Linux.com: Review: Gentoo 2004.2

"Gentoo Linux is the BSD of GNU/Linux distributions; it's elegant and customizable and you know exactly what you're getting when you install it. No mystery programs, no packages that you have to deinstall because you'll never use, no clutter, and everything is customized to your needs. If you do it right, Gentoo is also faster than your average GNU/Linux distro because everything can be compiled with higher compiler optimizations. The 2004.2 edition of Gentoo Linux lacks the improvements I had hoped to see, but this is still the best community GNU/Linux distribution for desktop tinkerers. Some even say that it makes a good server, too.

"If you're heretofore unfamiliar with Gentoo Linux, it's a source-based GNU/Linux distribution; that means that you compile some or all of the operating system and the accompanying programs from source code. There are other source-based distributions, such as Source Mage, ROCK Linux, Onebase Linux, Lunar Linux, and Sorcerer, but what makes Gentoo unique among not only GNU/Linux distributions but most operating systems in general is its Portage program management system. Portage is like Debian's APT tools, except it's much easier to configure and use, and it generally handles the downloading and compiling of source code packages rather than binary packages..."

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• Linux Journal: Gentoo Linux [Review](Dec 05, 2003)
• LinuxWorld: A New Distro in Town: Gentoo Emerges Victorious(May 20, 2003)