Best USE flags for GNOME [solved]

davimint · n00b Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 23

I know this question has probably been asked a thousand times but I want to make sure that I've got everything covered before I continue on this install. This is my second install of Gentoo from the minimal install AMD64. The first went good untill somehow I managed to total mess up a perfectly working Gnome by not knowing anything about it ( I've always used Fluxbox ). So I've got several newbie questions that I just want to make sure of. I know you all need to know things about my system to help me out so I'll atleast go ahead and tell you I have a AMD64 system with nvidia gpu Geforce 6100 n410.

Currently, I have gotten through all the documentation up to point of "Finalizing your Gentoo Installation" except I chose not to install a boot loader becuase I'm using Grub to boot this partiton from another linux installation ( Slackware ).

I would also like to say that I'm using the Gentoo 2.6.19-r5 kernel souce which I built a custom kernel that is set up for use with the alsa in kernel driver and the correct settings in the kernel for nvidia.

On the last install, I installed X , then worked out nvidia, installed Gnome then worked out alsa....

FIrst Question: Is this the normal process to get a useable desktop or should I have went about that different ?

On my last install, I used the following: USE="qt3 qt4 arts kde gtk gnome hal avahi X cairo dvd alsa"
Note: The reason for the kde stuff was I just can't live with out k3b

Second Question: What other "Common" use flags are needed for Gnome ?

Third Qustion: At what point do you normaly "emerge world" on a mininal install, before or after you set up X and whatever
desktop suite your using ?
Note: Portage has been sync and updated and config files handled.

I really would like to make sure I'm going about this the correct way but the docs seem to go every direction once you get the base system installed. Maybe it's to each his own. Maybe it doesn't matter. I just wanted to ask.

Thanks

thorpe · Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:48 am Post subject:

1. Sorry, I can't answer, that is a statement not a question.

2. Up to you. Run emerge -pv gnome first to see what options can be enabled. Notice they are options.

3. I usually run an emerge -pvuDN world straight after an install but its up to you really.
_________________
Research before taking any advice from me. I'm still coming to grips with this myself.

davimint · n00b Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 23

thorpe:
Being a newbie I always ask questions wrong so I edited my post to reflect my questions better so everyone may be able to give me some help. I've read some docs on USE Flags but I just can't seem to get the concept. Maybe I need to read a "USE FLAGS FOR DUMMIES" Book. I don't give up easy so I'll just keep working at it till I get it.

Thanks for the reply.

thorpe · Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:45 pm Post subject:

Well, USE flags enable features. They basically just switch on and off different ./confgure options.

When you run...

nixnut · Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 4:56 pm Post subject:

Moved from Installing Gentoo to Desktop Environments.
Gnome is desktop stuff, so moved here.
_________________
Please add [solved] to the initial post's subject line if you feel your problem is resolved. Help answer the unanswered

talk is cheap. supply exceeds demand

Roman_Gruber · Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:19 pm Post subject:

hi

I suggest to use gnome-light. I use gnome-light on amd64 without any problems.
gnome is to overloaded. If you want a feature of gnome, which doesn*t gnome-light has, then emerge the appropriate package.

Use Flag:

Basically install ufed, euses, eix, splat. I don*t recommend profuse, because it screwed my make.conf file.

What does a use flag do?
euses useflagname gives a short description; therefore emerge euses
eix packagename shows packages which are available; don*t forget to run update-eix before using eix
splat packagename shows how long did a package emerge last in the past

Happy working

davimint · n00b Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 23

Thanks everyone for the help.
I've been out of town for the last few days so it sure was nice to get home and find the answers to my questions. I have a much better understand of use flags after the reading and I'll get busy again building everything tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks davimint.