So you want me to use Gentoo huh?

Every superhero has their weakness. Usually it is something they keep secret, but eventually their enemy's find out what that weakness is and exploit it. My weakness in the Linux world happens to be Gentoo Linux. I have never successfully been able to install Gentoo onto any computer. When I was first into Linux, my former boss who is a big Gentoo nerd (Sorry Craig) handed me an old laptop and told me to install Gentoo on it. To make a long story short, after three days of downloading binaries, and emerging packages I had enough and discovered Ubuntu. I had pretty much given up on Gentoo.

I tried again a few other times when Gentoo came out with the graphical installer from the live CD, but that didn't make things easier and all my install attempts had failed. I was pretty much in the mindset at that point that Gentoo was impossible to install and I wasn't sure how exactly it was that people ever successfully got it to install in the first place. Gentoo is officially, my Kryptonite!


We just finished our second project in my final class before I get my associates degree at school. In this class we have to build three networks. The first network was a Novell network using Windows NT workstations and Windows 98. The second was a Windows 2000 domain, which we then had to turn around and upgrade to 2003. everything so far has been pretty easy.

The final project has to be an all Linux network. We have five workstations for each team, and there are two teams. We have to have a different Linux distro for each computer. 10 Different distros total. I had it all planned out which distros I was going to use, and I'll tell you this. Gentoo wasn't one of them.

Well, my professor heard about how I felt towards Gentoo, and he knows that is my weakness. And just like Lex Luthor, he is using my Gentoo weakness against me. Apparently he feels that I haven't been challenged enough thus far, so he is going to require at least one Gentoo machine on my network. Arrrrggghh!

I'm not one to back down from a challenge though. Before this project begins on Monday, I will be spending my weekend working with Gentoo, to learn it and to make sure I can get it working for this project. So far I am making progress. For instance, I have pretty much determined that the big point of failure is using the stage three sources on the CD. They are pretty much worthless. Once I decided to use the stage three tarballs from one of the repositories on the internet, things began to work correctly. Also, I have found that if I use the default USE flags, the installer won't fail. I still have a little ways to go, but things are looking up.

IN YOUR FACE ARMY! I won't let you beat me!

I will try to keep everyone updated on the progress. Stay tuned!

By the way, if anyone has any Gentoo tips to make the Gentoo install more smooth and less time consuming, hit me up in the comments. I could sure use the help.

Posted in: capstone