Re: [gentoo-amd64] Keyboard Stops Working Under X

[Frank Peters]

On Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:13:30 -0600
Steven Lembark <lembark@×××××××.com> wrote:

>
> Q: What do you need the custom xconfig for?
>
> You might find that life is easier if you remove
> the xorg.conf, switch to evdev as the input,
>

[The following is only an innocent spiel, and is not intended
to be in any way unfriendly.]

Make life easier?  Nothing could be further from the truth.

After doing some research into making the supposedly simple change
of switching to evdev, I find that I am required to:

1) Reconfigure the kernel to include many things, such as hotplug,
which I do not want or need.

2) Install and configure udev, which is a horrendous and totally
unwarranted and needless nightmare.

3) Trash my established (and simple) /dev tree

4) Get rid of module-init-tools

5) Many other ridiculous and needless tasks that are associated with all
of the above.

And for what?  Just so that I can joyously sit back and watch X come
to life without a configuration file?  No thank you.  I'll pass.

The purpose of the edev driver, as stated in the Gentoo manual, is
only this:

"The evdev driver configures your input devices, as needed, using HAL or udev.
This allows for the X server to automatically detect the keyboard and mouse
you're using for your input devices, and removes the need to specify your
devices in xorg.conf."

I am so sorry, but I remain thoroughly unimpressed.  I know exactly
what is connected to my machine.  I do not require some convoluted
and barely workable user-space software scheme to figure it out for me.

What disturbs me the most, however, is this business about udev.

IMO, udev is the most twisted and unnecessary piece of cr** to have
ever been foisted upon the Linux world.  It is apparently the brainchild
of the Freedesktop project, who are always busily creating more bloated
graphical extravaganzas in some misguided mission to outdo Microsoft.

I refuse to jump on that garish bandwagon.  I have *real* computing
to accomplish.

For me, the appeal of Linux is that it allows the user to configure
and customize his system to suit his personal preferences, however bizarre
or unconventional those may be.  The job of the Linux developers, therefore,
should be to maintain that state of openness and not to constrain
the user to any particular methodology.  IOW, Linux is about *choice*
and not about conformity.

My choice is simple: absolutely no udev (or any equivalent).
If others desire to have it, then that is their choice, but
I should never be forced to follow along.

Hopefully, Gentoo has not lost this understanding and will strive
to maintain the wisdom.

Frank Peters