gentoo appears to lack the /etc/bashrc and /etc/profile files of other distros, having replaced them with /etc/skel/.bashrc and .bash_profile. The headers in these /etc/skel files claim that they will be automatically sourced on various shell startups, but they aren't. Starting a bash shell inside any X terminal does not automatically source /etc/skel/.bashrc as far as I can tell, and logins on vc/[1-6] do not automatically source /etc/skel/.bash_profile.
I dont know about you, but I have a /etc/profile. Secondly, yes we do not have a /etc/bashrc ... you are free to have your own though. Then, ~/.bash_profile is only sourced if it is a login shell. ~/.bashrc on the other hand is only sourced if it is a interactive shell (attatched to a terminal), but not a login shell. We do though source it in ~/.bash_profile, so in theory, if it is an interactive login (may it be login shell or not), ~/.bashrc should alway be sourced. Most cases that dont have any sourced is when the user do not have a shell defined in /etc/passwd. This can be set during user creation, or with the "chsh" command. As for terminals in X, most do not start as a login shell ... gnome-terminal have an option for that in preferences, where konsole have a commandline arg. If .bash rc do not get sourced even then, again check that the user have a default shell set. Unfortunately this is a pitfall for many a new user, but learning the hard way is sometimes the best ;-)
As for Martin's comment about terminals in X. When starting X from a console (startx) there is never a problem, couse I'm already logged in with a login shell, and thus my profile stuff is already there. When using a graphical login though (*DM), /etc/profile and ~/.bash_profile are never run, which sure is a hassle for new users (just browse the forums and you'll see). One way to fix this seems to be to make the session a login shell, e.g. by adding --login to the first line of the resp sessionfile in /etc/X11/Sessions. Don't know if that is the *best* way to solve the problem though. My suggestion is to make this the deafult behaviour (in one way or another) of Gentoo, removing the pitfall once and for all. Experienced users can remove the login behaviour if they want to by some reason.
Similar bugs: http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=4313 http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=4955 http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5629 http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5683 http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5699 everyone has something diff to say ... think it should all be wrapped up and put into 1 bundle though ;)
Changed the shell for /etc/X11/xdm/Xsession and /etc/X11/gdm/PreSession/Default to "/bin/bash --login". Please check the ChangeLogs, and then remerge them (xfree-4.2.1-r2, gdm).
