Description of problem: By default "virsh console" connects to the serial console. If you'd like to use this you have to change grub and inittab configuration. Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): libvirt-0.6.2 Expected results: If virsh console would connect to kvm ncurses interface, it would be usable without any configuration changes on the guest system.
In the future KVM guests will have a VirtIO Console enabled by default https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=501328
What's about guests which haven't this option enabled by default (e.g. Gentoo)? Why do you deny the possibility of a ncurses interface?
A fundamental piece of the libvirt qemu driver is that all qemu processes are daemonized: I'm pretty sure this makes it incompatible with using -curses.
Any new distro which does not configure VirtIO console should be considered broken. This RFE is the core reason for VirtIO console to exist, and why libvirt will soon be enabling it by default on all guests. In addition the ncurses interfaces is associated with the VGA graphics adapter, which is automatically configured to use VNC by virt-manager/virt-install. The virsh console command connects to the first serial port console, or VirtIO console both of which are available by default regardless of VGA device config.
Thank you for this explanation :)