looking at getting gentoo

[hnugz]

I was looking at the downloads over at linuxiso.org and I don't understand what the difference is between them.  What is the difference between the x86 install at only 16 mb, the i686 install at 135, and gentooPPC at 166.  What do these all mean?

[Faust]

Please bear in mind that I have heard from very experienced people that Gentoo is a bitch to get working.  I've also heard from other people that it's pretty cool once it is working but not for newbies I think...

x86 will install on any pentium class (which includes amd and "generic") processor.
i686 will install on P2s and up.  Or maybe it's P3's...

PPC will only work for Macs.

The main difference is that if you want the most speed and are prepared for a wait go with x86 as it will download and compile pretty much everything it needs, i686 has a bit of "pre compiled" stuff for i686 class processors.

[ August 04, 2003: Message edited by: Faust ]

[Pantso]

If I were you my friend I would think twice before even attempting to get Gentoo Linux. That is unless you're a plain masochist. In that case, that's fine with me  

[3eyes]

Good luck. I couldn't even get the first screen when I gave it a try.  

[jasonlane]

This reffers to the target architecture, so for example Gentoo Linux - GentooPPC is for Power PC or Mac, and so on. Before installing any Linux distro it's good idea to get a complete list of your hardware specs, there is a way on doing this in Windoze, but I can't remember how.

I would think you would be needing i386, but again check    


STET everything I've said, just noticed Faust has said it all
 

[ August 07, 2003: Message edited by: Zardoz ]

[BouncingAyatollah]

Gentoo 1.4 is available now...

Gentoo website

including GRP, a Reference System set of binaries.
You can get CDs optimised for your particular CPU.

What this means is now rather than installing over the net and waiting for things to compile (XFree, Mozilla, KDE, Gnome - eeek!) you can go through an install and use the precompiled binaries for your system.

The install is not necessarily "difficult", just long-winded, the install docs under "User Docs" above are very good, if you follow these you'll have a working system. There is even a script now to make kernels for you called "genkernel". Once you have the basic system set up, follow the "Desktop Installation" doc for setting up a GUI system.

I've just installed A Gentoo system again (optimised for Athlon-XP), and it is well worth it, very nippy indeed.