FWIW, gentoo is an complete linux distribution that is entirely "roll your own". It manages software via a ports system called the portage tree. Everything is downloaded in source form and must be compiled for your machine.
As a result you have a very fast, clean system running only what you've specifically installed. It works well and I've been using it for 6 months. Version 1.4 is about to be released. BTW, there are several stages possible - stage 1 provides only a core (this is actually the iso image you've been speaking about) - you have to build a system from scratch; stage 2 has some additional parts and stage 3 is a minimal system. Of course, each successively numbered stage representa a larger download and less customization. For example, in the versions to date, you *must* download kernel source and compile your own kernel. Gentoo says that the final 1.4 release will change the basic installation philosophy and perhaps provide for a binary system that is functional out of the box. I don't know the details. There's no free lunch of course! There are least two drawbacks for such an approach. First installing major software systems takes a long time. The installation of KDE 3.1 from source, for example, takes about 4 hours on my Athlon XP 1700. The other disadvantage stems from my 'newbieness'....you have to learn about packages on your own...since you have to select everything yourself you need to know the names (and maybe the class) of software packages to even find them in the portage tree. There are generic directories for say window-managers but it helps to know a bit about a program before you grab it. For me, gentoo is test system...they always have the latest version of pgms and if you want to move to a real gory bleeding edge kind of install you can override their 'masks' (which block software pkgs in devleopment or not fully tested) and really have fun! It is however, very fast, and everything I've installed works beautifully. Terry Smith On Fri, 2003-02-28 at 16:16, John Richard Smith wrote: > Anne Wilson wrote: > > >On Friday 28 Feb 2003 5:58 pm, you wrote: > > > > > >>Anne Wilson wrote: > >> >On Thursday 27 Feb 2003 6:05 pm, John Richard Smith wrote: > >> >>OK , I attatch the file for everone > >> >> > >> >>John > >> > > >> >John, I'm really confused by this. First, I don't understand where > >> > >>Gentoo > >> > >> >comes into the equation? You give the Gentoo url, then say download > >> > >>the iso > >> > >> >from the partimage website. > >> > > >> >On the partimage website I could not see what you were recommending to > >> >download. > >> > > >> >There is an rpm for partimage on the distro, so what made you choose to > >> >download another? > >> > > >> >Having installed the rpm from Mandrake, I could quite happily use it > >> > >>as it > >> > >> >stands, *except* that I can't see how the bootable image disk is made, > >> > >>and > >> > >> >without it I can't see a restore being possible. > >> > > >> >I'm used to DriveImage, so I understand the process - I just can't see > >> > >>how it > >> > >> >fits together with PartImage. > >> > > >> >Anne > >> > >>http://www.partimage.org/download.php3 > >>http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/distributions/gentoo/releases/1.4_rc2/x86/ > >>x86/livecd/gentoo-basic-x86-1.4_rc2.iso > >> > >>This download site is always busy, so chuck it into d4x and get > >>it ti do a mirror search and choose one of them. I found several > >>only just at the moment d4x seems unable to find any > >> > >>John > >> > >> > >> > >>I suppose you haven't yet seen a gento -basic-X86-1.4-rc2 boot disc. > >>It's basically a 38 MB programme that creates for you a kernel > >>for the purpose of loading into memory along with other programmes > >>like partimage. You run the disc to the prompt and run the programme > >>you want in our case partimage which is on the disc as well as other > >>programmes, like fdisk or cfdisk. > >>Like Partition Magic uses a boot floppy and a programme floppy, > >>Gentoo uses a Boot CD with partimage on it . > >> > >> > >> > >I see - so this is a cut-down Gentoo to provide the platform + partimage. > >It's downloading now, so we'll see how I go. > > > >Anne > > > > > That's substancially right, it can also be used to install gentoo's OS . > I don't know > anything about that aspect, never having seen or heard of it before, but > the gentoo boot > disc which this is creates a kernel for your computer and you then go on > to download > the OS directory off the net, whether that download is a download of a > whole bunch of > rpm's which then have to be manually installed or whether you are in > fact downloading > and installing the binaries I don't know. Anyway we are interested in > this Gentoo basic > boot version for the purpose of creating a working kernel and installing > partimage > for backup purposes. Once the kernel is configured, it's quite quick, > the kernel and partimage > are loaded into memory, like all the best image backup programmes. That > leaves you free > to do anything to anything partition wise, with the added advantage for > those who require > it you can configure an internet connection and install image files over > the net. > > John -- Terry Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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