Experimental branch

Using the Funtoo experimental branch is considered experimental (unsupported). Users should be prepared to have various package compilation errors or other problems.

The Funtoo experimental branch is used by Funtoo Core Developers to try and test new features to be included in Funtoo stable and current branches when ready. Users that want to help the developers test those new features are welcome to switch to the experimental branch and report problems on IRC or the forum. However, problems may arise from using it and there is no guarantee that your system will stay usable.

Features

We provide an updated toolchain:

• gcc-4.6.1-r1
• binutils-2.21-r1
• linux-headers-2.6.39
• glibc-2.13-r4
• unmasked udev-171
• patched lvm2-2.02.85
• Several patches to solve building problems with this toolchain
• Portage Dynamic Slot

We also provide modifications of Mesa, libdrm and radeon drivers to support each type of Radeon video card individually, as well as masked -9999 versions of those packages.

Upgrading an existing Funtoo installation to experimental

# rm -rf /usr/portage
# nano -w /etc/make.conf

Remove mini-manifest from FEATURES if present. Portage-2.3.1 has thin manifests enabled by default.

Add the line (or modify it if it's already there):

SYNC="git://github.com/funtoo/experimental-mini-2011.git"

First method

# emerge --sync      

Verify that the experimental tree has been properly installed:

# cat /usr/portage/.git/config
...
[remote "origin"]
	fetch = +refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*
	url = git://github.com/funtoo/experimental-mini-2011.git
...

You should see that the git repository is pointing to experimental-mini-2011.git.

If for any reason this method did not work, there is an other way of switching to the experimental branch.

Second method

# rm -rf /usr/portage
# cd /usr
# git clone git://github.com/funtoo/experimental-mini-2011.git
# mv experimental-mini-2011 portage
# emerge --sync

Upgrade portage and rebuild toolchain

# emerge -1 portage
# emerge -1 gcc                          # build the new compiler
# gcc-config -l                          # list instances of gcc installations
# gcc-config <id>                        # select the appropriate version of gcc
# emerge -1 linux-headers glibc binutils # build a sane toolchain
# emerge -e @system                      # compile @system against new toolchain
# emerge -uNDav @world                   # complete the upgrade 

Installation from an experimental branch stage3

You can find some stage3s on the Funtoo mirror: [1]. However, those stages will not be updated very often.

Building stage3s using Metro

You may build your own stages of the experimental branch using Metro. The stages from the Funtoo mirror ([2]) can be used as a seed. A funtoo-experimental target is available.