From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 4.0.0 (2022-12-14) on finch.gentoo.org X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.7 required=5.0 tests=DATE_IN_PAST_12_24, DMARC_MISSING,FSL_HELO_NON_FQDN_1,HELO_NO_DOMAIN,INVALID_DATE, MAILING_LIST_MULTI autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=4.0.0 Received: from tmvw.geographix.com ([205.170.179.8] helo=viruswall) by cvs.gentoo.org with smtp (Exim 3.30 #1) id 15x8Zr-00047E-00 for gentoo-dev@gentoo.org; Fri, 26 Oct 2001 09:07:19 -0600 Received: from 134.132.19.202 by viruswall (InterScan E-Mail VirusWall NT); Fri, 26 Oct 2001 09:03:43 -0600 Received: by denggxexch02.ad.lgc.com with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) id <4SM9983A>; Fri, 26 Oct 2001 09:06:48 -0600 Message-ID: <6B4466291C722C4DABFC7057CF405416243948@denggxexch02.ad.lgc.com> From: Sami Cokar To: gentoo-dev@gentoo.org MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Subject: [gentoo-dev] gentoo's portage Sender: gentoo-dev-admin@cvs.gentoo.org Errors-To: gentoo-dev-admin@cvs.gentoo.org X-BeenThere: gentoo-dev@cvs.gentoo.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.0 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: gentoo-dev@cvs.gentoo.org List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Id: Gentoo Linux development list List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: Date: Fri Oct 26 09:08:02 2001 X-Original-Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2001 09:06:47 -0600 X-Archives-Salt: 074d6890-e88c-4611-9379-905827fb4ce8 X-Archives-Hash: e6daa4fbdd8f00be04a8f3a6db9295ef Hello, I've started playing with gentoo 1.0r6 and have a few comments. I installed gentoo using the tbz2 file and have a few comments: 1) documentation: please ensure the 'build' options (/etc/make.conf.build) are explained as to what all the three letter acronyms mean and the impact/dependencies of picking them 2)documentation: the departure from 'normal' system startup scripts needs to described. What will happen when a 'normal' non-gentoo application tries to install itself expecting a 'standard' layout? 3) portage: a great drawback seems that 'constant human effort' is required to ensure the portage tree is updated. I can see this becoming an issue for gentoo. There are many applications released and updated that must conform to the portage system to make sure 'the latest and greatest' really IS available "as advertised" on the web site :) eg. I needed the latest Matrox drivers and Powerdesk utility which I installed manually. my system's portage is not aware of manual installs I perform and I needed the drivers before they could be added to the 'gentoo portage' tree. 4) portage: sounds powerful - perhaps it can also be used as a means of a useful/automated/'user-friendly' 'uninstall' which is sorely lacking in the unix world. I have tried 4+ distributions of Linux and am getting a bit tired of telling their respective 'uninstall' that when I want to remove a game, I would STILL like to keep gnome on my system. 5) portage: if possible (space requirements, etc), 'generic 386' binaries for the base system should be in the portage tree so that initial installs/builds can progress faster. the 'emerge system' on my P4 1.4 took a looong time. Would be better to have as much generic base system and then be able to fine tune as desired. 6) portage: organization. consider reducing the # of categories. People can mainly remember 7 +/- 2 items of information. go into /usr/portage and there are a lot of choices which will only increase in the future. Consider: /usr/portage/base (anything necessary to get from PC booted to minimal command line) /usr/portage/GUI (user interfaces, windowing systems) /user/portage/development (development tools, languages) etc. Note that i used 'development' instead of 'dev'. lets use long file names as necessary. and don't go too deep: /usr/portage/development/languages/python/libs/3rdparty/UnimportantLib So far, gentoo seems to be the distribution I would prefer to use. Congratulations on the results you've achieved. Thank you. ____________________________________________________________ Sami Cokar Landmark Graphics scokar@lgc.com Phone: 403-218-2297 Fax: 403-233-0141