>Hi, > >Portage User Guide requires an > emerge -u system >after each > emerge rsync. > >An > emerge -pu system >shows about _15_ packages: Well, baselayout, bash, fileutils,... - >these are quite understandable (no objections;-). Then vim, vim-core >- I don't use vim seriously, yet (just nano, mc[edit] to tweak >config files; kate under KDE), but let it be (part of class >"system"). Then some packages whose function I don't know, most of >them sporting "util" as part of their name;-> > >I'm not a Linux expert (not a newbie either) and can't tell, which >upgrades are necessary and which ones are just nice to have and >could be postponed. > >But the _fat surprise_ is the new release of _XFree86_ (4.3.0). >Would the installed release 4.2.x[1] really fail under the new >baselayout? If I knew a compelling reason for upgrading XFree86, and >had known it before rsync-ing, I wouldn't have written this posting. >(BTW, the currently installed release was forced on me the same way, >and I didn't like it, then.). An upgraded X throws about 20 config >files at me, and I still can't get used to rc-update's sdiff-stuff. > >My question is: Does emerge -u system upgrade only the necessary >minimum? (to keep the system running), or does it more? Will there, >in the future, be more control and less surprise for the user? > >Since I have only 1 PC (P3/1GHz) and share it between Win2k & >Gentoo, endless compilations are a problem for me.
My wife's machine is still using Xfree86 4.2. I've update several small packages in the process of adding one or two things she wants. I've not had any problem updating individual packages, leaving the bulk of the system alone. (My wife is very particular about leaving her machine unchanged once things are working well.) I also use a dual-boot machine at work. Because of the need for availability there, I NEVER update anything except security-related packages. (I just check the forums for the announcements there.) If you really want to keep everything up-to-date, nice is your friend: nice -n 15 emerge -u system ought to keep things usable. -rex -- [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list
