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What
is Gentoo?
Gentoo is a free operating system based on
either Linux or FreeBSD that can be
automatically optimized and customized for just
about any application or need. Extreme
configurability, performance and a top-notch
user and developer community are all hallmarks
of the Gentoo experience.
Thanks to a technology called Portage, Gentoo
can become an ideal secure server, development
workstation, professional desktop, gaming
system, embedded solution or something else --
whatever you need it to be. Because of its
near-unlimited adaptability, we call Gentoo a
met distribution.
Gentoo
Portage?
Portage
is the heart of Gentoo, and performs many key
functions. For one, Portage is the
software
distribution system for Gentoo. To
get the latest software for Gentoo, you type one
command: emerge --sync.
This command tells Portage to update your local
"Portage tree" over the Internet. Your local
Portage tree contains a complete collection of
scripts that can be used by Portage to create
and install the latest Gentoo packages.
Currently, we have more than 10000 packages in
our Portage tree, with updates and new ones
being added all the time.
Portage is also a
package building and installation system.
When you want to install a package, you type
emerge package name,
at which point Portage automatically builds a
custom version of the package to your exact
specifications, optimizing it for your hardware
and ensuring that the optional features in the
package that you want are enabled -- and those
you don't want aren't.
Portage also keeps your system
up-to-date.
Typing emerges -uD world
-- one command -- will ensure that all the
packages that you
want on your system are updated automatically. |
