I got this from the usenet COLA group and I thought I would pass the word along. Of course this is not my post below this line so don't point your fingers at me if you don't agree or like whatever the author wrote here
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<< Just skip this rather long message if you aren't interested in yet
another linux distribution
I've played with gentoo linux for a couple of weeks now. It is the
most exciting linux distribution I have yet tried. It is not meant, at
least at this moment in time, to be a Linux distro for everyone (see
note 1 below which is a reply Daniel Robbins made to the gentoo users
mailing list).
So what's special about gentoo linux?
It uses an enhanced BSD ports package management system. I've never
used ports on BSD but I am very impressed with how it works with
gentoo linux. It is easily the match of Debian's apt-get and it is
much easier to install recent versions of packages than it is with
Debian. It comes with kernel 2.4.16, XFree 4.1.0, kde 2.2.2, gnome
1.4 to name but a few.
The ISO image (~16MB) boots a ramdisk system. After mounting a / and
/boot partition (under /gentoo and /gentoo/boot) and untarring the
base system to /gentoo the fun begins. First you chroot to
/gentoo. After making a few edits to a config file (mainly giving your
processor type) you run a bootstrap script.
This downloads the source for gcc and compiles it optimised for your
processor. It then downloads the glibc source and compiles and
installs that with the optimised compiler. It then recompiles gcc
using the new glibc!
The next thing is to configure and build a kernel optimised for your
processor. All these steps and more are clearly described in the
install.txt file.
To install packages the emerge command is used. Simple enter:
emerge 'package-name'
and any dependant packages will be downloaded, compiled and installed.
It is also possible to install binary packages but these won't be
optimised for your processor (unless they were compiled for your
specific processor type). If you give the '--pretend' option to emerge
it will show what packages will be installed but not actually do
anything.
As I mentioned at the start this distro is not for everyone. If you
like to get your hands dirty, want to know exactly what's in your
distro and have some hours to spare, gentoo is great fun. There are
over 1000 packages available at present. There are some rough edges
and the occasional problem. The gentoo-user's mailing list is there to
help (check the archive first as most problems / questions you have
will already have been answered).
The performance increase having everything possible compiled for your
processor is definitely noticeable. The system is rock solid and I
have everything I need. I use Applixware 5.0 and that runs
perfectly. I installed cups for the first time and printing to my
lexmark z52 (win printer) is excellent. No need to install the lexmark
driver which only comes in rpm format. Talking of rpm's when I chose
to install realplayer (obviously not from source) gentoo's package
management built and installed rpm and then downloaded and installed
the realplayer rpm.
If the sound of gentoo appeals to you give it a try. You don't need to
build everything at once. All you need is a spare partition (/boot not
really necesary), some spare time and the desire to try something new.
Note 1
------
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] Roadmap for Gentoo's future?
From: Daniel Robbins <drobbins@gentoo.org>
Date: 14 Jan 2002 19:56:41 -0700 (Tue 03:56 CET)
To: gentoo-user@gentoo.org
On Mon, 2002-01-14 at 18:06, David Bakody wrote:
> Is there a roadmap anywhere on Gentoo and it's future plans?
>
> <snip>
Our primary goal is to develop a great distribution and create a fun and
innovative development community. We may start selling CDRs soon as a
convenience, but I don't really see a need to sell a boxed product until
we get to or near the FreeBSD level of popularity. At that point,
pushing to get Gentoo Linux at CompUSA stores, etc. could be helpful to
a lot of people.
I don't want to follow in Redhat/Mandrake's footsteps. I do want to
establish Gentoo Linux as the premiere Linux distribution for
developers, professionals, ISPs, datacenters, etc. But I'd rather use
grassroots marketing and volunteer development rather than trying to get
VC and doing an IPO. We all saw what happened at the end of the .com
boom. Whent the bubble bursts, it isn't pretty. I don't need that kind
of stress.
I take great reassurance in the fact that Gentoo Linux needs no external
financing. We're not dependent on any kind of funding at all, and I
like it that way. No economic downturn, terrorist attacks or lack of
venture capital can stop us from creating a great distribution. And no
quarterly reports to waste time on.
Speaking of terrorists, I've been thinking that in a way, we are a kind
of "anti-terrorist" organization -- a decentralized, international group
of people who are working very hard to bring about change by creating
rather than blowing things up. This may sound a bit sappy, but I think
that this collaborative creation is really the heart of what Gentoo
Linux is about and what makes it enjoyable for so many of us. We're all
trying to create something excellent, not just something profitable.
The idealism of our goal is what makes Gentoo Linux development so
enjoyable for so many. I want Gentoo Linux development to remain a
hobby and never become just a job because hobbies are where our passions
lie and jobs are just obligations. Much passion produces a great
distro, and many jobs produce, well, Redhat.
I'm not against making money from Gentoo Linux-*related* businesses.
But I don't want to set up a traditional "distro" company like Redhat,
Mandrake or SuSE have done.
So, to answer your question:
> but I am kind of wondering just how far
> love can propel a distribution before someone, somewhere, starts
> puting together a business model, a plan, a stock offering, and begins
> throwing around terms like "paradigm shift"...
For 2 years, Gentoo Linux has been an obscure distro. It has survived
those times. Now that we're becoming more popular, more developers are
starting to contribute. So, the hard times are really behind us and I
see no reason why all of the sudden we'd need to do an IPO. Certainly
not if developing a great distro is our only goal.
Disclaimer: I am not a communist, I just don't like traditional
businesses
Best Regards,
Daniel Robbins <drobbins@gentoo.org>
Chief Architect/President http://www.gentoo.org
Gentoo Technologies, Inc.
>>
http://www.gentoo.org/index.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<< Just skip this rather long message if you aren't interested in yet
another linux distribution
I've played with gentoo linux for a couple of weeks now. It is the
most exciting linux distribution I have yet tried. It is not meant, at
least at this moment in time, to be a Linux distro for everyone (see
note 1 below which is a reply Daniel Robbins made to the gentoo users
mailing list).
So what's special about gentoo linux?
It uses an enhanced BSD ports package management system. I've never
used ports on BSD but I am very impressed with how it works with
gentoo linux. It is easily the match of Debian's apt-get and it is
much easier to install recent versions of packages than it is with
Debian. It comes with kernel 2.4.16, XFree 4.1.0, kde 2.2.2, gnome
1.4 to name but a few.
The ISO image (~16MB) boots a ramdisk system. After mounting a / and
/boot partition (under /gentoo and /gentoo/boot) and untarring the
base system to /gentoo the fun begins. First you chroot to
/gentoo. After making a few edits to a config file (mainly giving your
processor type) you run a bootstrap script.
This downloads the source for gcc and compiles it optimised for your
processor. It then downloads the glibc source and compiles and
installs that with the optimised compiler. It then recompiles gcc
using the new glibc!
The next thing is to configure and build a kernel optimised for your
processor. All these steps and more are clearly described in the
install.txt file.
To install packages the emerge command is used. Simple enter:
emerge 'package-name'
and any dependant packages will be downloaded, compiled and installed.
It is also possible to install binary packages but these won't be
optimised for your processor (unless they were compiled for your
specific processor type). If you give the '--pretend' option to emerge
it will show what packages will be installed but not actually do
anything.
As I mentioned at the start this distro is not for everyone. If you
like to get your hands dirty, want to know exactly what's in your
distro and have some hours to spare, gentoo is great fun. There are
over 1000 packages available at present. There are some rough edges
and the occasional problem. The gentoo-user's mailing list is there to
help (check the archive first as most problems / questions you have
will already have been answered).
The performance increase having everything possible compiled for your
processor is definitely noticeable. The system is rock solid and I
have everything I need. I use Applixware 5.0 and that runs
perfectly. I installed cups for the first time and printing to my
lexmark z52 (win printer) is excellent. No need to install the lexmark
driver which only comes in rpm format. Talking of rpm's when I chose
to install realplayer (obviously not from source) gentoo's package
management built and installed rpm and then downloaded and installed
the realplayer rpm.
If the sound of gentoo appeals to you give it a try. You don't need to
build everything at once. All you need is a spare partition (/boot not
really necesary), some spare time and the desire to try something new.
Note 1
------
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] Roadmap for Gentoo's future?
From: Daniel Robbins <drobbins@gentoo.org>
Date: 14 Jan 2002 19:56:41 -0700 (Tue 03:56 CET)
To: gentoo-user@gentoo.org
On Mon, 2002-01-14 at 18:06, David Bakody wrote:
> Is there a roadmap anywhere on Gentoo and it's future plans?
>
> <snip>
Our primary goal is to develop a great distribution and create a fun and
innovative development community. We may start selling CDRs soon as a
convenience, but I don't really see a need to sell a boxed product until
we get to or near the FreeBSD level of popularity. At that point,
pushing to get Gentoo Linux at CompUSA stores, etc. could be helpful to
a lot of people.
I don't want to follow in Redhat/Mandrake's footsteps. I do want to
establish Gentoo Linux as the premiere Linux distribution for
developers, professionals, ISPs, datacenters, etc. But I'd rather use
grassroots marketing and volunteer development rather than trying to get
VC and doing an IPO. We all saw what happened at the end of the .com
boom. Whent the bubble bursts, it isn't pretty. I don't need that kind
of stress.
I take great reassurance in the fact that Gentoo Linux needs no external
financing. We're not dependent on any kind of funding at all, and I
like it that way. No economic downturn, terrorist attacks or lack of
venture capital can stop us from creating a great distribution. And no
quarterly reports to waste time on.
Speaking of terrorists, I've been thinking that in a way, we are a kind
of "anti-terrorist" organization -- a decentralized, international group
of people who are working very hard to bring about change by creating
rather than blowing things up. This may sound a bit sappy, but I think
that this collaborative creation is really the heart of what Gentoo
Linux is about and what makes it enjoyable for so many of us. We're all
trying to create something excellent, not just something profitable.
The idealism of our goal is what makes Gentoo Linux development so
enjoyable for so many. I want Gentoo Linux development to remain a
hobby and never become just a job because hobbies are where our passions
lie and jobs are just obligations. Much passion produces a great
distro, and many jobs produce, well, Redhat.
I'm not against making money from Gentoo Linux-*related* businesses.
But I don't want to set up a traditional "distro" company like Redhat,
Mandrake or SuSE have done.
So, to answer your question:
> but I am kind of wondering just how far
> love can propel a distribution before someone, somewhere, starts
> puting together a business model, a plan, a stock offering, and begins
> throwing around terms like "paradigm shift"...
For 2 years, Gentoo Linux has been an obscure distro. It has survived
those times. Now that we're becoming more popular, more developers are
starting to contribute. So, the hard times are really behind us and I
see no reason why all of the sudden we'd need to do an IPO. Certainly
not if developing a great distro is our only goal.
Disclaimer: I am not a communist, I just don't like traditional
businesses
Best Regards,
Daniel Robbins <drobbins@gentoo.org>
Chief Architect/President http://www.gentoo.org
Gentoo Technologies, Inc.
>>
http://www.gentoo.org/index.html
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