I don't really know if this is a bug, but I think that it is. If it isn't please let me know and close the bug. :) I'm building a new system using 1.4_rc2 iso and the stage3-i586-1.4_rc2.tbz2 tarball.. The system is a K-6 based system. I've reasched the point of adding metalog and vcron to the default runlevel. The next step for me is to emerge rp-pppoe as I require this. # emerge -p rp-pppoe shows the following dependencies: freetype-2.1.3-r2 ttmkfdir-3.0.4 cabextract-0.6 fontconfig-2.1-r1 opengl-update-1.5 xfree-4.2.1-r2 ppp-2.4.1-r12 rp-pppoe-3.5 The last two I think I understand, but the first six are a mystery to me. I haven't even installed grub yet, much less booted up my new kernel for the first time. Could someone _please_ clue me in here?
this is from rp-pppoe try -X in your USE flags
rp-pppoe has the ability to build a GUI for X ... the default USE flags has X in them ... if you have not yet setup your USE variable in make.conf, then the default setup is to enable X support on your machine ... hence all these packages (they are all required by X, and X is being pulled in by rp-pppoe)
Interesting. Thank you for the information. I was not aware that rp-pppoe was capable of building an X-GUI. I only re-opened this because I think some documentation should be changed and to add this comment / question. Should rp-pppoe be allowed to install X-windows during the installation of Gentoo? This would be especially confusing to people installing Gentoo for the first time, more especially after reading the gentoo installation documentation and the desktop installation documentation. This is because the installation documentation doesn't mention the possible X-windows dependencies for rp-pppoe (unless I just plumb missed 'em) and the desktop documentation does mention X-windows installation in great detail. Perhaps the install documentation be changed to something like: If you need to install rp-pppoe blah - blah ... code --- # export USE="-X" # emerge rp-pppoe Please note: because pppoe support was not included in earlier live cds, I always had to load ppp and rp-pppoe manually from tarballs. As a result, I've never seen the X-windows stuff before. :-) I really do think that during the Gentoo install phase is not where you want to install X-windows. You may close this immediately. I'm not sure if and who receives new emails if closed bugs are updated but left closed. Which is the real reason I re-opened it. Thanx again!
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-x86-install.xml Section 11 it mentions setting up your USE variable in your make.conf no documentation needs to be updated imo
ZheN, can you check please and make sure that users are aware of USE documentation at some point during their install. With 1.4 coming up soon on release, this could be a common thing.
s/ZheN/docs-team, sorry
Section 11 says to set your USE settings. Unfortunately, you need to know what you want to set and why. Section 17 mentions building support for pppoe in the kernel. Section 18 has the single line: # emerge rp-pppoe. The documentation does not need to be changed _if you already know what you're doing_! By definition, n00bs don't know what they're doing or what they want and why. If you're going to be setting up an X-windows desktop after installation, then the X-windows dependencies of rp-pppoe are going to confuse many new users during gentoo installtion. In other words, installing X-windows at this point really has nothing to do with installing gentoo proper. I expect that most people simply won't know (like me) about the possible dependency relationship between X-windows and rp-pppoe. Section 18 should be changed as I indicated above and a line should be added that this will postpone the instaling of X-windows until the user is ready to install their desktop. Side note: I've always hated that sentence in section 11 about setting your USE settings because it has no information on what you might want and why. The referenced USE document also does not address what you might want and why. It simply gives information on _how_ to change the settings. Of course, this is just my opinion. :-) The usual YMMV applies.
Thinking on it further, I don't think Section 11 of the install guide and an expansion of the USE instructions is the correct place to enhance the documentation. I do indicate that Section 18 should be modified, but I don't really explain why. If you start expanding the setting of USE flags comment in section 11, the documentation folk will need an extended explanation similar to the extended explanation regarding building the kernel. Personally, I think this would be more confusing to new installers rather than less. In fact, I happen to think that the kernel options discussion _is_ more confusing rather than less but that's a different tangent. :-) OTOH. Just add '# export USE="-x" before the emerge statement in Section 18 with a single explanatory sentence. This will let the new gentoo installer emerge rp-pppoe without surprises and without spending hours emerging stuff they're not ready for. Hope this helps!
seems already fixed: # USE="-X" emerge rp-pppoe Note: The USE="-X" prevents pppoe from installing its optional X interface, which is a good thing, because X and its dependencies would also be emerged. You can always recompile rp-pppoe with X support later.
Yes, I noticed it had been updated when I built a new system last night. :-) And the emerge went exactly as expected in a timely fashion!!!! Thanx to whomever updated it. It is appreaciated.
