Linux Desktop Summit Re: [SGVLUG] Hello from San Diego

[Dustin Laurence]

On Wed, Apr 26, 2006 at 07:47:28PM +0000, Terry Hancock wrote:
> >
> You missed Ubuntu (/Kubuntu/Edubuntu)!

You're right.  I probably should have created a third category for
Ubuntu and Mandriva (both of which were at the DLS).  They aim at
individual desktops (again, I know they'll dispute that, but I think
that is where their roots are) for people willing to accept Linux on
it's own terms (as opposed to the Xandros/Linspire crowd, for people who
demand their Linux to be indistinguishable from Microsoft Windows).

> Another interesting possibility for source-dist lovers, is something
> I came across called "Lunar Linux".  Sounds interesting, as it
> employs a source-based package-manager.  So it has a lot of the
> advantages of (e.g.) Slackware, but it also has a package-management
> system, sort of like Debian.

> I suppose you can achieve the same thing using Debian source
> packages, but I found it intriguing.

There is a "Debian From Scratch" thingy, but frankly it entirely misses
the point.  There isn't much of a trick to re-compiling your distro
barring tons of drudge work (if the package manager doesn't do it) and
time.  You need access to the compile-time flags, and to make it a
realistic long-term proposition you need tools to help.  That is why
Gentoo manages to do it right--you can set compile-time options globally
with USE flags and have them honored automatically (unless an ebuild
refuses to honor one known to be broken, if you really want to do
something so hazardous edit the ebuild).

Anyway, I haven't looked at Lunar, but if it doesn't have something as
good as or better than USE flags then I can't see the point of source
recompilation.  Well, OK, the increased ability to upgrade incrementally
is nice too.

> ...I'd certainly be considering it
> if I had a need for a more higher-performance, smaller-footprint system.

On x86 source compilation just doesn't buy you much performance; sure,
Gentoo is fast, but not faster than Slackware.  Anyone who says
otherwise is probably a Gentoo Ricer Fanboy who hasn't used Slackware
seriously. :-)

Dustin

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