Why did you choose Gentoo?

bonedaddyhimself · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 101

I decided to install Gentoo as my desktop OS after reading an article on DistroWatch about the problems of RPM. I thought my RPM woes were caused by my nOObness. Actually, RPM sucks. For a server, its fine but definetly not for a desktop.

I must say that users in the Gentoo forums have been very helpful.

bd

juniperoots · n00b Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 24

Mads · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 1:11 pm Post subject:

Im a really disorganized young man (which doesnt mix to well with rpm's

) so i stuck to gentoo because of portage which helps me keep things tidy and bloat-free!
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Aurora · l33t Joined: 26 Sep 2003 Posts: 658 Location: Classified

Crimson Rider · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2004 8:40 am Post subject:

Because after many considerations and testing, I found one simple over powering reason to use Gentoo linux as my and my company's distro of choice.

It worked.
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silent.c · n00b Joined: 05 Feb 2004 Posts: 12

I wanted an optimized, customized and streamlined operating system for my computer, with a fundamental focus on security. I had to compile every package myself, because the first rule of securing Linux is not to accept third party binaries if you can. Every package had to be patched with a security feature called PAX. So, naturally, binary distributions were automatically nullified.

Via software programming, I new code could be optimized for specific CPU architectures. Most of the other well known distributions played it safe by compiling their binaries with disturbingly conservative optimization options. Most exasperating of all, almost all the distributions added debugging options to their binary packages there increasing their average binary size by almost two folds, as well as consuming more temporary and secondary storage on my hardware than was needed. LFS and Slackware were becoming increasingly attractive.

But, I also needed a package manager that will automatically handle dependencies, fetch the sources of the packages I needed to install, compile them and install the compiled executable and their associated libraries and documents in a sane manner on my file system. More importantly, I wanted to be able to easily remove packages I no longer needed, or that I was testing. I stumbled upon Crux. It satisfied just one part of my yearnings, a mediocre package manager with a below average package repository.

A friend told me about Gentoo on an IRC channel, and directed me to the Gentoo website and the documentation page. The documentation page impressed me. Especially, the ones on security, desktop, printing, Java, hardened Gentoo, to mention a few. I spent about two weeks just reading and marveling at the quality of all the documentations I was interested in.

I spent an extra week browsing the forums, especially the documentation, tips and tricks section. I eventually joined the Gentoo the forums and IRC channels. I asked several question which were promptly and politely answered. That wooed me. After all that, I was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Gentoo was what I was looking for.

I spent another week preparing for the migration. I eventually made the plunge. I followed the documentation to the teeth step by step with a firm understand of what I was doing, yes I read the freaking manual thoroughly. Installed a gresurity patched Linux kernel, firewalled my computer and patched all my packages with PAX among many other security features. I followed all the security and hardened guides to the teeth. When I was done, I was more than satisfied and impressed.

I got myself a secure, optimized, customized and streamlined operating system, with no needless cruft. Just all I need, nothing more nothing less. Gentoo is easy to maintain and administer, courtesy of portage. I upgrade my system every month. I have never, not once, had any serious issue that needed more than five minutes of my time.

When next I bring down the servers, they'd all be replaced with Gentoo. So, you asked why did I choose Gentoo? And I ask you, how often you get to use a product tailor-made precisely for your needs?

NiBe · n00b Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 38

Several reasons for my part.

First of all, i wanted an as clean as possible distro, that doesn't want to install for example apache, gnome, or X for that matter as a standard install.

I peroviously (ugh, big spelling-issue there) used Slackware Linux for about a year and it worked well, but didn't really work as I wanted. It was a very solid platform to learn linux on however.

A fresh gentoo install gives me a clean base with practically no extra crap installed.
I for one am not a big fan of portage, it's GREAT for getting dependencies, and the dependencies dependencies, and the dependencies dependencies dependencies, and... well, you get the big idea. However, I prefer fetching a tarball and doing "./configure --help" to setup an app any day, since portage never really does what i want it do do, no matter what USE-flags i have set. The FreeBSD-ports feels much more configurable.

Currently I'm running linux simply because of the broader hardware-support compared to my otherwise favourite operative system: FreeBSD. With that, I'm not implying that linux and/or gentoo is bad, not at all, I simply prefer the BSDs.
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GurliGebis · Retired Dev Joined: 08 Aug 2002 Posts: 509

Used mandrake a few times, but got tired of it.
Got back to windows, but then got the hold on VMWare and then decided to try Linux again, and then found Gentoo (Cannot remember who told me of it).
Been using Gentoo on my server and router, and as workstation (dualboot with Windows XP) since august 2002.
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Satori80 · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 137

Okay. I've been a fan of Slackware since I 1st tried it (v.2.0.1). Actually, I only tried Linux out just for the pure geek factor. Later on when I actually started using *nix as opposed to just playing around with it I realized that Slack and BSD were just too frustrating to keep up to date, seeing as how lazy I am.

I switched to RedHat at that point just because it used up2date. I was always annoyed by how hard it was install only what I needed for the servers, and also how everything was compiled for i386 for my desktop.

I tried LFS and really enjoyed the freedom of it, but I was annoyed by the amount of work involved again with keeping it patched. So I did some looking around and found Gentoo. Seemed to be the perfect combination of being compiled for my hardware and being easy to keep up to date.

I've been using it on my desktop for a couple months now and it seems pretty solid, so as of yesterday I'm in the process of wiping my servers clean and converting them to Gentoo. I still have a lot to learn about how Gentoo works (i.e. How to install bind 8 instead of bind 9) but being able to search the forums makes the job a lot more easy!

someguy · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2004 8:01 pm Post subject:

i have used alot of dists and i was on debian at the time (had been for about a year) and i just got tired of the community
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fginter · n00b Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 9

Ok. I'm not a complete newbie. I haven't used Windows since I started with Slackware in 1999. Then I sticked with RedHat, because I thought it was quite fine. Then I got RedHat 9 which was not so fine (had lots of troubles with this thing) and yet RedHat announced the end-of-life. So I started to look around. I wanted something 1) easy 2) safe 3) relatively up-to-date.

I looked into Debian, quite seriously. Then I read this "Please note that security updates for "testing" distribution are not managed by the security team. Hence, "testing" does not get security updates in a timely manner." and left the Debian page forever. Debian stable felt to me a bit like paleontology research, so I was ready to go with testing, but I sure want security updates - I have static IP address, ethernet connection and a machine running 24hrs a day. Don't want to risk anything.

Frankly, Gentoo was quite an outsider when I started. You see, no installation program, this strange "portage" thing I knew nothing about, compiling everything from sources...

Yet, want it or not, Gentoo remained as the last option after I removed all other distros for various reasons. So I thought, what the hell - at least I'd give it a try. That was like November 2003.

Since then the most frequent sentence I say is "Gentoo is the best linux I've ever had" and keep recommending it all around. Not because it's hype, but because I'm just plain satisfied with what I got. Would never come back. Never.

Muhiz · n00b Joined: 20 Dec 2003 Posts: 15 Location: Finland

A *long* time ago I wanted to try something else than windows. I was totally fed up with windows. I fetched Slackware 3.xx? ISO:s via 56k modem. It was cool but horrible to use and control. I had no clue where to find config-files.

Afterwards I tried RedHat 4 or 5 from some friend's CD:s: It didn't work, so I left Linux for a while. Then I found Mandrake Linux 6.2. I downloaded single packages via 56k modem. I downloaded only packages that were necessary. Unfortunately autoupdate didn't work, I couln't update the system and old packages were removed from mirrors. Same problem with configuring Linux as with Slack.

It took several years before I got faster network connection. I wanted to try RedHat 7.2 but it's install couln't find CD:s. I was browsing for various of distros and eventually found Gentoo. Gentoo wasn't RPM-oriented, it had package-management like Debian and it could be optimized just for my needs and my computer. Installing Gentoo was an extraordinary experience: Installing Gentoo was almost as easy as installing MS-DOS. No fiddling with millions of options, no GUI, no hassle against automated functions etc.. Ok, it's quite straightforward to install W2k.
Installing new programs is even easier than in windozer: emerge program is easier to type than double-click-I agree-custom-next-next-next-no readme-desktop-icon-finish-ok-prosedure. :p
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fernandotcl · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 12:41 am Post subject:

I don't like the idea of reinstalling the system each time a new version is released. Debian was also an option, but it was too much bloated and GNUish IMO.

The feature I most like in Gentoo is that it's a meta-distribuition, so that I can do everything, from installing RPMs and DEBs to use Portage. Also, it's the most flexible distro, so I can install it in a lot of different ways.

It's community driven, so I don't have to worry about banners and configuration utilities being installed if I don't want to do so.

For me, Gentoo is freedom. That's why I've choosen it.

2sheds · n00b Joined: 27 Feb 2004 Posts: 48 Location: Sydney, Oz

i was fresh out of hot gravel to suck on and weasels to stick down my pants...

masochistic tendencies? maybe.... :wink:

but i think it is the modern day equivalent of a Mecanno set.

gnuageux · Veteran Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 1201

I chose gentoo b/c of the dependency problems I'd ALWAYS run into using Suse, RH-Fedora etc.
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10drill · Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 1:20 pm Post subject:

I've been a FreeBSD user for quite a while, but when it came to the point of really ditching Windows on my laptop I opted for Gentoo! More hardware support in Linux (I have most everything working) and Gentoo seems to have borrowed a few things I like from FreeBSD...especially compiling things from source (ports -> portage). I'm sold, Gentoo rocks and I have zero interest in playing with other distributions...everything I want is here.

kroz · n00b Joined: 25 Jun 2004 Posts: 14

I switched because using/modifiying/updating gentoo was more straight forward than redhat and mandrake plus those game cds were enticing.

sonyu · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 4:54 am Post subject:

I switched from Mandrake to Gentoo.

When I entered the world of Linux 15 months ago, I choosed Mandrake, as it is the easiest distro in the world. As time went by, I found there was more and more problems. The traditional chinese support is ok, but many minor issues are left for users to solve. The urpmi tools were nice, but I was confused, when I wanna remove a fax tools in KDE, and it told me I had to remove all KDE (my god my desktop is KDE ... ) ! If the rpm source is mixed with CDROMS and Cooker, after several installation and unistallation, something in system "accidentally" went broken.

I was seeking for a distro that had excellent software management system in dependency and customizability.

Then I tried Gentoo. It was 1.4 rc2 that time. I experienced the famous Gentoo installation ( it was cool !! ). Then I emerged my desktop, and the traditional chinese support ( thanks to GOT people, they made the ebuilds!) Everything goes fine. It is a great distribution.

angelacb · n00b Joined: 31 Oct 2003 Posts: 50

Tried many distributions ranging from Redhat, Debian, SuSE, etc... and finally moved from Slackware to Gentoo. For 3 simple reasons! Gentoo is so easy to use, extremely flexible, and very powerful.

Best Regards,
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asimon · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:37 am Post subject:

There were two things I liked most with Gentoo. First it was easy to install some non-free software I needed without having to search for some third party repository with dubious QA. Second it was very easy to write my own packages.