This caused me a bit of a headache so maybe it could be avoided for others. I feel that it's safer just to add the http_proxy to make.conf for the following reasons: * Editing /etc/make.conf is simpler than /etc/profile * Can't get confused and add it to your env and not roots * sudo does not by default inherit env variables and so even with http_proxy set in /etc/profile a sudo emerge will not work.
You must have missed the part where we already talk about it in the Portage handbook: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=3&chap=2#doc_chap4 We leave advanced topics like this to the frequently mentioned Portage handbook rather than clutter up the main installation handbook. Still, thanks for the thought.
I didn't miss that part. But in fact proxies are already mentioned in the "Installing Gentoo" section of the "Gentoo Linux x86 Handbook" http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=3#doc_chap1 so it's not unrealistic to expand this section slightly. If a user has to deal with a proxy server then it makes sense at this point to suggest a more permanent way of adding the environment variables. I just discovered that the example of adding a permanent http_proxy environment variable is an example in the chapter on environment variables: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=2&chap=5#doc_chap2 It might be nice to add a link to here from http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=3#doc_chap1 What about adding something like this above heading "Testing the network": If you'd like to make these environment variables permanent please take a look at http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=3#doc_chap1
It's not possible to edit /etc/make.conf as that point, as nothing has been installed on the system yet. Only possible once Portage has been installed, and since you've already exported the variables, your proxies are still in use. That's why we list proxy usage in make.conf in the separate handbook for Portage topics only; so that you can do it *once you have an installed system*. Users don't need to see text on dealing with something 40 pages too early; they haven't even installed anything yet, much less begun initial Portage configuration.
