On Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 6:20 PM, Peter Stuge <peter@stuge.se> wrote:

> Ed W wrote:
> >> "Why Gentoo?"
> >
> > I like gentoo for situations where:
> > - Skilled developer available
> > - Customisable solution is desired
> > - Tightly controlled deployment environment
> > - Repeatable build environment required
> >
> > I think gentoo is far less acceptable if there isn't a skilled developer
> > available to help maintain and develop it... Probably that's my main
> > suggestion on how to size your project?
> >
> > However, if that developer/administrator is available, then Gentoo is a
> > marvellous solution for quickly building few MB custom solution, or a
> 60MB
> > virtual server base installation, or whatever other customised
> environment
> > you desire?
>
> This is very perceptive, and excellent advice!
>
> I believe firmly in "owning the problem" and for that, Gentoo is a
> very good fit. I know many who fiercly resist owning any problem
> whatsoever, and they do fine anyway (even better than me) and for
> them obviously Gentoo is not at all a goo fit because they would have
> to make lots of decisions they do not want to.
>
> Abstracting a little; the more requirements there are, the more
> likely it is that without Gentoo, it would be neccessary to start
> re-inventing various bits and pieces that Gentoo already offer.
>
> Sometimes requirements come only later, when a production process has
> already been established, and can not comfortably be replaced. That's
> a bad situation to be in. It will be painful no matter what, but
> often people choose the lengthy pain that means sticking with the old
> "distribution" living with a less-than-useful environment and
> reinventing tools and processes, instead of ripping off the band-aid
> and making a switch to Gentoo or something else that fits the
> project.
>
>
> //Peter
>
> Well, switching to Gentoo, is really not probable.
People don't understand Linux, and if they do, usually they know the big
distros.
If they search for embedded distro, Gentoo will not be on the list.
You need to come from Gentoo to understand it's capabilities.
If I start to roll an embedded environment with Gentoo, this will lit
some developers to check the system, because they need to use it.
It seems that when time goes by, and we grow older, we are reluctant to
do the change. Thats includes me too ;-) I have hard time letting Gentoo
off :-)

Regards,
Kfir