# Gentoo!



## R-T-B (Jan 6, 2013)

I love Gentoo, and was surprised to not find a thread for it here.  I suppose it's the learning curve and lack of GUI out of the box. 

I run Gentoo on the following "oddball" machines and love it's ability to optimize everything for the CPU via compile flags.  I'll post a make.conf configuration for each of my machines, just for fun:

All use flags are for xfce, BTW.

Fuloong Mini-PC (Bought in China by a friend, runs a Chinese designed MIPS "Loongson" processor, yep Gentoo runs!)


```
CFLAGS="-O3 -Wa,-mfix-loongson2f-nop -march=loongson2f -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer"
CXXFLAGS="${CFLAGS}"
CHOST="mips64el-unknown-linux-gnu"
MAKEOPTS="-j1"
USE="alsa cdr dvd -kde"
```

PowerMac G5 Dual 2.7Ghz (It's actually for sale right now in the market, but let's keep this on topic.  )


```
CFLAGS="-O2 -pipe -mcpu=970 -maltivec -mabi=altivec"
CXXFLAGS="${CFLAGS}"
# WARNING: Changing your CHOST is not something that should be done lightly.
# Please consult http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/change-chost.xml before changing.
CHOST="powerpc64-unknown-linux-gnu"
MAKEOPTS="-j2"
USE="qt4 qt gtk dvd alsa cdr -gnome -kde"
```

I have a pandaboard ARM based box as well, but it's down right now.  Will post it's make.conf later.  Useful for optimizing.

BTW, -fomit-frame-pointer is not your friend.  It will make debugging hell, especially in java land.  I only do it on that little fuloong because an 800MHz MIPS CPU needs every drop of speed it can get.  

I also have an Core i7 box running gentoo naturally, but it's boring compared to my above "exotic" setups, lol. 

Anyone else have a gentoo box?  Don't need to post make.confs, I just did for fun.  I'm pretty good at setting up gentoo and have been working with it for some time if anyone has any questions.


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## Peter1986C (Jan 6, 2013)

I like Gentoo, but it takes some time to get it installed. I am currently trying to get some extra life into an old pre-Presscott Pentium 4 system (1.7 GHz, 1 GB RAM in a 5000 setries Compaq Presario) but I do not want too spend too much free time on it (and compiling stuff takes long on that box).

I am not near the box now, but I do now that the CFLAGS values are _O2_,_march=pentium4_ and _pipe_. Tonight I might mess around with it a bit and continue to configure X properly (and install Openbox).


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## Wrigleyvillain (Jan 6, 2013)

Gentoo is great for learning (like Linux From Scratch but that's even more nitty gritty) as you have much if it you "roll yourself" compile-wise. Also, for optimizing for specific hardware, of course. A really good "hobbyist" distro.


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