Gentoo based OS image (Pyra) -EOI


codifies

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Ever since becoming decidedly underwhelmed with Debian's decreasing reliability and increasingly restrictive packaging choices (the dependency graph can limit your choices) I've become quite the Gentoo fan, with even the wife appreciating the speed compared to her previous Ubuntu setup (another one that's not as good as it used to be)


While previously I've discounted Gentoo as a choice on Arm systems, with the base speeds and increasing cores it begins to be practical without even having to set up distcc on a desktop to help it along (although its always an option)


While you wouldn't think it would make that much difference, the ability to very finely tune packages (and therefore dependencies) for less bloat and also tune the compiler exactly to the target CPU makes quite a noticeable difference even on x86 systems.


While I'll certainly be experimenting once my Rpi2 lands I was wondering if a base system for the Pyra using Gentoo would be of general interest to others...?
 
I am always interested in different options, and I would indeed be interested in Gentoo for Pyra.  I keep telling myself I am going to install Gentoo on one of my computers, but I have been busy and probably lazy.
 
I'll be honest the first time you install Gentoo, realistically you will probably need the best part of a day, the cost you pay for the amazing flexability is that its *will* allow you to break things (but you do get to keep both pieces) OTOH it really is worth it!

edit: and you'll learn stuff about how your OS works...
 
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thats why I hope for a quick merge of Pyra spcific patches and drivers into the kernel. I heard thats the plan. It will probably take a while but at least Gentoo and Arch Linux are rolling release. Not like Debian. Maybe the patches make it in time for Debian 9 xD

Anyway with patches merged there should be no big problemes using other arm based distrubutions.

The Pyra platfrom will be awesome for hardware mods and all sorts of open source projects! Hope eventually ED will sell the board seperatly  ; )
 
I'd be interested in a Gentoo base system for the Pyra.
 

I'll be honest the first time you install Gentoo, realistically you will probably need the best part of a day,

The first time I installed it (on a VM) it took me a week! Documentation was good but I wanted to understand everything I was doing.

You are forced to learn a lot about the OS works and also about how Gentoo does things (openrc, eselect, portage).

Painful at the time, but worth it.
 
oh my, a week, you must be an expert by now! - but yeah, it does your skills good! also added bonus no NSA proof tin foil hat needed as systemd is easily avoided!
 
The systemd thing was actually the reason I turned to Gentoo. Felt like the tail was wagging the dog.
 
We have something in common to thank pottering for then! I'm so glad I got into using Gentoo
 
funny, I also got interested in Gentoo because of it beeing a systemed alternative. I still use Debian and Arch LInux but I'm definetly interested in switching to Genoo ; )

Anyone knows good how to's and/or documentation about the topic: patching together your own distribution? I was thinking about a live Gentoo with a bunch of config scripts.

Edit: Sabayon seems interesting. Gonna try it, minimal version probably...
 
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Sabayon are at the least replacing udev, but for the time being keeping openrc... If you're patient and can be bothered to search the internet... You might as well just use Gentoo, in effect every Gentoo user is rolling their distro, as the packages and impotantly the dependencies they use will be so different, its more like gentoo is a collection of very similar distro's people are rolling for themselves, hence the advantage
 
Actually not architecture, but at any rate easier to manually create an earlier stage...
 
I'll be honest the first time you install Gentoo, realistically you will probably need the best part of a day, the cost you pay for the amazing flexability is that its *will* allow you to break things (but you do get to keep both pieces) OTOH it really is worth it!

edit: and you'll learn stuff about how your OS works...
This is one reason why I am going with Gentoo.  I actually just had a conversation where I mentioned all of what you mentioned and more when asked for a distro recommendation from someone a few days ago.  She sounded more interested in building Linux From Scratch.
systemd is easily avoided!
This was another thing I stressed.
We have something in common to thank pottering for then!
I disagree, but it is understandable why so much hate is directed his way.

Anyone knows good how to's and/or documentation about the topic: patching together your own distribution?
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/
Sabayon seems interesting. Gonna try it, minimal version probably...
I used Sabayon many years ago and loved it, but I think you lose most of the benefits of Gentoo.  Isn't Sabayon using systemd by default now?
edit:

http://www.sabayon.org/release/press-release-oh-oh-oh-sabayon-1401

lxnay said:
systemd as default init system
 
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I'm interested! So long as all Pyra software will be compatible with said image.
 
I tried Gentoo once, but couldn't get over the long and slow fact that we had to compile everything... So long to install things!

Because we have a single target CPU (the Pyra), however, I think we could use a Gentoo philosophy (fast, well-compiled programs) but still have binaries (fast to install).

Trying Gentoo helped me understand that, for me, ease/speed of installation beats small performance gains.
 
I tried Gentoo once, but couldn't get over the long and slow fact that we had to compile everything... So long to install things!
I *used* to think that... with a modern cpu, its simply not the case, sure I use some binary packages like firefox and libre-office, but they are both giganourmous sized projects (some would say too large...)

Properly configure your make.conf and now-a-days the overhead of Gentoo simply isn't what it used to be... and certainly more than worth the sheer responsiveness you get - even the wife said "its like having a new computer" - and let me tell you she's *always* right ;-)
 
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