gentoo update

[Brian Densmore]

Well, my latest travails into the bowels of gentoo. Be forewarned, 
if you do gentoo, you might want to consider using the generic
installer.
The 686 precompiled version seems to have several flaws.

1. no zoneinfo directory, thus one cannot set the localtime
2. They did not compile a c++ compiler, so if you want some odd program
like
say KDE or gnome, you must go into something like
/usr/[idontrecall]/portage/sys-devel and
modify the gcc-2.95-something.ebuild file and add ",c++" to the
--enable-languages
option, and do emerge gcc to rebuild the gcc compiler. [sigh]
3. plus other minor bugs, relevant only to users who ignore their
instructions, and try to do things they don't expect you to. ;')

On the bright side doing this command: emerge kde-utils
 - goes out and finds all the dependencies like libpng, libjpeg, qt, X
and builds them all. Also the basic build builds all the necessary tools
[except for that little c++ bug],  to install all future programs. Now,
all one would need to do to make this a truly useful-for-non-techies
distro is to create compiled application packages. For those users who
want instant gratification.

Brian

 "Three OS's from corporate-kings in their towers of glass, 
Seven from valley-lords where orchards used to grow, 
Nine from dotcoms doomed to die, 
one from the dark lord Gates on his dark throne 
In the Land of Redmond where the Shadows lie. 
one OS to rule them all, one OS to find them, 
one OS to bring them all and in the darkness bind them, 
In the Land of Redmond where the Shadows lie."    john thrum