About the installation of Gentoo Linux

Read the Gentoo Handbook.

Even if you are using the new Gentoo Installer I suggest actually read the installation instructions.

Go to Gentoo's Handbook: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/index.xml

I am going to have to revise this page as the normal Gentoo install is now starting from Stage 3.  Stage 1 or 2 installs are rare now ... so you really do not need to know about that anymore.

One added benefit of Gentoo Linux is the control over what applications get installed. If you want a minimal installation of the core operating system plus the application that you want ... then Gentoo will give that level of control.

Many people using Linux run into problems installing applications where they download one application and then Linux fails to install it because of a dependency. A dependency refers to another application that is required to be installed prior to the application you want to install in order to support it (Windows users don't run into this issue because the dependencies are included into the complete application). Gentoo's "portage" system removes the head aches as it was designed to install any dependencies with the application you want to install.

You will read on the Internet about how difficult and frustrating it is to use Gentoo Linux ... but I think that the people that attempted this wanted a quick and easy installation and were disappointed that this distribution was not that. Gentoo Linux was not created to be like that. If you want that just go and install Fedora or SuSE Linux ... or even just stick with Windows XP.

In the end I end up with a very usable system in terms of speed and the only monetary cost was one CD-R disk. My old laptop has been reborn.