When I first started with Linux I found it hard to find a decent distribution because most seemed to have complicated package managers which made it hard to install a program due to dependency issues. However I found Gentoo which seemed to fulfil what I needed.

Gentoo is a great Linux distribution because it uses a brilliant package manager called ‘portage’. This allows you to find and install a wide range of packages and versions without the worry of having to specify dependency issues yourself. It even allows you to install multiple versions of some programs (such as gcc) if you need to. However, Gentoo has always been a distribution for enthusiasts and people who have the time to learn about Linux in depth. It’s not really designed as a mainstream distribution – it’s designed to be used by people who want to configure their systems right down to the smallest config file and compiler optimisation.

I had a brilliant time with Gentoo over the first few years of using it – managing to understand how Linux works which prompted me to read various books about the kernel to get a bit of an insight into the internal workings of Linux. It was brilliant learning on such a low level about operating systems and the general working of computers. I definitely learnt a lot about how a Linux system is put together and the various things required to make such a system optimised for the hardware it’s on.

Since coming back from travels I found myself wondering what to do with my Linux desktop machine. I’ve basically migrated over to using my MacBook for all my work / play, so my desktop has become rather redundant. However there’s a lot of stuff still on there which I will want to keep, so I can’t just simple ignore it. This is the point which I was at where I decided to install Ubuntu to see how it works. I found Ubuntu very nice and extremely easy to use. But having installed Ubuntu I had to really consider where I stood with Gentoo and Linux as a whole. My experience with Apple has left me rather more tilted towards Mac hardware and software and I’m certain I shall continue to use Apple for the foreseeable future.

But this doesn’t mean that I want to steer clear of Linux completely, I’d very much like to keep up with it as well. So I started to wonder if I really want/need a Gentoo install at all, rather than something like Ubuntu. I have grown rather annoyed by the sorts of people who are part of the Gentoo community, especially the people who frequent the forums. These experiences are not a good sign in my opinion.

So, that’s where I stand at the moment with Linux.