countdown indefinitely, and escape brings you back, 
allowing you
to choose another item.

All else being equal, customers prefer menus,
and whether this glitch-prevention timeout was paranoid is irrelevant;
its in now, and harmless. (unless its clutter that makes the next 
feature harder)

maybe display/feedback tweaks are in order:

while counting down:
    hit TAB to halt countdown, or to edit selection.

while in boot-edit mode, add a hint:
    hit ESC to return to main menu