Re: [gentoo-user] Basic queries regarding installation from an outsider looking in

[Neil Bothwick <neil@digimed.co.uk>]

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On Sun, 14 Jun 2009 12:02:50 +0100, AG wrote:

> (1)  Looking through the background docs, it occurs to me that if I 
> wanted to install Gentoo on my system, I would need access to a second 
> machine that is running all of the on-line docs that guide one through 
> the installation process.  Is this correct?  If not, how does one refer 
> to the (seemingly quite comprehensive) guidelines whilst in the middle 
> of an installation?

Look at the alternate install docs. Although these relate to using a live
CD like Knoppix, you can also use an already installed system for this.
So you can install Gentoo from a chroot in your existing Debian system
(you will may a live CD to repartition). That way you can not only read
the docs, you can read your email, browse the web or play games while the
installation proceeds.

> (2)  When Gentoo installs its libraries, does this duplicate the 
> libraries already on my machine?  For instance - if I have OOo and KDE 
> and Xfce4 loaded as part of my Debian Squeeze system, will Gentoo also 
> install its own version of OOo, KDE and Xfce4 alongside the Deb files?  
> I was thinking that this would have a number of implications in terms
> of space and (potentially) in how the drive is partitioned for the
> Gentoo installation ... unless I'm missing the point?

Your Gentoo and Debian systems would, and should, be totally separate,
apart from shared user data.

> (3)  What differences would I likely experience between running my 
> Debian installation and the Gentoo installation?  After all, up to a 
> certain point GNU/Linux is GNU/Linux, and if I configured all the bells 
> and whistles the same way as I have currently got them set up (i.e. 
> preferred WM, desktop settings, applications, email and Net
> preferences, etc.), I'm not sure there would be any ostensible
> distinction between the two.

From a user perspective, you are right, Linux is Linux and different
distros tend to be different ways of arriving at a similar point. The
main difference is in the system administration.

> Any installation commitment will have to wait for a couple of weeks yet 
> though: I'm in the process of completing my MSc thesis and need to keep 
> a stable environment for the time being, so will look at taking this on 
> in a few weeks.  This is thus background research - a bit of a 
> reconnaissance mission, so to speak.  Any thoughts/ shared experiences 
> would be welcome ... unless there is another, more appropriate forum
> for these kinds of experiences to be shared/ discussed.

Installing from within your existing system means you can fit the Gentoo
installation process in around your other computer usage.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

WinErr 018: Unrecoverable error - System has been destroyed. Buy a new
one. Old Windows licence is not valid anymore.

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