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List:       kde-devel
Subject:    Re: KDE Linux/BSD distribution
From:       Michael Pyne <pynm0001 () unf ! edu>
Date:       2004-10-27 4:54:59
Message-ID: 200410270055.02911.pynm0001 () unf ! edu
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On Wednesday 27 October 2004 12:34 am, Brendan wrote:
> > I wish people would find something different to complain about with
> > Gentoo, it's not like you can't *use* your system while it's compiling.
>
> You can't regulate what people complain about. Give them an alternative.

I never said I could regulate what people complained about.  An alternative 
for those who like complaining would be the increasing price of peanut 
butter. :P

> > People have no problems with Folding@Home or Seti@Home, but turn on a
> > background compile and OH MY GOD HORROR.
>
> Yes, horror when you have no updated software for 3 days. Most people want
> everything now. Not saying that it is right or not, but you said you wished
> they would find something else to complain about.

Well in my experience new packages hit Portage soon after an upstream release.  
Even when Gentoo is slacking in that department, people with experience on 
Gentoo know that it is typically as simple as copying the ebuild file and 
bumping the version number.  Although it may take a bit of time to compile, 
Gentoo users typically can get a head start on the process, so that evens 
things out a little.

But please, please, please don't exaggerate.  I once tried to use Gentoo on a 
laptop with 64 MB of RAM and a AMD K6-2 with hardly any cache (although it 
was 550 MHz IIRC).  Anyways, I didn't try compiling KDE, but compiling and 
installing XFree86 "only" took about 8-10 hours on that.  Although hardly a 
speed record, it's not "3 days".

Besides, Gentoo provides binary packages for the larger items (although those 
aren't updated nearly as often as the source releases in Portage), so it's 
not like you're completely screwed.  But hey, if you're using a low-spec 
system, then I'll be the first to implore you to *use something else*.  I'm 
not quite sure what (although I suppose Ark Linux or Yoper springs to mind), 
but my point isn't that Gentoo is great for everyone (it's not), my point is 
that compiling software shouldn't be a problem for most users.

After all, it's not like there is a dearth of things to complain about 
regarding Gentoo.  There's all the zealots who act like Gentoo is the best 
thing since sliced bread (it's not), or the fact that upgrading GCC to the 
next major release is like playing russian roulette with your KDE 
installation (you should see the bug reports for JuK, whose C++ dependencies 
exacerbate the problem).

Maybe it's just me, but I just can't understand the people who complain about 
having to compile software.  If you managed to survive through yesterday 
without foo-x.y+1, I think you'd be able to manage another hour (or even, God 
forbid, a day).  It's not like you're using Windows 98 where you simply can't 
do anything else, unless you're trying to play UT2004 or something you should 
be able to use your computer just fine, even while it is compiling something.

If you really must have the latest and greatest *NOW*, then you'll usually end 
up compiling from source anyways, which is *exactly* what you'd be doing 
under Gentoo.

Regards,
 - Michael Pyne

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