On 23:47 Sat 19 Jan , Walter Dnes wrote: > ... > On a lark, I once tried the "default/linux/x86/10.0" profile for a > re-install on my netbook without "-*". I soon ended up with more "-" > entries in make.conf and package.use, than I have add-on entries when > using "-*". And I was only half-way through installing the apps I > normally use. I went back to "-*". >
I have to admit that I've been using USE="-* <myflags>" in my server boxes for
a long
time now, however it's a nasty hack and I wish for a better alternative.
Profiles exist for reasons, bypassing them may break things unless you
know what you're doing and you're active in Gentoo's community (so that
have knowledge of certain bugs/news/discussions in mailing lists etc.).
The problem is not with experienced users who can find their way. It is
with newcomers. I like the idea of having minimal base profiles and on
top of them desktop and/or server profiles enabling certain things.
Because newcomers will not have to scratch their heads (as I wrote
previously) from the first moment, if they enable one of them.
Of course, even experienced users sometimes may become frustrated,
when doing everything manually. (-* etc.). And things become more
complex as time passes (new EAPIs, new portage features).
This thread is about suggestions on better server profiles and need to
think about that. For example,I would like to see a server profile with
iptables and iproute2 on the system set. Maybe also a logger or
a metapackage pulling certain packages (eg. bind-tools and nfs-utils).
But it's just me, and it's a matter of taste/experience. I don't build
server machines every day, others do and it would be much appreciated if
they could respond here.
Just, let's don't forget that profiles are not only about USE flags
(because most discussions have been about the latter).
--
Panagiotis Christopoulos ( pchrist )
( Gentoo Lisp Project )
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