New to linux and new to gentoo any advice would be helpful

[snazzy gen2]

Hi all, I've just heard of gentoo recently and would like to try it. I only uses windows and have no clue on how to use linux. But I'm a very fast learner (i think) so any advice would be greatly appreciated. I will be installing it on my 2 month old Dell Xps gen2 notebook specs are down below. So what kind of problems am I going to look at?. I play games and would like the best possbile setting, though I don't have no clue what they are. I've read about installing it on option 1,2,3 and know the difference b/w them. Installation 3 is more suitable for me but I like to learn things the hard way, so I'm planning on installing on installation 1. I mainly uses the notebook for games such as Doom3, HL2, CS:Source. Also for wireless internet browsing and downloading using bittorent. I uses Media player classic to watch avi movies from my external a lot too. So any recommendation on what the best setting for games, wirless networking, and movies from external hdd will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

Dell Xps gen2
Intel Pentium M 2.0ghz
2GB DDR2 rams
Nvidia 6800 GO Ultra 256mb ddr3
60gb hard drive 5400 rpm
2915 a/b/g wireless
wuxga samsung

[linux_girl]

i would recomend you to read and practice a good book made from paper is a must have.

PS: i hate the books that are named ****for dumies . they are bad !!!
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[ninjaboy13]

Well best advice is to print out a copy of the handbook and read the whole thing carefully.

Some of the problems you may see are setting up your wireless as well as your lan connection. Building a working kernel with all the proper hardware drivers. Getting X to work properly with opengl and setting up the proper size partitions on your drive for your needs. These were all the problems I encountered when I first tried gentoo way back when.

Anyway good luck and remember to back up your data.

[issiah]

Hey new developer. Well i will tell you gentoo is not as hard and ugly as most people think. the online documentation is very accurate with a few bugs in it, but i will tellyou one thing and this is something you may want to consider, build gentoo with no regard to if you get it right the first time. and ou wantthe reason why i say this is it will take you some time to get it right for your cpu. I personally think it is not one of the best distros but the fastest. I built two builds, and i built them both at the same time. The first one was on my ze1230 hp and the second one on my apple titanium. I built gentoo around twenty times and crashed it howerver i could to make sure not only my kernel config couldn't break my boxes and to make sure i got everything i needed to run the way i wanted. Now this may not be the very best aproch for you but when you develop your box you neeu cand to know it in and out and this is what gentoo will enable you to do. so don't look at you box as a nice little precious thing, try to brek it an if you do then you need a new one anyway. I if it doesn't break then you know you go a none defective beast ready to run that gentoo. her is some good advice. build gentoo by the book, then keep building it over and over setting new use flags as you build a new box and this way you will be able to catch all the buggy things that the book doesn't tell you. linux is very powerfull but you do need to understand that it is a multi level component distro of many developers tools. What i mean by this is that it is no standard to building gentoo. I recall building gentoo over the web, from cd, using a cd and midway using only the web, and so many other ways. it is very flexible and this was not covered in the book because the online book is just a starting point. So don't be afraid to dig into gentoo. once you figure out what you box can do and how to enable it with gentoo then you will figure out how you want to build it the way you want it to be built. I found out that the use flags can be set many ways and just a tip, for example with gnome i build my system with about 30 or more use flags to start so that is can support all that i want gnome to support, then i use a sepparate set of use flags set for just the programs that way they only build for the support that the build needs, and the end result is that gnome has full multi level support for the programgs that i add to it. I guess you can say this is a modular way of doing it. Isn't linux just a module anyway. so just dig in. one last thing. The less you put up a forum comment and just search the web based on the event or situation you run in to the faster you will find a solution. And i mean fast. The reason why i say this is because some forums are good to bring up serious issues and some are just mumble that lead you to eventually see this anyway. Most of the post i looked at were people complaining about nothing and when i looked into it myself i solved the problem based on me digging and not by their aid, so i am not knocking the forums at all because this is what linux is all about and this is what makes it work, but if you want linux you go to be willing to do some work, brain work, so you dig in and you will get it done right. i have included a sample of my make.conf so you can see the process i use, each line is like a step in the process. where i commented a line is for my own reference so i know what i just installed and under what use so if emerge gives me anything off i know what to look for. And last sorry if i have any typos i have been working late, got gentoo on the brain. The end result is you will be happier with gentoo because it is fast, uses cleaner text base unix syle and is very hard to brek. it is still sensitive like any other builds but if you break anything you can find it and fix it fast, that is what i like, you are the boss not your box, and that is the way it out to be. issiah hayes hill


ps on my make.conf once a program is installed i comment it out so that other programs don't mess with the use flags and if i have a problem with the build then i leave it open for a closer look and usually you will find out that the build may not support a certain thing or the other so investigate it.

# These settings were set by the catalyst build script that automatically built this stage
# Please consult /etc/make.conf.example for a more detailed example
CFLAGS="-O2 -mtune=G4 -maltivec -mabi=altivec -fno-strict-aliasing -pipe"
CHOST="powerpc-unknown-linux-gnu"
CXXFLAGS="${CFLAGS}"
MAKEOPTS="-j2"
# use accept keywords only for new programs only the base system is set for only ppc stable arch not ~ppc unstable arch
ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="~ppc"
# ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="-*"
GENTOO_MIRRORS="http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/gentoo/ http://gentoo.seren.com/gentoo http://cudlug.cudenver.edu/gentoo/ http://gentoo.ccccom.com http://gentoo.mirrors.tds.net/gentoo http://gentoo.osuosl.org/ http://adelie.polymtl.ca/ "
SYNC="rsync://rsync.namerica.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage"
SYNC="rsync://rsync.us.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage"
SYNC="rsync://rsync.ca.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage"
AUTOCLEAN="yes"
# system use flags and window manager use flags only gnome and xfce4 only
# USE="X new-login opengl zlib doc crypt ssl nis gtk gtk2 gnome alsa gnutls gtkhtml gif encode cdr dvd dvdread ieee1394 svg mad portaudio truetype usb vcd xinerama xine xmms xvid xpm vorbis quicktime libcaca lcms java jikes javascript gstreamer gd dv cups aalib aac a52 esd gb gpm mpeg jpeg ffmpeg mp3 png libwww qt video4linux gdbm fortran ldap mime mikmod mozilla mng openal pcmcia posix plotutils python perl kde readline samba session tiff v4l v4l2 xml xml2 imlibmod xsl xscreensaver bonobo dvb imagemagick kdeenablefinal kerberos krb4 adcca acpi avi nptl gcj foomaticdb flac ethereal motif nas sndfile sox speex tcltk unicode wxwindows xprint wmf 3dnow tetex uclibc ftp curl curlwrappers cdparanoia theora xv ipv6 hal juint maildir mbox milter mysql mysqli pdflib php ruby apache2 sasl sdl snmp spell browserplugin"
# xorg-x11 use flags set after system build
# USE="3dnow bitmap-fonts cjk debug doc sdk font-server insecure-drivers ipv6 nls opengl pam truetype-fonts type1-fonts uclibc xprint xv"
# program use flags
# xscreensaver added use flag
# USE="new-login"
# program use flags
# gst-plugins-a52dec #
# gst-plugins-alsa #
# gst-plugins-cdparanoia #
# gst-plugins-dv #
# gst-plugins-dvdread #
# gst-plugins-esd #
# gst-plugins-faac #
# gst-plugins-ffmpeg #
# gst-plugins-jpeg #
# gst-plugins-lame #
# gst-plugins-libpng #
# gst-plugins-libvisual #
# gst-plugins-mad #
# gst-plugins-mikmod #
# gst-plugins-mpeg2dec #
# gst-plugins-musepack #
# gst-plugins-ogg #
# gst-plugins-oss #
# gst-plugins-pango #
# gst-plugins-raw1394 #
# gst-plugins-shout2 #
# gst-plugins-speex #
# gst-plugins-swfdec #
# gst-plugins-theora #
# gst-plugins-v4l #
# gst-plugins-v4l2 #
# gst-plugins-vorbis #
# gst-plugins-xvideo #

# coldplug #

# alsaplayer #
# USE="alsa audiofile doc esd flac gtk jack mikmod nas nls ogg opengl oss vorbis sndfile"

# eclipse-sdk #
# USE="gnome mozilla jikes firefox atk"

# gxine #
# USE="nls lirc nsplugin"

# xine-lib #
# USE="aalib libcaca arts esd win32codecs nls dvd X directfb vorbis alsa gnome sdl speex theora ipv6 altivec opengl aac fbcon xv xvmc samba dxr3 vidix mng flac oss v4l xinerama vcd a52 mad imagemagick"

# ghostscript #
# USE="X cups cjk emacs gtk"

# kino #
# USE="quicktime dvdr ffmpeg"

# cinelerra-cvs #
# USE="alsa ffmpeg oss static"

# ogle #
# USE="oss alsa xv"

# goggles #

# ogle-gui #
# USE="nls gtk2"

# xlockmore #
# USE="nas esd motif opengl trutype gtk pam xlockrc"

# alsa-tools alsa-utils #
# USE="X"

# xmms #
# USE="nls esd vorbis 3dnow mikmod directfb alsa oss arts jack sndfile lirc flac mad mp3"

# screem #
# USE="ssl zlib dbus"

# neon #
# USE="ssl zlib expat"

# scribus #

# inkscape #
# USE="gnome perl python bonobo inkjar plugin spell"

# blender #
# USE="nls"

# yafray #

# bluefish #
# USE="nls spell"

# mplayer #
# USE="3dnow 3dnowext aac aalib alsa arts bidi bl cpudetection custom-cflags debug dga divx4linux doc dts dvb cdparanoia directfb dvd dv dvdread edl encode esd fbcon gif ggi gtk ipv6 jack jpeg libcaca lirc live lzo mad matroska mythtv nas nls vorbis opengl oss png real rtc samba sdl tga theora truetype v4l v4l2 win32codecs X xanim xinerama xmms xv xvid xvmc"

# mplayerplug-in mplayer-skins #
# USE="gtk2"

# gxmms #
# USE="debug doc"

# timidity++ #
# USE="oss nas esd motif X gtk gtk2 vorbis tcltk slang alsa arts jack portaudio emacs ao speex flac ncurses"

# timidity-eawpatches #

# ethereal #
# USE="adns gtk ipv6 snmp ssl gtk2 kerberos"

# samba # rebuild
# USE="acl cups doc kerberos ldap mysql pam postgres python quotas readline winbind xml xml2 libclamav oav"

# gimp #
# USE="aalib debug doc gtkhtml gimpprint hardened jpeg lcms mmx mng png python scanner smp sse svg tiff wmf"

# gimp-print #
# USE="nls gtk readline cups foomaticdb ppds"

# hydrogen #
# USE="alsa jack ladspa"

# clamav #
# USE="crypt milter mailwrapper"

# seq24 #
# USE="jack"

# profuse #
# USE="gtk ncurses"

# gftp #
# USE="nls gtk gtk2 ssl"

# xine-ui #
# USE="X nls lirc aalib libcaca readline curl ncurses"

# iptables #
# USE="ipv6 static extensions"

# gshield

# firestarter fwbuilder #

# iproute2 #
# USE="atm berkdb"

# rhythmbox #
# USE="vorbis flac aac mad pda debug doc"

# qt designer #
# USE="accessibility cups debug doc examples gif jpeg mng mysql nas nis odbc opengl png postgres sqlite xinerama zlib immqt"

# acroread

# klamav #
# USE="crypt milter mailwrapper debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# qmail #
# USE="ssl noauthcram notlsbeforeauth logmail mailwrapper"

# qmail-scanner #
# USE="spamassassin"

# postfix
# USE="ipv6 pam ldap mysql postgres ssl sasl mailwrapper mbox nis vda selinux hardened"

# mit-krb5
# USE="krb4 static tcltk ipv6 doc tetex"

# tetex none #

# splashutils # rebuild

# lphdisk

# apache #
# USE="apache2 debug doc ldap mpm-prefork ssl"

# apachetop #
# USE="apache2 fam pcre adns"

# webmin localhost:10000 #
# USE="apache2"

# mythtv
# USE="alsa arts debug dvb ieee1394 jack lcd lirc mmx oggvorbis opengl oss unichrome debug"

# lm_sensors
# USE="sensord"

# clamassassin
# USE="subject-rewrite clamd"

# sarg

# squid
# USE="pam ldap ssl sasl snmp debug underscores customlog zero-penalty-hit"

# sylpheed-claws #
# USE="nls gnome crypt spell imlib ssl ldap ipv6 pda clamav pdflib maildir xface kde"

# fetchmail
# USE="ssl nls ipv6 kerberos krb4 hesiod"

# dar
# USE="acl dar32 dar64 nls static"

# kdar
# USE="dar32 dar64 debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# openoffice-ximian #
# USE="curl gnome hardened java kde nas nptl zlib"

# cinepaint #
# USE="png zlib"

# aoi # manual install
# USE="doc"

# povray
# USE="X svga"

# pixie

# netpbm
# USE="svga jpeg tiff png zlib"

# k3d 3d
# USE="truetype doc python ruby"

# audacity #
# USE="gtk2 encode flac mad oggvorbis libsamplerate"

# metisse
# USE="truetype xv opengl"

# opera #
# USE="spell qt kde"

# java-gnome #
# USE="doc"

# javacc
# USE="doc examples jikes source"

# wings #

# erlang #
# USE="X ssl emacs doc java odbc"

# emacs
# USE="X Xaw3d gnome leim lesstif motif nls nosendmail"

# jmax
# USE="alsa jack doc"

# k3d

# ntp #

# mesa

# fox #
# USE="cups debug truetype opengl X tiff png jpeg zlib bzip2"

# realplayer

# xchat-gnome #
# USE="perl tcltk python ssl ipv6 nls debug debug"

# xscreensaver
# USE="gnome jpeg kde kerberos krb4 insecure-savers new-login nls offensive opengl pam xinerama"

# xaos fractal
# USE="X svga aalib nls"

# lives #
# USE="xmms matroska ogg theora libvisual"

# smbldap-tools # tools for samba localhost:8080/samba

# qcad and qcad-parts #

# gaim #
# USE="nls perl spell nas cjk gnutls silc eds krb4 tcltk debug debug"

# mysql-administrator #

# snort #
# USE="ssl postgres mysql sguil samba snmp"

# prelude-nids #

# prelude-manager rebuild with these use
# USE="ssl doc mysql postgres debug"

# mol #
# USE="vnc alsa oss fbcon X sheep debug usb pci"

# xcompmgr transset #

# laptop-mode-tools #
# USE="acpi apm"

# gkrell-pmu #

# pbbuttonsd #

# powerprefs #

# gkrellm-console

# gkrellm #

# powerbook-tools #

# ardour #
# USE="nls"

# jack #

# qjackctl #

# khelpcenter
# USE="debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal kdexdeltas"

# kdelibs #
# USE="alsa arts cups doc jpeg2k kerberos openexr spell ssl tiff zeroconf debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# kdeutils #
# USE="crypt snmp pbbuttonsd debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# k3b #
# USE="css dvdr encode ffmpeg flac hal kde mp3 musepack vorbis debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# cdrdao #
# USE="gnome debug encode"

# normailze #
# USE="xmms mad audiofile nls"

# gconfmm #
# USE="debug debug"

# libglademm #
# USE="debug debug"

# gnome-vfsmm #
# USE="debug debug"

# libgnomecanvasmm #
# USE="doc debug debug"

# libgnomemm #
# USE="debug debug"

# libgnomeuimm #
# USE="debug debug"

# kdemultimedia #
# USE="alsa audiofile encode flac gstreamer jack mp3 musicbrainz speex theora vorbis xine debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# kdegraphics #
# USE="gphoto2 imlib nodrm openexr opengl povray scanner tetex debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# kdeaddons #
# USE="arts sdl xmms debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# kdeedu #
# USE="kig-scripting debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# kdewebdev #
# USE="doc tidy debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# kdebase #
# USE="arts cups java ldap ieee1394 hal lm_sensors logitech-mouse openexr opengl pam samba ssl debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# kde system #
# USE="kde qt cdr dvd dvdread X smaba"

# kdenetwork #
# USE="rdesktop slp ssl wifi xmms debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# arts #
# USE="alsa esd jack -artswrappersuid mp3 nas vorbis debug arts xinerama kdeenablefinal"

# snd sound editor #
# USE="esd motif guile X gtk ruby alsa"

# rezound sound editor unresolved symbols in compile
# USE="alsa"

# sweep sound editing #
# USE="alsa nls vorbis"

# realplayer
# USE="nsplugin"

# hal-device-manager #

# booh #
# USE="gtk transcode encode exif"

# mozilla-firefox #
# USE="gnome truetype xinerama xprint"

# mozilla #
# USE="crypt gnome java ldap postgres ssl debug gnome browserplugin mozcalendar mozxmlterm mozsvg mozdevelop ipv6 truetype xinerama xprint"
_________________
hfaaa488%

[linux_girl]

sticky this FOR NOOBS

that should have took a long time to tip this ?
_________________

[cs.cracker]

My best advice would be to avoid odd hardware. Unless you can find a guide specifically for your notebook, or its a known easy go, I wouldnt go with it for your first try. Notebooks tend to use unusual hardware, and linux drivers are often difficult to find for some.

[sgtrock]

Another point that has been overlooked by the people giving you advice. DON'T just dive in and mung up your WinXP partition. Like me, you're a gamer. While the games that you play are either available for Linux (or can run under Linux with some help), you don't want to be unable to feed your gaming habit while you're trying to rebuild your system.

I STRONGLY recommend grabbing any one of the LiveCD distros out there just to see if your brand new laptop's peripherals will work under Linux. I'm partial to Knoppix myself, but there are a bunch out there to try.

Once you've verified that everything can work under Linux, you still have a decision to make. Do you want to blow away your WinXP completely, or do you want to set up a dual boot situation? Either one is a viable choice, but you really have to decide ahead of time.

The next step is to see if you can find someone who knows Linux to help you walk through your installation. It'll go a lot smoother if you can find someone to help out.

Last, understand that even with every precaution, you WILL make make mistakes. Those mistakes could do things like disable your laptop's network connection temporarily while you're off doing research. If you don't have an alternative means of looking up stuff, you could be pretty hosed.

[Deepak420]

LiveCDs are an option, but most good teachers recommend immersion as the best way to learn (ie don't do anything more that what Sgt Rock recommends). Set up partition space to do a dual-boot system (in case you just can't figure out how to do something that needs to be done quick) try doing a stage 3 install first if you don't have experience with a unix type system. A lot of the stuff you have to do during a stage 1 or 2 install can be hours lost if you miss a step or have some other sort of error - plus I don't think that mucking about with that stuff will be too helpful at the level you are at.

The main things to learn are the directory structure, using the command line (stick with bash for now), learning the configuration necessities, and learning system utilities and common useful programs. This should keep you busy for a few weeks to a couple of months. Then try taking a whack at bash scripting - it's fun and useful and also understanding the structure of a script allows you to look at other people's code and dissect it to learn new tricks. After that kill your Windows partition - set that space up as your /home mount and go to town.

I personally wouldn't recommend a use flag strategy as Issiah recommends. It will be a bear to maintain, especially when doing world updates. The only time I'd really recommend this is for the odd debug flag here or there - but generally setting system wide use flags goes a long way in promoting functionality and ease of use.

Egads, I didn't look at the OP date.

[Dominique_71]

Livecd is a very good option to install gentoo. Search in the docs for the alternatives installtion methods -> knoopix installation. It will work with any other distribution too. The main advantage is at you are in a complete linux environment when installing gentoo.

An advice about the CFLAGS in make.conf. The default in the handbook is both know to work very well, be fast, and is well tested. With every other combination, you take a risk at some program want compile, or even if it compile, install and run, at it can give you wrong results. So be very carefull with it, it is hunderds of thread in the forum about problems with the CFLAGS. That is specially true with gcc-4+, the default with gentoo 2006.1. The default -O2 or -O3 optimisations are better as with the "old" gcc-3.x versions, but it is a full bunch of new flags, and new problems too if you are using those flags. Flag optimisation can also depend on your arch. (In short and with other words: do profiling if you want to play with it.) After some try, some good results but huge compilation time and a few problems, I went back to a new fresh install and

[Headrush]

issiah, I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to accomplish there, but a few tips.

• Add a few line breaks in that paragraph. Its is hard to read.
  
  
• I would suggest not putting any USE flags in /etc/make.conf like you have suggested.
  Its too easy to miss one and then waste time stumbling through an incredibly long list search for the problem. (One USE flag can trigger other apps being emerged so this could get messy)
  
  
• Trim the USE= lines from your post. We get the idea after 3 or 4 entries.
  Posts that long that don't really add useful info make reading the entire thread harder.
  
  
• Put package specific USE flags in /etc/portage/package.use
  If you want to do whatever you are doing by commenting lines out, you can do it in there. (much cleaner)

[turtles]

• Get a cheap used computer like a imac g3 or some old pc nothing
• make shure it has ehternet card and a crdom and works.
  
• RTFM
  
• Check out the desktop guides, the alsa sound manual the usb guide.
  
• Do the install somwhere you have high speed net access and a lan.
  
• Buy a new 100 gig hard drive install it after testing the computer. Install gentoo on it from the live cd.
  
• Go for a basic install bootable to a command prompt (dont have the gui installer install extra packages) then install xorg and pick a windomanager. now you have a linux test computer, use your other computer to search the net for info on linux and to read the handbook.
  
• RTFM and troubbleshoot
  
• After the gentoo install is bootable install cfg-update
  
• print out a list of basiic linux commands like

  Code:

  cp

  to copy files and so on.
  

welcome to linux addictioin
_________________
Donate to Gentoo

[Bones McCracker]

See issiah's post -- that's what NOT to do.
Read the handbook.

Take your time.
A good 1st box is an old straight-up x86 pc (like an old Pentium III desktop).

Maybe try a canned linux distro first to get your feet wet (e.g., Mandrake, Ubuntu, etc.). If you go the Gentoo route (which you should, eventually), you will be BUILDING your own custom system. It's a good idea to have first seen a working system and and what you might want in it.

[legine]

Notebooks seem to get more standardized every year.

Thinks I think you have to know:
- Print Manual and follow it carfully.
- Look at other documentation in the docs section.
- Check http://gentoo-wiki.com/Main_Page for HowToos around Gentoo

If you have problems
- Check Forums before posting Problems.
- Check Archieves before Posting to Mailing Lists.
(or check both)
- Post to your most fauvourite way of support in case of problems (and after checking if someone else has the Problems.)

Keep in mind that no question is to stupid, and nothing to be shame of.

Have fun and give it a go.
You learn what you need to know on the way.

Legine
_________________
quote from Spaceballs:
Dark Helmet:[...] we were told to comb the desert, so we're combing it! [puts down bullhorn] Find anything yet?!
Soldier: Nothing yet, sir.

[TopherC]

Installing Gentoo can either be fairly easy, or very hard, depending on your hardware. Most of the time I've seen installs go very nicely, after just a bit of work. But I've had a couple experiences with badly-supported or flaky hardware (which I didn't expect to be that way) that made me want to run screaming. Also some machines aren't designed well enough to handle more than a few hours of real work, and fail at random during a long compile. I like Gentoo a lot, but if you start getting overly-frustrated try a different Linux distro. In other words, don't take it personally -- it's not you, and it's not Linux. This is especially true if you're new to Linux and Gentoo. After you have a lot of experience, the quirky hardware can be fun to wrestle with. I've found that new Gentoo users often need some help with USE flags, compiler flags, kernel configuration, xorg.conf, and basic tips with portage. (Stuff like emerge -uDav world, emerge -uDf world in another shell, revdep-rebuild, python-updater, eselect, equery, genlop, and so on.) So having some experienced friends around can help. It's also very nice to have another computer working so you can ssh into your Gentoo box while installing, browse the web docs (cut & paste can be handy as long as you're careful), and keep occupied while you w...a...i...t.

Yet more (unwelcome here) thoughts on Gentoo: I ran Gentoo for four years on a laptop that I used daily at work and home. I learned a lot about Linux in the process, and don't regret anything. But after that I changed jobs and had a lot less free time (both at work and home), and I switched to using Ubuntu on my main laptop even though I still ran Gentoo on a box at home. I was very happy with this move since I spent _MUCH_ less time playing sysadmin on my laptop. Maintaining Ubuntu was absolutely trivial and never even interrupted my regular use of the machine. I also discovered some shiny new apps and useful configurations that I could usually duplicate on my Gentoo box.

I like working with Gentoo because I feel more in control with it, and I learn a lot of important details when configuring services. And a Gentoo box is great for development because practically all the libraries and headers you'll want are already there. But I don't like the fact that routine updates will suddenly blossom into a major project once every three or four weeks. I think the package maintainers generally do a fantastic job. But everyone's system is unique, software builds are complex, and problems are inevitable. If wrestling with upgrade issues on a regular basis sounds like fun, then Gentoo is the right distro for you!

[atomizer]

ALWAYS do a "emerge -pv packagename" before installing an unknown package

I just wasted a few hours compiling KDE just because a package "needed" it..