Re: [PLUG] Source-Based Distribution Recommendation

On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 10:21 PM, Claude M. Schrader <plug@claudeschrader.com> wrote:

On 22:12 Mon 29 Jun , Richard Freeman wrote:

> Still, it would be really nice if there were more clear announcements
> before big changes - like glibc upgrades or baselayout changes. Maybe a
> warning before these packages are merged as well.

This was probably my biggest problem. I understand that announcements cant
be sent out everytime weirdlibA-2.35 is going to be a blocker for AppB3.6.
But having to go to the forums (not that I don't love the gentoo forums)
and look for a post for instructions *after* emerging a major package has
already failed got annoying.

I've had the same experiences. And when running a Gentoo server, a surprise like this is never pleasant. It was bound to happen along any of my Gentoo machine's time lines and did, numerous times at that. Although I have found in recent years it has become a bit better. This shows promise that things are progressing, albeit slowly. But that's all good.

The question Casey needs to find the answer to is, will any source-dist provide release-dist-like stability yet provide all the power tools that make source-dists the utility knives we want/need them to be? And the answer is kind of obvious if you ask me. Of course not. There are just way to many variables in play. Way too much slack to play with. The only way I know how to maximize stability in Gentoo is to minimize the slack. Which makes it a very nice, lean base if you know exactly what you are after.

Having Gentoo running on my SGI O2 (for over three years now) is a good example of the versatility and flexibility of this dist.

So, although I haven't used those other listed dists, my vote remains with Gentoo for the time being due to its age and relative progression.

Hope this helps.