John Dangler wrote:
I have just installed a basic 2005.1 system (2.6.12-r6) on my laptop. I'm
trying to get my arms around the USE flags. I found a set of 'default'
settings (I think) under /usr/portage/profiles/base/use.defaults . From
what I've read in the gentoo documentation, this seems to be a list of
default USE= flags. What I'd like to try and get to is, a difference
between what's there and the 'total' list, and why would I add others to my
own make.conf file?
Thanks, as always, for the input.
John D
I believe it takes the default USE flags from
/usr/portage/profiles/default-linux/x86/make.defaults (since I am on a x86)
The way the system works is that it applies those default USE flags
unless you say otherwise. The way to alter the default USE flags for
your system is to edit your /etc/make.conf and make
additions/subtractions from the USE flags. Basically this is a way to
customise your system to the way you want it.
This site shows them all and a brief description
http://www.gentoo.org/dyn/use-index.xml
The best way to see what USE flags are currently set is
# emerge info
as this takes into account the defaults and all the changes you have
made through /etc/make.conf
For instance in the default USE flags has
USE="alsa apm arts avi berkdb bitmap-fonts crypt cups eds....(many more)"
If you don't have a printer on your system, there is little point in
having cups as a USE flag (it will add unnecessary time to compile your
packages). So in your /etc/make.conf file you can put
USE="-cups"
Same thing if you don't want to use kde, and say you want to have
mozilla support on your system as well you would end up with.
USE=-cups -kde mozilla"
Then if you run
# emerge info
again it will have removed cups and kde from the USE flags and added
mozilla to the list as well.
Hope that helps
Peter
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