On Tuesday 27 February 2007, Jakob Buchgraber 
<jakob.buchgraber@googlemail.com> wrote about '[gentoo-user] ALSA_CARDS 
Variable in-kernel drivers?':
> I just read about the required ALSA_CARDS variable when using in-kernel
> drivers in the Gentoo Newsletter. Since I am using in-kernel ALSA
> drivers I would like to know what changed and why this is required? Is
> this explained somewhere? I am using vanilla-sources (not
> gentoo-sources). So do I need to set ALSA_CARDS when using
> vanilla-sources too?

Flameeyes has been blogging about this.  Basically, there are other 
packages (besides the out-of-tree kernel module package) that will now use 
this package to decide what to install.  Please set it in /etc/make.conf 
appropriately.

http://farragut.flameeyes.is-a-geek.org/articles/2007/02/17/alsa-and-disposable-power-tools
http://farragut.flameeyes.is-a-geek.org/articles/2007/02/17/alsa-again-alsa-tools-cleanup
http://farragut.flameeyes.is-a-geek.org/articles/2007/02/18/alsa-improvements-part-3

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