What is a Linux Distro?
So, I was talking to someone the other day and they asked me why I used Gentoo. They actually mentioned why I didn't use a more "mature" Linux distro. Well what is a Linux Distro as opposed to just Linux. Linux, and all of the tools written specifically for it like KDE, GNOME, XMMS, and the rest is after all just Linux. You can do LFS and build everything up from scratch. But then you have to manage everything from scratch. So in light of that, a good Linux Distro helps by managing what's on your machine. Now Redhat and SuSE do a fairly good job of that. They also try to keep it stable, which if you're running a server or other application where uptime and controlled change is needed, that's good. But at home, is that what you want?
When I started looking past those two RPM based and professionally managed distros, I was annoyed when Gnome 2.4 came out above Gnome 2.6 and I had no easy way of installing it. Mainly, my DISTRO didn't help me upgrade and manage it, and then be able to go back. I could grab the sources, install the -dev packages needed for compiling against stuff, configure, make, and make install. But then when I wanted to change something, or un tangle what used what, where was I left. Well, I was in a mess. So that would be the second thing a distro should do for you, bring what Linux content you want, to you.
But, there's one thing that Gentoo does that not allot of other distros let you do easily. That is manage how those packages are installed and what they used. I used to hate it when I'd install something on RedHat and allot of stuff like cups when I didn't want the printing support would be pulled in. I mean, c'mon, I know I can compile it myself without that, why are you throwing it in there. Well, Gentoo let's me do that as well. Now there might be a better distro out there than Gentoo, but that's letting me do all I want allot more than me.
The end point is just that a Distro brings Linux to you the best and most managable way possible. Once you have what you need all bundled up, you're golden, unless of course your needs change. I think the only thing I'd do to make Gentoo better is to make it's tools quicker. Maybe keep a bit more history incase one needs to go back a version. But you can quickpkg anything that is installed, and upgrade and go back. Beyond that, I decide what parts of Linux I want, when and how.
When I started looking past those two RPM based and professionally managed distros, I was annoyed when Gnome 2.4 came out above Gnome 2.6 and I had no easy way of installing it. Mainly, my DISTRO didn't help me upgrade and manage it, and then be able to go back. I could grab the sources, install the -dev packages needed for compiling against stuff, configure, make, and make install. But then when I wanted to change something, or un tangle what used what, where was I left. Well, I was in a mess. So that would be the second thing a distro should do for you, bring what Linux content you want, to you.
But, there's one thing that Gentoo does that not allot of other distros let you do easily. That is manage how those packages are installed and what they used. I used to hate it when I'd install something on RedHat and allot of stuff like cups when I didn't want the printing support would be pulled in. I mean, c'mon, I know I can compile it myself without that, why are you throwing it in there. Well, Gentoo let's me do that as well. Now there might be a better distro out there than Gentoo, but that's letting me do all I want allot more than me.
The end point is just that a Distro brings Linux to you the best and most managable way possible. Once you have what you need all bundled up, you're golden, unless of course your needs change. I think the only thing I'd do to make Gentoo better is to make it's tools quicker. Maybe keep a bit more history incase one needs to go back a version. But you can quickpkg anything that is installed, and upgrade and go back. Beyond that, I decide what parts of Linux I want, when and how.
posted by Robert Zaleski at 8:39 PM
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