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Thread ID: 48375	2004-08-21 06:22:00	Gentoo Linux... feedback please	chiefnz (545)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
263919	2004-08-21 06:22:00	Hey guys, Need some user-based opinion on Gentoo. I've been reading articles on the gentoo.org website but I would like some user opinions on this distro. I have Fedora core 1 installed at the moment but I'm planning a re-install due to some GRUB issues. Any comments appreciated thanks cheers chiefnz	chiefnz (545)
263920	2004-08-21 07:19:00	Hi chiefnz I also run Gentoo 2004.2 as well as Fedora Core 2. Gentoo is a great OS due to the fact that everything is compiled directly for your system if you use appropriate USE and CFLAGS. This means it will be faster and will only have programs/features that you require - no 101 preinstalled apps. Because it is all compiled from source, it does take a while to download the source and compile it all. You can install from different stages which you have probably read about. I did a stage1 install which basically means you start with nothing and have to compile everything that you want/need from source - this also includes making your own kernel, compiling grub or lilo and then writing a config for it and making your own fstab from nothing as well. Until you have compiled and configured X and a desktop environment eg KDE or Gnome, it is all command line only with no GUI's. Having a broadband internet connection is most beneficial. Stage2 means you can have your system up and running faster than a stage1, as it involves pre-optimised settings for the semi-precompiled stage2 tarball and it allows you still to do a bit of tweaking of the settings. You will again require a working network connection during this. Stage3 is the fastest way of installing Gentoo as it is precompiled for you already and contains a basic Gentoo system. You cannot tweake the USE flags for the base system. It is also the best if you don't have a working network or a good internet connection. In general, stage1 tends to appeal to the power users who are comfortable with CLI and hacking config files and don't mind waiting a few days (or more) for their system to compile, stage3 is good for those who wish to run Gentoo without having to manually get their hands dirty to install it and would like a working system from the word go - stage2 fits in between the two groups. It all really depends on how confident you feel and whether you would like a OS that can be highly optimised for your hardware. There is excellent how-to docs on the Gentoo website which give instructions for the various staged installs which you may like to read to get a bettter understanding of the process. - Gentoo installation Handbook (www.gentoo.org) Installing Gentoo is a great way of learning about the insides of Linux. :) What OS (or stage) you choose depends upon how you judge your ability at this point in time. Both are nice OS's. :) Please feel free to ask more question if you want something clarified. Chill also runs Gentoo so will most likely have some advice for you as well.	Jen C (20)
263921	2004-08-21 07:21:00	I've had tiny amount of experience with Gentoo or, more precisely, GentooX (runs on Xbox). I found it really stable There are a few sites out there which are hosted on a Xboxes running GentooX.	mr_rix (5375)
263922	2004-08-21 07:30:00	Thanks for that... Yeah I'm probably gonna look at a stage 3 install. I have a broadband connection over an ethernet network. So basically all I wanna do is put the disc in the drive and install it. I will probably fiddle around more once I've gotten used to it.. or if I really like it. cheers chiefnz	chiefnz (545)
263923	2004-08-21 07:33:00	Just realised that I rabbited on about the installation process but forgot to mention the ongoing running of the system :D Gentoo is very easy to maintain and keep updated via the portage and emerge system. Source packages are called ebuilds and you can search for apps which have a ebuild available. It will also include all the dependencies that it requires and compiles and installs it for you. You use emerge to install, remove or update packages. There is over 7400 ebuilds available. You can see what is available here (packages.gentoo.org).	Jen C (20)
263924	2004-08-21 07:41:00	Please excuse me for butting in on your post Chief . Jen, whats the Gentoo environment from a non-experts perpective, like as far as ease of use, everyday tasks like setting up eth, ppp, etc, or is that entirely configurabel as well with how you put X and KDE (or whatever) together? Not that I'm unhappy with Mepis, just starting to feel a bit bolder, still not a CLI type though, but as you say Gentoo would be a do or die way to learn ;) Cheers Murray P	Murray P (44)
263925	2004-08-21 08:20:00	> Jen, whats the Gentoo environment from a non-experts > perpective, like as far as ease of use, everyday > tasks like setting up eth, ppp, etc, or is that > entirely configurabel as well with how you put X and > KDE (or whatever) together? A stage2/3 should be pretty similar to other distro desktops which the available configuration tools etc . With my system, I had to get the networking up and running before I could even download the first souce package so I haven't had to configure that from a post install perspective (you start with a minimal Live-CD of 80 MB which only contains enough to boot the box so that you can setup your paritioning and format a file system and networking) . However, it should be basically the same for what you did with Mepis . I use eth0 with an external ADSL modem/router so it is dead easy to setup . If you go for a stage 1, you do everything yourself . Stage 3 is similar to most distro installs, but I am not sure what sort of setup configuration you get presented with during this, but it should be reasonably user friendly . I think Gentoo uses Gnome as a default desktop with the non-stage1 installs, so you will have the features of that desktop that most other distro's also have . Again, I cannot be certain as I haven't seen what comes with a stage2 or 3 Gentoo system . > Not that I'm unhappy with Mepis, just starting to > feel a bit bolder, still not a CLI type though, but > as you say Gentoo would be a do or die way to learn > ;) It certainly is if you go for a stage1 . I am not a CLI fan by any means, but as long as you don't freak easily and really do RTFM for each step you will get there in the end . I suprised the heck out of myself and managed to make a bootable and usable system first pop (three days after starting), however I was prepared to have to try several times . It is an awesome feeling once you have done it and you have your desktop up and running . :) Seeing as you are feeling a bit bolder, I would go for it :D . If you can spare the downtime (remember the system will be out of action until it finishes compiling) try a stage2 first, or just go for gold and do a stage1 . If it goes pear-shaped, just wipe the disk and start again . Have a read of the installation manual I posted in my previous link . I printed it off (all 98 pages :p) so that I could mark down what I had done for each step and used it as a checklist ;)	Jen C (20)
263926	2004-08-21 09:33:00	There's not too much more involved with Stage 1 over Stage 3. With Stage 1 you can fully optimise your system though. Once you've got your kernel and you're booted in to your base system its not that hard to get a good working system. As Jen's said, you "emerge appname" and it'll fetch it and all dependancies. First thing is set the USE flags (emerge ufed - It'll help decide what USE flags to use). From a base install, its just a matter of: emerge kde or: emerge gnome or Xfce, Enlightenment, Fluxbox, twm... Take ya pick! Maintenance as mentioned is a breeze! I've got a mix of "Unstable" (Known as ~x86 in Gentoo) and "stable" apps. However I can safely say that since Ive installed Gentoo 2004.1 about two months ago, Ive only had one application crash :-) (Yes, Application - Not System!) Gentoo is great - It'll help you learn the inner workings of Linux a lil more if you so wish. If not then you can mostly get by with just only emerg'ing packages from the command line once installed :-) If you get stuck, we're here for ya ;-) Chill.	Chilling_Silence (9)
263927	2004-08-21 13:58:00	Dam, my mouth is starting to water reading your posts, I'm getting that wee uplifting feeling when youv'e made a decision but you haven't actually realised it until you articulate it as I'm doing now. I I've got three hard drive in this box, a total of ten partitions, 1 x reiserfs, 2 x ext3 (current Mepis & home) and 7 x FAT with 4 of those completely empty and never been used. The reiserf is a badly damaged linux :8} that I thought I would leave as a project, hmm.... Gentoo is a project isn't it. What would happen if I chose the same partition for home as my Mepis home, I imagine it would be best if I split it? (plenty of space to spare), RTFM! Cheers Murray P	Murray P (44)
263928	2004-08-21 21:48:00	No, not at all? Why not keep your same /home partition between the two OS's? Things can get a little messy with out-of-date versions, but aside from that, why not!?! You can simply setup your /home partition by mounting it after you've made your user account towards the end of the Gentoo installation! With Gentoo you can have any rootfs you want, mine is currently reiser4 (Not reiserfs), and I'm considering playing with Xfs later on..... Follow the well-written Installation Handbook from gentoo.org and you should be fine! It tells you how to format your partitions etc :-) Hope this helps Chill.	Chilling_Silence (9)
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