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To Gentoo or not to Gentoo


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Hello Gentoo Guys,

 

I'm a newbie who installed Linux (MDK 9.1 powerpack) for the first time only 2 days ago. For a long time I watched my friends using MDK and learned many things. So when I installed it on my system it went so easy, and I changed and played with so many things almost eveywhere in its configuration files.

Now the word Gentoo is ringing in my head. The question is:

After all the hard stuff of Gentoo's installation that I'm hearing about, can one make a Gentoo on his system that is so easy to use like MDK's? I mean KDE multilanguage desktop and all the multimedia and CD burning stuff, etc. etc.?

And do you think Gentoo will survive longer than MDK?

 

Please note that I know a little about the command-line things (vi, mounting, links, ls, man,... less than 50 commands). HD partitions are very easy for me.

 

Thanks for all the comments that you'll post .

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gentoo is fantastic for learning linux properly. I've been using linux( mandrake) for almost two years and I still felt like a newbie because, although I'd learnt loads, I had tools to do all the hard stuff for me.

 

So I switched to gentoo. Only been a few weeks now and I've already learnt an enourmous amount.

 

If you follow the instructions to the letter, then the install is actually quite easy - if VERY lengthy.

 

The only recommendation I'd make is that, if you're not familiar with recompiling you kernel, it's worth having a few practices with the mandrake sources before you try to install gentoo - whihc requires you to compile your own kernel.

 

Once you are fairly confident with that then wait till you have a spare weekend (trust me you'll need at least that long)and go for it.

 

There are a few people on this forum who can help you with the install - I may even be able to offer a few words of help myself :wink:

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at some point, i'm actually going to get around to writing up a little Kernel Setup HOWTO so that it's easier for people who are knew to kernel compilation to know which options to turn on and off in the kernel.

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After all the hard stuff of Gentoo's installation that I'm hearing about, can one make a Gentoo on his system that is so easy to use like MDK's? I mean KDE multilanguage desktop and all the multimedia and CD burning stuff, etc. etc.?

Yes. However, you will not have the *drak* tools (Mandrake Control Center and so on). So familiarize yourself to configure files manually instead of using the MCC before going to Gentoo. Even better, put all the important files (/etc/lilo.conf, /etc/X11/XF86config-4, /etc/fstab, ..) on a floppy so that you can use them in Gentoo.. because you will have to play with those files by yourself with a Gentoo system. You can compile and install (emerge) KDE Multilanguage no problem (kde-i18n).. just set the right USE variables in /etc/make.conf before compiling KDE so that the cd burning GUI are compiled and all that.

 

Don't forget to read the installation HowTo before to install it. The best would be to print it really.

 

MOttS

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I think I can see the way now. I'll do all my homework and as soon as I get my new computer (in 2 weeks), I'll install Gentoo. :D

 

Thank you all for your comments and support.

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at some point, i'm actually going to get around to writing up a little Kernel Setup HOWTO so that it's easier for people who are knew to kernel compilation to know which options to turn on and off in the kernel.

 

yeah right ... you've been saying this for how long now? :mystilol:

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People on this site give more than enough reasons to move to gentoo. I'm a little busy but I have very fast machines at home plus fast web connection, so it looks like gentoo is a very good distro for me. The good thing, besides the good reasons you give here, is that your always up to date. I'll give it a try. :plan:

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Well.. I am always tempted to try gentoo, but my bandwidth doesn't accomodate it. Since I am planning to go back to Indonesia in 1 month or so, I don't think I can go gentoo either (going back to regular dialup modem..... makes me want to cry :cry: )

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