KDE 4.2 on Gentoo – Part 1: The Preparation

So it’s almost 4 days  installing KDE4.2 on Gentoo. It’s a long process. All the compiling is just too long. Takes a long time to compile something, then if a dependency is recompiled, and kdelibs need to be recompiled. Current sets and ebuilds don’t track this stuff properly. This is why the packages are still masked. But if you’re willing to spend time and work on the install, it should be possible to install KDE 4.2.

This post will talk about preparing for a KDE install.

You can install KDEfrom the kde-testing overlay or using the sets in the new protage 2.2. The new portage is masked, so you will have unmask it and then install it.

Step 1: Upgrade Portage to 2.2

The latest portage is Portage 2.2_rc23. To unmask this edit the file: /etc/portage/package.keywords. Add the line shown below:

=sys-apps/portage-2.2_rc23 ~x86

You are ready to install portage. To install the new portage, run the command shown below.

emerge -av =sys-apps/portage-2.2_rc23

Step 2: Sync emerge 

emerge --sync

Step 3: Update the eix database.

update-eix

If you do not have eix, you’re missing out on a real nifty search tool. You can install it by running the command:

emerge -av app-portage/eix

Now your search database and portage cache should be up to date.

To Be Cont’d.

Part 2: KDE 4.2 on Gentoo – Part 2: The KDE Pre-Requisites

Part 3: KDE 4.2 on Gentoo – Part 3: The KDE Install

New Year

The new year has been slow. Haven’t been doing much this year so far expect work and watch shows. Star Trek mostly.

Merry Christmas!

Well, to the few readers that read this blog, I wish you a very Merry Christmas! And a happy new year.

Let’s not forget the real reason for Christmas.

For to us a child is born, 
to us a son is given, 
and the government will be on his shoulders. 
And he will be called 
Wonderful Counselor, [b] Mighty God, 
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (From NIV)

And,

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (From NIV)

Christmas is Here!

Well, it’s not here yet…. However, the season is here. :D.

It’s nice to take a break. Been on vacation the last week. It’s been nice. To just not have to worry about going to work for a while. Of course, it’s also good to go to work and get out of the house. Going out also helps with social interaction. It’s nice to just get out and see people. It also helps stay more active. But it’s also nice to stay home for a while and not have to worry about getting out in the cold.

It’s been cold the last week. Very nice! It is the right kind of Christmas season. Just very very cold. Iced over a little. Enjoying the Christmas and the time off. Then back to work. One positive thing about work is that it makes one appreciate the vacation.

Well Some Slow Days

It’s been a few days since I had stepped outside the apt. Today I went outside after 2 days. In the last few days, I’ve just sat around and played online and socialized online. Logging into irc channels (technical  channels for help and helping), watching Star Trek and Chuck on the computer. I finally have the firewall issues fixed on the Windows XP computer so I can VNC into it. Using the laptop running xubuntu, for web surfing and occasional logging into the XP computer for remote control.

It’s been a nice reflection on the past habits of just staying home and doing online activities. But I have also increasingly seen the need to get out more and socialize with “real” people. Soon, I will take care of that, God Willing!

A friend called today to ask if I wanted to hang out. But today just hasn’t been an active day. I told him sorry I couldn’t hang out today. Will talk during the week.

Chasing a Dream?

Got tired of going to work and doing nothing all day. Well, it’s not nothing. But it’s meaningless work.

It’s not work you’d think of later and feel satisfaction of knowing that you spent your time, time out of your life, doing something that meant something. Something that contributed to society in some meaningful way. Or something that was enjoyable to do. It’s all politics with the internal customer and games. Tell something here and tell something there.

On the other hand, the super markets have reduced my 401k by a good 30%. Last checking showed about 30% down. Good thing I don’t have to retire in the next five years. Although, that would be nice. I’d like to work towards retiring early and then doing something more fun. Some like playing videos games on the computer…. No just kidding. Something like travelling the world or so.

Until then, I’ll try to think of something else I can do.

On a yet another note, I have been watching Team Knight Rider on Hulu. Fun times in college when late night, I used to watch that show. Along with the many other Nick At Nite shows. Never worried about mid terms or finals or what have you…

More Breakaway Ideas?

It was pointed to me that the trip is over and the “little breakaway” is over. And now breakaway must be explained again and a new meaning must be assigned to it.

This whole time, I have been just wanting to catalog ideas and implement some of those ideas in the breakaway sense. So a little breakaway here and a little there. Just something to make a little break from the regular 9 to 5 rut. Something fun to do. I have quite a few ideas to work on. The biggest ones are:

  1. Bike – Buy a motorbike. The summer is almost over so it will have to be next spring. However, the winter time might give good opportunities to buy a bike.
  2. Music – Find a band to play with. Currently, looking for an apartment and then will try to find more musicians to hang out with.

More ideas as I think of them will be listed here. I’ll try to do some of these things on the list so that I’ll get a little chance to think in different directions and to focus on some of my goals.

Normal Routine

So went to the Church this morning. Went and washed the car afterwards. Skipped laundry. Have enough shorts and socks to last another 2-3 weeks. However, t-shirts might need to be re-used. That’s OK.

Went to the Texas State Fair yesterday. Had some some Turkey leg. Smoked Turkey leg. Ended up throwing it up at nite. It just wasn’t sitting right. Felt much better in a little bit after that. It was probably the contacts and a sunny day along with dehydration that really caused a big headache. I had a big headache at the end of the day and was driving home thinking, “How can I do this?”. “How can I reach home without passing out from the thumping head?” In the end, it was over and I was glad and I thanked God that the whole ordeal was finished.

Next time, Vitamin water and backup glasses. If the contacts bother, just take them out….

:)

Driving Into The Sun

Driving Into The Sun

 

On the morning of Sep 23rd, I left Redlands, CA for Dallas, TX. Stopped overnight in Albuquerque, NM.

Leaving was hard on many levels. I was leaving with a heavy heart. Leaving with the sense of unaccomplishment. I had meant to do so many things in California and I had gotten almost none of those done. I had gotten stuck in a weird rut and not been able to break free of it. Efforts of renting out a new place were not successful since the price per apartment is so high in Cali. In Santa Monica or Los Angeles area it is much more expensive than Redlands. So moving was not gonna happen. Didn’t get to find a band and play. Kept focusing on the wrong things. Had met a new personal low. Feeling rejected by family really does wonders. This was definitely not the plan but it had become the experience.

On my way out I was playing Unbreakable by Fireflight. Every song meant so much at that point. They all brought hope and feeling of everthing being under God’s control.

As the journey kept moving on, as I kept on driving on, I started feeling better. After all, this is going to be an experience that will hopefully teach me lessons. How to deal with similar situations in the future. How to deal with friends and family. How to have correct expectations. How to not get stuck in a rut while running from one!

Towards the end of the journey, I was so glad to be in Texas. As I entered Texas, the warm sun, the friendly faces, the familiar highway design all invited me home with open arms. It was an amazing feeling to feel like myself again.