Re: [gentoo-dev] Base profile changes should be announced/discussed on this list.

[Douglas Freed]

On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 5:53 AM, Walter Dnes <waltdnes@××××××××.org> wrote:
> On Wed, Jul 31, 2013 at 08:21:20AM +0200, Michael Weber wrote
>> Mostly everything is configurable, and revertable as user - granted.
>>
>> I'd like to see a announcement and an optional discussion on this list
>> if base profile gets changed [0] - current case bug 449364 [1].
>>
>> I'm not opposed to the specific change, or base system changes in
>> general, but I don't like seeing them slip thru under the radar.
>>
>> Just have the honesty and brin gsuch changes to public.
>>
>> [In this case] having an working mouse copy'n'paste eases the way from
>> stage3 to a set up X server, X server tends to break, and it doesn't
>> collide with X anymore.
>> So it only needs <1MB data [2], which is very usefull editing stage3
>> with it's default editor - nano.
>> I see the point that's it's useless on headless virtual boxes.
>>
>> my 2 cents.
>
>   Hold on a minute.  There is a *MAJOR* difference between "gpm" the USE
> flag, and sys-libs/gpm the mouse server.  I'm one of those weird guys
> who starts USE with "-*".  And I do not have "gpm" the USE flag enabled.
> I do, however, have sys-libs/gpm running just fine, thank you, minus the
> "gpm" flag.  I can assure you that gpm works just fine during the
> install, even without the gpm flag.
>
>> I see the point that's it's useless on headless virtual boxes
>
>   Actually, if you ssh into the virtual box from a text console, it
> still works.
>
>   If there was a move afoot to remove sys-libs/gpm from the install ISO,
> I would be part of the crowd up in arms about this.  But that's totally
> a separate item from the USE flag.  Since I've never used the gpm USE
> flag, I have to ask... what additional goodies does USE="gpm" bring to
> the table?  How exactly, does it improve things beyond the basic
> sys-libs/gpm?

For most packages, USE=gpm builds them with the gpm library, which
generally allows the built program to have the same mouse support on
console as it does in an X environment.  For example, with vim and
USE="X", do ':set mouse=a', and you can use the mouse to navigate and
do selections while in X.  If you add USE="gpm", you can do the same
things in the console environment, which is really handy if you
haven't yet mastered vim's myriad of movement commands.

>
> --
> Walter Dnes <waltdnes@××××××××.org>
> I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications
>

-Doug