this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2026
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Linux
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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I have started with Mandrake (later renamed to Mandriva) then went through few other distros before settling on Gentoo.
Gentoo installation is one of the most complicated because there is no installer, you do everything yourself.
This is like buying car parts and assembling them together into a car using a manufacturer's manual. its painful but once the car is assembled you almost never have to take it to a repair shop. Not because it doesn't breakdown but because you know well how it function and thus how to fix it yourself.
I think I still have some Mandrake install discs somewhere!
I have Gentoo on a server (well, a ARM SBC). I enjoy it, especially since they added binary packages as needed.
How is it for day to day to use?