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.