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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Is gentoo Linux really worth it? (iusearchlinux.fyi)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I've installed gentoo but there seems like there's so many sacrifices. I love that it's all open source, but I really don't mind closed source software now and then, because after all I would be using it to play closed source games. The biggest compromise I've observed is the very long build times. I have a lukewarm cpu(i3 10100) and it's powerful enough for good gaming but the build times are still like 10x minimum for some software. All this to say, is using gentoo really worth it? I love the idea behind it, and if I was doing criminal activity I'd definitely use it, but is there some absolute upside to it or is it a really good OS for privacy that sacrifices in usability?

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Actually, Gentoo has no restrictions against packaging closed-source software, or even for-pay software. The net-im category is full of closed source.

Closed-source games rarely get packaged, and almost never in the main tree, in part because they all have to be fetch-restricted. The system can't predict whether you bought from Steam or GOG or some smaller store, or whether you have a means of downloading from that store without user interaction, so it has to send you to download the package yourself and place it in the source directory. That's considered a black mark against the package. (There was someone a few years ago who was packaging GOG games in an overlay, but they don't seem to be doing it anymore.) In general, no distro will package this stuff—you're better off installing Steam and having it manage your games.

As for build times, get used to letting updates involving large packages run unattended overnight. Sort out the dependencies, issue an emerge with --keep-going, and go to bed. Works for PI3s and my Athlon64x2 laptop, anyway. (If this is still intolerable for you, maybe Arch would be a better fit?)

Finally, you may not be aware that the most complete list of Gentoo-packaged software available is not on the official site, but at gpo.zugaina.org, which also indexes ebuilds in overlays and Bugzilla.