My attempt to install gentoo did not work. This is not really that surprising all things considered, I knew from the outset that this would be, ah… a learning experience and probably take a while to succeed given that until less than a fortnight ago I’d never even used Linux. Fair enough. I am trying again, I am not going to let this thing beat me, I’ll show it. LOL. For a while I could not get the internet working through the install medium and this frustrated my efforts however I realised why (it was very obvious, I am embarrassed) and fixed it. I am not quite yet ready to go though. Last time I basically guessed, in a lazy way, about what useflags to use and what to include in the kernel. I will not do it thusly this time around. I am going to research first what I might need to include and include it. Hopefully that way I will have more success.
I found this amusing:
Gentoo provides two ways for you to handle kernel installation and upgrade: automatic (genkernel), and manual. Although the automatic method can be regarded as easier for the user, there are a number of reasons why a large proportion of Gentoo users choose to configure their kernel manually: greater flexibility, smaller kernel, shorter compilation time, learning experience, severe boredom, etc.
From: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/kernel-config.xml
Anyway I will get back to causing my dad apoplexy when he sees that we for a second month running approach our broadband download limits :p
Edit: Another amusing thing I found:
2. There is no blanket module for all USB devices, each one individually (with the exception of standardized devices like mass storage) has it’s own module. You would need to enable any of those on top of the core USB support. You could enable them all as loadable modules and simply leave them unloaded until you need them, but a little logic goes a long way here. How many types of USB devices do you really think you will be plugging in? The kernel has support for everything from LEGO bricks to a USB vibrator, you certainly aren’t going to be using them all (unless you are planning one hell of a party).
From: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/slackware-14/some-general-kernel-questions-793706/
LOL also, I was going to do the installation through my main computer because my laptop is on my printer and bending over to look at it is giving me neck cramps, but I am not sure…
If you want to allow other users to access your computer during the Gentoo installation (perhaps because those users are going to help you install Gentoo, or even do it for you), you need to create a user account for them and perhaps even provide them with your root password (only do that if you fully trust that user).
From: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=2
Not sure I can say I fully trust myself tbh :p
