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Gentoo goes Binary

gentoo.org

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Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#101

Post by chpatrick »

1oooqooq wrote: post #63
chpatrick wrote: post #53

I think NixOS has kind of taken over anything I would use Gentoo for.

you build "impure" (in nixos speak) packages for all your software? if not this is not a close comparisson. gentoo shines when you need system wide control of build flags (for perf or security)

I don't know what you mean by impure package. You can modify the build of any nix package and it will rebuild everything just like Gentoo.

I don't personally believe in the CFLAGS "performance" micro-optimization though so that's not really something that matters to me. Security is pretty hardened by default on Nix: https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#sec-hardening-flags...

Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#102

Post by trelane »

bee_rider wrote: post #92
adrian_b wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For less powerful devices it has always been possible to install Gentoo in a chroot directory on a powerful computer, using a configuration appropriate for the less powerful device, compile and install in the chroot environment any packages, and then just copy all the files from the chroot directory, through Ethernet or using a USB memory, over the root HDD/SSD of the less powerful device. I have used Gentoo in this…

Next you’ll tell me there are optimization settings other than -mtune=native

You always have to remember to fun roll the loops, though. :)

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-245041-start-25.html

Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#103

Post by adrian_b »

bee_rider wrote: post #92
adrian_b wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For less powerful devices it has always been possible to install Gentoo in a chroot directory on a powerful computer, using a configuration appropriate for the less powerful device, compile and install in the chroot environment any packages, and then just copy all the files from the chroot directory, through Ethernet or using a USB memory, over the root HDD/SSD of the less powerful device. I have used Gentoo in this…

Next you’ll tell me there are optimization settings other than -mtune=native

I am not sure what you mean, but in the chrooted environment where you compile for a distinct machine you obviously use configuration options, including compiler flags, appropriate for the target computer, not for the host computer, so "-mtune=native" cannot be used.

My point is that you do not need to setup a binrepo or any other complication like this.

You can install easily Gentoo on a very weak computer, by performing the installation on a typical desktop computer, which may run a different Linux distribution, not necessarily also Gentoo, and then just copying the files.

The Gentoo manual has always included information on how to install Gentoo inside a chrooted environment.

Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#105

Post by jasoneckert »

Back in the 2000s I would spend immense amounts of time compiling custom Gentoo on old SGI MIPS systems to obtain the best performance. However, even back then I remember thinking that as computing power evolved, there would be a point where Gentoo would either fade into obscurity, or release binary packages to allow users to quickly set up the distribution. As a result, I'm not surprised by this announcement in the least and half expected it to happen a decade ago.

Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#106

Post by globular-toast »

iamgopal wrote: post #3

Years ago, somehow, I wasted hours and days of computer and my time, compiling and fine tuning my gentoo system, god knows why, when next day I anyway format it to install newly arrived Ubuntu cd.

But then you have to deal with big upgrades that might break your system and old packages (or start randomly adding PPAs etc.) A rolling distro means you can continually keep up with small changes and only adopt big new pieces (like systemd, pipewire, wayland etc.) if/when you are ready to.

I've installed Gentoo literally two times. Once per PC. Been using it for years. It's not like you have to keep tweaking it. It does help if you run a basic system like me, though (no DE, simple tiling WM, don't use much apart from Emacs and Firefox).

Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#107

Post by hylaride »

iamgopal wrote: post #3

Years ago, somehow, I wasted hours and days of computer and my time, compiling and fine tuning my gentoo system, god knows why, when next day I anyway format it to install newly arrived Ubuntu cd.

Same, but I learned so much while doing it. Eventually I got tired and moved to an arch and got most of the same without always fighting broken packages. But I still use the knowledge I gained dealing with random low-level issues when they crop up.

Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#108

Post by mad182 »

bitcharmer wrote: post #95
mad182 wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nothing interesting. I spend like 99% of my computer time in the web browser, ide and terminal. Chrome, git, ssh, docker, netbeans

Oh wow, I did not expect to see NetBeans here. What do you use it for and why NetBeans?

General web development. PHP, javascript, css. I used to do some java projects as well, but not lately.

I know it's not mainstream to use NetBeans these days, but I don't care, I'm just used to it and it gets the job done. Maybe I'm just getting old.

Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#109

Post by weberer »

intsunny wrote: post #48

I shudder to think how many sky high electricity bills and greenhouse gases were released to needlessly compile the same software over and over again.

Probably a fraction of a fraction of 1% of the power used by Microsoft to constantly collect personal data from Windows 10 users 24/7.

Re: Gentoo goes Binary

#110

Post by hylaride »

intsunny wrote: post #48

I shudder to think how many sky high electricity bills and greenhouse gases were released to needlessly compile the same software over and over again.

Probably not that much. It's not like gentoo was widely used compared to Red Hat or Ubuntu. Also CPU power usage is a rounding error if the computer was on anyways compared to the spinning HDD, monitor etc.
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