Gentoo GNOME 3.30 for all init systems

GNOME 3.30 is now available in Gentoo Linux testing branch.
Starting with this release, GNOME on Gentoo once again works with OpenRC, in addition to the usual systemd option. This is achieved through the elogind project, a standalone logind implementation based on systemd code, which is currently maintained by a fellow Gentoo user. It provides the missing logind interfaces currently required by GNOME without booting with systemd.

For easier GNOME install, the desktop/gnome profiles now set up default USE flags with elogind for OpenRC systems, while the desktop/gnome/systemd profiles continue to do that for systemd systems. Both have been updated to provide a better initial GNOME install experience. After profile selection, a full install should be simply a matter of `emerge gnome` for testing branch users. Don’t forget to adapt your system to any changed USE flags on previously installed packages too.

GNOME 3.32 is expected to be made available in testing branch soon as well, followed by introducing all this for stable branch users. This is hoped to complete within 6-8 weeks.

If you encounter issues, don’t hesitate to file bug reports or, if necessary, contact me via e-mail or IRC. You can also discuss the elogind aspects on the Gentoo Forums.

Acknowledgements

I’d like to thank Gavin Ferris, for kindly agreeing to sponsor my work on the above (upgrading GNOME on Gentoo from 3.26 to 3.30 and introducing Gentoo GNOME elogind support); and dantrell, for his pioneering overlay work integrating GNOME 3 with OpenRC on Gentoo, and also the GNOME and elogind projects.

16 thoughts on “Gentoo GNOME 3.30 for all init systems”

  1. Are those changes going to be contributed back to gnome upstream so other than gentoo distro can profit as well (if it’s possible at all)?

    1. * Some packages simply need to allow elogind as a logind interface provider at runtime as a choice alongside systemd, without any buildtime dependency to handle
      * Some upstream packages already supported the choice in their 3.30 version or earlier
      * Some patches are still pending in upstream merge requests, including from other people than me
      * Some autotools packages were made to support elogind by making use of autotools precious variables support (pretending it found systemd or systemd-logind), which the pkg-config macros make use of – elogind is a drop-in replacement for the things it implements, afterall. Other distributions could use the same approach. I did not yet go upstream for those myself, as the patches will need to be (eventually) made against meson instead, which I’ll look at for 3.32 bumps if upstream had converted by then, or once they do and I need to patch it to keep the support with a Gentoo bump.

      The bulk of the work was in good quality upgraded packages for 3.30 and various other systemd/elogind unrelated work to get there. A lot of the elogind related work had been done by others already, I just did what was left to have it all going for GNOME in the Gentoo main tree. And of course the main thing giving the choice is the elogind project, which I am not involved with.

      If someone wants to add support for GNOME with elogind in their distro, they can feel free to get in touch with me for any extra advice they need.

  2. This is what makes Gentoo feel like Gentoo; offering choice, and a community that appreciates it. Thanks for all the efforts!

  3. Thank you very much for your work, time and devotion. As Dave says, “This is what makes Gentoo feel like Gentoo”.

  4. I’d like to thank you for your work. I am just a user, not a developer, so cannot yet make these modifications myself. These choices are very important to me – as I enjoy GNOME, but dislike systemd on principle.

  5. Not sure why my comment never showed here, but I’m commenting on your good work on principle: Gentoo is about choice and this effort on GNOME furthers that value! Thanks for the fantastic work!

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