A could-be convert to Gentoo

[gspr]

Hi!

Virtually the only Linux I've ever used is Debian, but lately I've been considering switching to Gentoo.
Is anybody who have made the switch from deb to gentoo willing to point out to me the major differences, things to be on watch for, etc?

Thanks.

[klieber]

[WarMachine]

Some people always go to the stability argument, I haven't had any stability problems on gentoo

[pilla]

if you run bleeding edge packages like kde 3.1 beta 1, you might have stability problems... but I'm running it and it is quite stable.

[Craigo]

Really it all boils down to what you are using the system for...

For me, I'm running debian on the server here because I just want things to be stable (tm) and my main workstation is running Gentoo. This way I can play around with Gentoo etc without having to do the same thing on the server.

Everyone have their own ways of using which distros server/workstation wise.

-/Craigo/-

[masseya]

You might also be interested in this thread, this thread or this thread.
_________________
if i never try anything, i never learn anything..
if i never take a risk, i stay where i am..

[w00t]

imagine apt get, but so much better, and something much much better than dselect known as the portage tree
_________________
There are 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary, and those who don't.
bgates@evilhackers.org

[arkane]

I like to think of it this way:

remember the feeling you got when you went from Windows to Linux?
That's the freedom you feel
(that's how I felt)

[klondike_kid]

I will have to say that there is a "learning curve" for Gentoo, however, I think it is worth it in the long run.

One of the things people have to remember (IMHO) is that this setup is more for developers and system tweakers, people who are more content dabbling with their system to get a little more out of it than normal. One day I think there will be a much more mainstream version of Gentoo that will do alot of the optimizations "on the fly." Just look at the PPC side. They (the PPC dev team) have done lots of work that people coming in now will never know.

Sorry, rambling I guess.

I am still working on getting my system all the way up and running, however, I am more than happy with the configurability of Gentoo over other distros.
_________________
Was Not My Fault This Time...

[ebrostig]

A lot of good and valid points made here.

I just want to add another:

If you use your system for production, stay away from unmasking packages in the package.mask file.

I have spent almost all of my time to day at work trying to get XFree86 4.2.1 to work with my ATI card, had to back down to 4.2.0, but now it's working again

I use KDE 3.1 beta and I'm very happy with it.

YMMV!

Erik

[gspr]

Thanks

[whit]