Yay! Wayfire.

Been using Wayfire for quite some time now. I'm tempted to test out xfce.

baby separated values?

You're not alone with your opinion.

4GB is barely enough. But you can limit the compilation threads to save memory. For big compilations you should reserve around 1.5GB per compilation thread.

As for celeron... You'd better use binary host, at least for big packages (or have your own binary host).

Here I have one old Chromebox for which I flashed coreboot into.

2024-03-13T09:59:14 >>> net-libs/nodejs-20.11.0: 3:36:15
2024-05-10T05:02:52 >>> net-libs/nodejs-20.12.1: 6:12:09
2024-10-01T00:25:35 >>> net-libs/nodejs-22.4.1-r1: 7:24:58
2024-12-26T01:43:48 >>> net-libs/nodejs-22.4.1-r1: 15:32:58

The three first lines show compilation times of nodejs with quite normal compilation settings. On the last line I enabled some ridiculous optimizations, like -funroll-loops and -fipa-pta but also -lto (which probably contributes the most of the compilation time increase). I've retired this box now, but I might give it a new life as some home automation box.

Obligatory fastfetch.

panther-box ~ # fastfetch --logo none
root@panther-box
----------------
OS: Gentoo 2.17 x86_64
Host: Panther (1.0)
Kernel: Linux 6.1.110-panther-0.3.1
Uptime: 36 days, 18 hours, 10 mins
Packages: 701 (emerge)
Shell: bash 5.2.37
Theme: Adwaita [GTK3]
Icons: gnome [GTK3]
Cursor: Adwaita
Terminal: tmux 3.4
CPU: Intel(R) Celeron(R) 2955U (2) @ 1.40 GHz
GPU: Intel Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller @ 1.00 GHz [Integrated]
Memory: 950.19 MiB / 15.50 GiB (6%)
Swap: 7.00 MiB / 20.00 GiB (0%)
Disk (/): 13.37 GiB / 14.94 GiB (90%) - xfs
Disk (/home): 133.21 MiB / 1.94 GiB (7%) - xfs
Disk (/var): 1.57 GiB / 1.94 GiB (81%) - xfs
Disk (/var/cache/pkg): 12.98 GiB / 19.94 GiB (65%) - xfs

... and because I had some 8GB DDR3 SODIMM RAM sticks I stuffed the maximum amount in there. If I was on 4GB, I'd use binhost or tune the compilation settings so that the process would use as little memory as possible.

Just Google meatspin

Dude... This is Rickrolling on the nightmare level.

Those who don't remember: NSFW to google that.

Yes.

Really the hardest part of desktop linux for a regular, so called "internet user", in the installation.

They don't have no clue how to install an operating system, even windows.

I once installed CentOS workstation for my father on his ThinkPad. Firefox and Libreoffice is all he needs. Automatic updates in the background make sure all the latest security patches are applied. There have been few time when, after the update, the laptop hangs at boot. I've since told him to choose the second-to-last boot option from the "start-up menu" until the fix for the bug has been deployed (usually in within a 24h).

So really using Linux isn't the hard part. Back in 2004 (ish) I went the painful route of installing my first Linux - Gentoo. But boy I learned a lot from it. Yes, I had a helping friend to get me over the hardest parts.

Predictions of which will win the race?

• noveau being useful with new nVidia GPUs
• we'll reach the year of Linux desktop

Void offers musl too. Unless they've discontinued it.

But

compile everything yourself?

I do (almost) exactly that. I run Gentoo almost everywhere. The 'almost' is because Gentoo now offers an official bin repository too, so I can mix compiled and pre-compiled software. (Although you've always had the option to set up your own binary host).

we rely on software that doesn’t work on AMD

Which software?

It's pretty maintenance free.

The following will make the experience a bit more seamless:

• use stable packages
• use sys-kernel/gentoo-kernel or syskernel/gentoo-kernel-bin
• use sys-boot/grub or better yet sys-boot/refind which auto-recognizes the latest kernel in your boot directory

I don’t mind a complicated install

After you have "installed" Gentoo there will be quite lot of installing of different programs to build your own customized distro. However if you yse systemd you'd get quite a lot in one strike, since systemd contains a whole lot of the central core components, like system logger (journald). The other route is to use OpenRC and with it sysvinit or openrc-init and choose the rest of the components.

Asking your question (the one I'm replying to) at the Gentoo forums may give you better answers and tips how to build maintenance free setup.

I've used Linux since about 2004 for personal use. On my homer server(s) and desktop. 95% of them Gentoo (stable). For my relatives I've installed some EL workstation distro. Especially my father needs a install-and-forget system, which Windows isn't.

But I do install and fix Windows PCs at my work. It's because how Windows works (or rather not work) I get paid. That said, the more I use Windows the more I get frustrated with it.

One of the worst things lately was the accidental activation of BitLocker. It got activated even when the user didn't have Microsoft account (from where he/she would retrieve the encryption key to decrypt the data if Windows decides to lock the drive). "Oh I'm sorry, but because M$ fuckup your data is gone. Do you have backups? 😇" To avoid any BitLocker issues the secure boot should be disabled. BitLocker shouldn't then be available for activation.

Some of the frustrating sides of Windows can be avoided by using Pro version of Windows. But that's simply not enough.

IMO the only reason to use (suffer from) Windows is if you play some games that require it.

Yup!

To my understanding RISC-V is like BSD lisenced not GPL.