Gentoo: True Linux and close to Unix?

bujuju · n00b Joined: 18 Sep 2003 Posts: 2

Hello,

I've been debating whether to install Gentoo (which I'm leaning toward) Debian, or Slackware.

Debian people claim that Debian is more like the real Linux (which I thought was just the kernel anyway).

Slackware people say that Slack is the most Unix-like and that if you know Slack then you basically know Unix.

How close is Gentoo to Unix and if I know Gentoo would I be able to use any Linux distro?

Sincerely,

bujuju

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TheCoop · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:04 am Post subject:

well, you can but you will absolutely hate it and immediately want gentoo back again

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jstubbs · Retired Dev Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Posts: 126 Location: Tokyo

The only thing that Gentoo does for you that Slackware doesn't is dependencies - or so I've heard. Also, each distro tends to have different init scripts (equivalent to config.sys and autoexec.bat if you don't know unix) so you would need to learn that if changing distro/*nix flavour. Other than that, Gentoo (even with its idiosyncracies that are still to be worked out) is the best thing since sliced bread.

Incidentally, I'd say that LFS is the truest Unix. It doesn't do nuttin' for ya. :wink:

Mystilleef · Guru Joined: 27 Apr 2003 Posts: 561 Location: Earth

Give all of them a try. Test them for four months each. Let us know what you think.

P.S. Test Gentoo last so that you are not biased.
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nephros · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:38 am Post subject:

I must say the above is true, not just simply biased opinion.
Once you've had Gentoo, Gentoo has you.

I think this is because Gentoo is rather young, and was designed from scratch, and so does not suffer from crufty ways of doing things "because we've always done it this way" that much. I had this feeling a lot with Debian, as well as RedHat (though with them it's more like "do it this way because We Say So and it's Good For You).

If you want the Unix expierience, I suggest you look into the *BSDs, and probably the "free" Sun Solaris for x86 too.
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bujuju · n00b Joined: 18 Sep 2003 Posts: 2

What I meant is that if I *had* to use another distro at work or something would all the same Gentoo commands work with other distros.

Actually, I'm really leaning toward Gentoo. I'm just one of those indecisive types, heh.

I've tried Redhat and Mandrake so far. Really hated Redhat and don't care much for Mandrake. Won't even try Suse as the company seems a little too proprietary.

To be more specific, does Gentoo conform to the Linux File System Standard? Would the following command work on Debian or Slackware:
# usermod -G users,wheel username ?

Ack. I'm just going to order the Gentoo CDs off the site and install it. I'll learn the other stuff from HOW-TOs and books :wink:

Thanks for the comments and for not flamming me into oblivion; from what I've heard, the Slackware forums are filled with vipers, heh.

Sincerely,
Bujuju

nephros · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:16 am Post subject:

quag7 · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:47 am Post subject:

I would say that in my experience, Gentoo is a great distribution to learn if you want to be able to use other distributions. The issue is tools more than anything else. In other distros, init scripts and programs may be in different places and you'll have to hunt around, but that's not a big deal.

The only thing that, possibly, Gentoo won't teach you that is useful to know in some other distros is installing packages and resolving dependency issues. Which is not at all fun or interesting but is something you may encounter elsewhere. You certainly may install non-portage packages in Gentoo and learn to handle this, but I've needed, maybe, two things that weren't in portage in two years.

With this possible exception, Gentoo is a "stick shift" distribution, meaning, yeah, if you can run it successfully you'll be able to find your way around other distributions and even operating systems (I've used FreeBSD since without a problem). I somehow wound up adminning two Cobalt RaQs (Red Hat-ish), and while I miss the Gentoo tools, it was a minor thing to figure out the differences.

The other possible distribution to look at is Debian. I keep having annoying experiences with it but most people who run it, love it, and stick with it.

However, I will say this: I have not encountered any distribution yet that has a feature that Gentoo didn't, that I wish it did. However, I routinely wish things were done the Gentoo way in other distros.

This may well be just because I'm used to Gentoo, but probably it's also partially that Gentoo just does things in a way that feels "right." I keep trying out other distros on my test computer and keep losing interest. It is slated to be reformatted as my fourth Gentoo machine.
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jstubbs · Retired Dev Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Posts: 126 Location: Tokyo

UncleTom

The Mountain Man · l33t Joined: 03 Sep 2003 Posts: 643

From my admittedly limited experience, there's not a whole lot of differences between the different distros. I've use Red Hat (years ago), Slackware, and most recently Gentoo. All the common Unix/Linux commands worked consistently from distro to distro, so I'd say if you know the basics of Linux through Gentoo, you'll be good on any Linux system. It's when you start getting into the nitty gritty, under the hood type stuff that you'll really start to notice differences.

far · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2003 12:04 am Post subject:

The real surprise comes when you end up on a system that doesn't use the gnu tools. "Hey, why won't cp, ls, ln, et cetera take any of the usual flags?"
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