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

[Alan McKinnon <alan.mckinnon@gmail.com>]

On Sunday 14 June 2009 13:02:50 AG wrote:
> Hi all
>
> Thanks for the responses to my earlier query regarding co-location of
> Debian and Gentoo on the same HDD.
>
> I still have a few questions regarding an installation before I take the
> plunge:
>
> (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?

With links or link2 or lynx - it's on the stage 3.

Get network up and running, view docs in text mode

> (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?

Yes. You have two complete operating systems, and they share very little, if 
anything. Don't try and be tempted to share binaries - that way does madness 
lie.

> (3)  What differences would I likely experience between running my
> Debian installation and the Gentoo installation?

That's not a question that anyone except you can answer - it's like asking me 
what different experience will you have between your ex-wife and current 
girlfriend. I have no idea, nor any way to find out.

They will be different, that much is true. Gentoo will work the way you set it 
up, I can't even warn you about sudo instead of su a la Ubuntu as Gentoo let's 
you do it either way. If you use Gnome, you will get Gnome's default theme (a 
blue one?) instead of say Ubuntu's Human theme. Changing that is a simple 
emerge and a few mouse clicks.

What you will do is spend an insane amount of time trying to figure out what a 
certain USE flag actually does an if you want it. Debian doesn't give you that 
choice.

-- 
alan dot mckinnon at gmail dot com