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Gentoo Review


Guest ThunderRiver

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Guest ThunderRiver

Check out this review for Gentoo Linux at http://www.linuxworld.com/2003/0516.petreley.htmlI have used Gentoo Linux before, I do find it much more customizable than the rest of Linux distro you find online, and the only similar distro that's out there is Debian. Yes I know, Debian is known for hackers only, and also known as the true "black box", but lets face it, are you truly satisfied with the current distro you have?Do you truly enjoy using the same old version of programs that come with the Linux distro and wish that new version of the distro will come out because new programs are arleady out there? Well, based on the philosophy for BSD ports system, Gentoo Linux relies portage system, which gives user more flexibility to update their system with the newest available application. The entire system is optimized because it compiles for your system. If you have Pentium III, you can optimize it to run with Pentium III..same thing applies for AMD.I do feel that as people get more experienced with Mandrake or Red Hat, it is time for them to move on to Gentoo or other more advanced level Linux because that's where the crucial line between driving a Toyota or a nice sporty car ;)Of course, Gentoo is not for everyone...ThunderRiver

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Thanks ThunderRiverChecked out the link and am downloading Gentoo as I type. Time to try another distro. Let you know how it comes out...so many distro's..so little time :D

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BrunoYes I have checked out Distro watch..somehow missed gentoo..But, with so may choices ..But ,to me, that is part of the fun...either that or I just have to many toys to play with(that's what my wife says...lol) :D

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Ok..I think This may take alittle longer to do gentoo than I expected...LOL I have to read and understand the Instructions on how to install first ( lesson 1 ..and yes, I'm one of those guys that doesn't ask for directions when lost either ..Hmm no woder I've ended up in strange places LOL!) But I hope I'll have learned alot when I come out on the otherside!!!

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I'm one of those guys that doesn't ask for directions when lost either
That is what we all axpect from a Navy Chief , Barry ! :) After all it is they that are the chief !:) Bruno
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Glad you took that well Barry, my title might be Topic COP, but I´m not allowed to carry any weapons here on the forum ! :DB) Bruno

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Nothing to take bad...The attitude of a Navy Chief is Legendary!!!! (umm for better or worse,and some is true :) LOL!) :) But one thing I really like about Linux is the more I think I know, the more I need to learn..and each distro is different in some ways..soI'm just now moving beyond Mandrake and Redhat easy installs..did some Debian, but I didn't set that up..so I'm a way I was still doing point and click set-ups...I think this will help in my understanding of the total Linux OS

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Debian is easy to set up if you take Knoppix ( runs from CD ) and install that on HD ! There are several threads on knoppix on this forum. If you need any instractions on HD install just let me know chief !:) Bruno

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Thanks BrunoThe Koppix to HD sounds doable...can I istall it to a system that is already dual boot? I have the CD and it works great from the CD, man talk about a recovery tool. Just one question..I have set it up for English at least, I think have , But much still is in German and my German is limited, to maybe five words .so is my english ( But that's another story) Did I miss something in the set-up? ;)

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at the prompt you get as you boot from CD :knoppix lang=enOnce installed on HD ( make bootdisk ! ) you can change the language settings in the ¨look and feel¨ section.Dual boot no problem !;) Bruno

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ok I have it in english..How do I copy to HD...BTW Spent a 2 weeks in Amsterdam as a young sailor..Wonderful Cty and wonderful people!

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I´M starting a new thread for this ( called Knoppix HD install ) ! Might help other people too ! ;);) Bruno

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BarryB, or anyoine else who whishes to try Gentoo, you have to download Instructions and print them out.I am telling you from personal experience, since just reading won't help you much once you are stuck in command line.Instructions are fearly easy to understand and if you follow egzactly what it says there, you should be able to install Gentoo properly.Be warned, this is not your every day GUI distro with nice cozy GUI interface and simple questions.This is down and dirty command line routine where you install pretty much everything from scratch, including compiling of kernel, etc..Beside good printed manual, get yourself some food and coffee, since compiling in first stage of kernel itself takes several hours to finish, and that is nothing compared to compiling of Desktop environment such as KDE or Gnome.On my PC (Duron 1.1 Ghz) it took about 22 hours (yes that is twenty two) to compile and install KDE, plus some 5 hours for kernel.If you have better PC, time will probably go down but still be significant, so you might consider compiling overnight. :)Reward for going through all that trouble is, you get to know inner workings of a Linux system and you can call yourself half-geek B) You'll never get that on Windows or Mac.

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Guest ThunderRiver

okay here is the thing. You do NOT have to compiling everything from scratch. If you read the manual, it offers you 3 stages. the first one is compiling your GCC compiler and stuff from scratch..and 2nd stage already comes with a precompiled GCC compiler so you proceed to compile your kernel and OS. and if you jump to the third stage, it will save you tons of time, but it does defeat the purpose of Gentoo. Nonetheless, if they prebuild the sutff on a Pentium III already, why do you bother to compile it again and wind up with the same result ? :D That's food for thought ;)On a Pentium IV 3 GHz machien with 512 Mb of PC2700 RAM + a 7200 RPM drive, it takes about 4 hours to accomplish everything from scratch.

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ThunderRiver:Sorry your thread got side-tracked here ! I moved Barry´s questions over to another new thread.So the discussion about Gentoo could continue here.:D Bruno

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Zox and ThunderheadI did d/l the instructions...LOL..I usually don't do that sort of thing, but realize with reading that this was way beyond my skill level and the simple install..and also not quickly accomplished..So I'll probably do that the coming weekend..Bruno showed me how to put knoppix on my HD..so I have a week to play w/debian and get "use" to it. ( it seems faster than mandrake on the same machine)I'll probably do the package 3 first..then later on, complete build. I know that seems backward but, I seem to learn better that way.. :D

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Don't laugh..but switched mid stream to FreeBSD (not to bad..had to pay real attention during the partition phase.Did the FreeBSD 5.1 Beta) on that computer..now going to load gentoo on another :o

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Looks like you´re doing two installs a day, Barry ! Makes me wonder what distro you will absorb tomorrow. :)How are the things with the Debian Lilo ? Did you get it done ?:o Bruno

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No I haven't completed that yet, I forgot I had PM8 and BM8 on that box...seems to be a slight conflict..also I have another box coming, so I think I will use than one for linux only and go from there. I printed all the intrction you provided..also gathered some from the tips page..

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We´ll see you back then if you have any questiions Barry. Always welcome, well you know that already don´t you.Any specs of the new box you want to share with us ?:o Bruno

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Well actually I'm not sure on the specs. My oldest daughter complained that her's was just to slow..I know it's and older HP w/ about 6 g HD I'm thinking a VIA333 Proc, it could be an early celeron..but am not sure. Anyway I swaped her a Compaq w/533 K62 with W2k ( that wasn't fun..Compaq said it wouldn't work. finding drivers wasn't fun...but it does well and she needs Office for school (also loaded Mandrake 9.1 on it :o (That was a breeze,and it found everything) anyway her old computer seems like a good canidate for debian, I heard it works very well on older boxes..I will also apply myself to the lilo issue..Probably blow the other box hd away and make it pure linux too..it's an HP w/ 850A proc 30G hd CD r/w and CD..Right now it running WinXP pro..FreeBSD and mandrake 9.1.. I guess that is the test box, it's had everything from Suse - Redhat 7.2 and up. BTW, Debian and FreeBSD dos seem to be "quicker" on the HP than mandrake , do you find that true? ( Of course that's the old Mark1 eyeball benchmark system).And don't worry, I'm sure I'll have plenty of questions..And I think I've found the place to get good answers

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it is time for them to move on to Gentoo or other more advanced level Linux because that's where the crucial line between driving a Toyota or a nice sporty car B)
ThunderRiver, I take it you've never driven a jet black 320 HP 1999 Toyota Supra twin Turbo, Targa-top, with 19" Alloy Wheels. B) 2 words: Vette Killer ;)
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Right on ! Prelude76, don´t let them touch your car, man !A man´s car is his castle . . . . . . B) Bruno

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Actually, i'm a Honda freak myself (mine is similar to my avatar) but a friend bought a '99 Toyota Supra for $47,000 (he's rich, obviously). he let me drive it a few times. it's like a car with a jet engine strapped to it. B)

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