Who is using Funtoo

[systemshq]

Funtoo looks a fantastic Linux distribution. The anti-systemd stance and the OpenVZ support make it very compelling. Out of interest what companies are using it now? 

[666threesixes666]

corporations are stupid bro...  they don't like rolling distros because they don't know how to operate them or pay consultants.  the stock market uses gentoo....  were down stream from gentoo.

[systemshq]

What I like about Funtoo are that Daniel Robbins is an OpenVZ expert and it shows in how easy it is to implement OpenVZ containers in Funtoo. Each Linux Distribution needs a killer feature if its going to get momentum and this could be it. Secondly, the documentation is starting to look very good. And last but not least there's a very knowledgeable and friendly community building around Funtoo. 

 

PPS Dantrell's work in getting Gnome 3.14 to work without systemd with no help at all from the gnomes is an amazing story!! He might have to go into hiding soon:):):)

[666threesixes666]

im working on making a KILLER programming page.....  its a bit of a mess at the moment. sort of like u of funtoo.  =D  http://www.funtoo.org/Programming

[uudruid74]

I've been away for awhile, and coming back into the fold, I decided I wanted to just *use* my computer, not tweak it.  I just want it to work.  And so I installed Ubuntu thinking it would be the way to go.  And I had problems and thought the search thing and commercialism was wrong, so I changed to Ubuntu-Studio to make jack work and get rid of the commercial stuff, but the GUI was still not great (added Cairo-dock to it) and things not well integrated, and I really liked some of the stuff Elementary was doing, so I switched to Elementary with Ubuntu-Studio packages added with Cairo-dock grafted onto it.  All the time I was fighting with dependency issues and having to install "-devel" packages when I needed to compile something.

 

Elementary decided to blame my video drivers which work with all other window managers rather than fix their own window manager (pass the buck), and they are going off into some strange directions that are a real waste of time, plus I couldn't install Gnome on it!  A linux distro that doesn't let you install whatever desktop you like?  None of the Ubuntu distros made installing Gnome easy.  I looked at Sabayon around the same time that I was getting fed up with the underlying systemd issues, and sabayon was even worse when it came to systemd (logs are binary, not text), but the new Gnome looked great and it was well-integrated and seemed like what I was looking for - even had good support for my touchscreen.   So .. apparently, I can't get what I want with a binary distro.  I *DO* want to tweak it because I want my jack to work and I want to hotplug audio devices and hotplug my HDMI cable without X crashing and I want a screensaver that can black my screen (can't right now, of all the stupid crap) and I want suspend to not freak out my monitor configuration ... and I can't guarantee I can fix any of that without going to a system that gives me that flexibility.  So ... compiling funtoo so I have a base flexible enough to give me what I want.

 

I used gentoo way back when (starting over a decade ago), but it looks like its now in a "holding pattern" without the big innovations that made it exciting.   I always found Gentoo to be very stable and very flexible.  From an admin stand-point, I don't have to take down the server and do a major upgrade when the next "release" comes around, and I could set things up any way I wanted.  If I needed ldap support, add the USE flag.  Stuff I didn't use could be turned off for security and stability reasons.  And GLSA's used to come around as fast as CERT could announce them.   I used to keep a specific machine I'd emerge new stuff to and then if it didn't break anything, I'd push the changes out to the live servers.

 

Drobbins is now addressing some of the areas that I feel could be improved, and so I'm jumping back on the bandwagon, again following a distro he's developed.  And I think its funny that he's decided to end "democracy" with the BDFL title.  I get it.  Sometimes thats what it takes to get a vision moving in a certain direction and not fissle out by being spread thin by too many conflicting views and ideas.  I kinda wish the install was easier/faster, but I suppose the best way to do that is to do something about it myself.

 

Now to migrate my mysql databases ....

 

@666threesixes666: You're evil is showing.  That site has Windows screen shots!  EVIL!

[systemshq]

@666threesixes666 Looking good but agree with @uudruid74 about the Windows screenshots:) :) :)

 

@uudruid74 Completely agree with you that Gentoo has stagnated for a while. I did use Gentoo for a while myself but got fed up with the long compiles so went over to Arch which is very good. However, they are pro systemd and its getting a bit like using Windows so I'm looking to change to Funtoo.

 

However,  Arch does have something that I really like and that is the AUR  repository. Its a repository where anyone can submit an ebuild and then other community users vote for it if its any good. If it gets enough votes over time it gets included in the mainstream repositories. Its grown very popular, it gives mere mortals like us a bit of fame and really gets people involved.

 

[uudruid74]

Do very many people here create ebuilds?  After all, most everything that I can think of already has an ebuild or an overlay.   I suppose if the process to create your own ebuilds were a bit more sane, we could easily do the same with funtoo using the forums.There are votes and file attaches here right?

 

Right now, the only ebuild I need is actually porting the catalyst-test from arch's AUR.  They have things working with the latest Xorg and released kernel which doesn't seem to have a Funtoo/Gentoo equivalent yet.  And while I don't play games, I found LyX to be horribly slow (unusable - it will confuse X and overflow the input buffers) with the open-source drivers.  Something about the binary drivers works around the horrible display code in LyX, and I use LyX a lot, and I've found that the newer the ati-drivers, the fewer problems I have.  All the binary distros want to use versions that are ancient and then complain about the bugs.  Well ... duh!

 

I know what you mean about the long compiles - I don't mind once the system is installed since I can use it while it compiles.  Its the install that gets me.  And my new hack tells me when a command completes in a terminal window that is hidden, so I get a notify when the emerge is done.

[systemshq]

In the Arch AUR there are not just ebuilds for software but for themes, editor customisations and other small snippets of things which could be useful to other people.  

 

For example, rightly or wrongly, the first thing I look for when installing any Linux Distro is how quickly and easily I can pimp my desktop exactly to my liking. Its important that my desktop is more cool than anybody elses:):) The AUR repository is an excellent resource of users customisations to help me a achieve that. 

 

Now, I've customised my desktop I say to myself, I wouldn't mind a bit of fame, let's customise the original theme ebuild a bit and submit it to see if people like it. Now I feel even better (as long as I get some votes:)).

 

This can be done via forums to begin with but it really needs more structure. For example, you'll want an overall summary page with a proper query section to see what is available and the vote ranking.

 

While you are correct in saying a lot of people wouldn't care to write an ebuild, the Arch community at the same time shows that a lot of people would be interested in contributing something back. It also empowers people. Even if they just submitted an ebuild containing a few icons they feel good seeing it there. Lastly, something like this wouldn't be much work to implement.

[paddymac]

I like the idea of having a Funtoo version of AUR. I really didn't know exactly what the AUR was or how it worked, but I occasionally checked it because I write my own ebuilds, and sometimes when I have trouble getting something to work, I'll take a look at how Arch gets it to work and use that information to help me get things working. I'm not a programmer, but I learned how to write ebuilds by studying existing ebuilds and studying the Gentoo dev manual. Writing ebuilds is one of the ways I feel I'm able to contribute to the community. I administer my own overlay, and every once in a while, if I think an ebuild is polished enough, I'll submit it to the Gentoo bugzilla. My thought process in doing so was that if it's in Gentoo's tree, it'll benefit both Gentoo and Funtoo. Alas, the Gentoo/Funtoo split is slow and gradual but sure, so eventually it wouldn't surprise me if Funtoo eventually has to have its own completely independent ebuild ecosystem. And a system like the AUR could potentially make it work.

[Oleg Vinichenko]

Funtoo had some kind of AUR, called FLORA but unfortunately it passed due to poor maintainence. Funtoo is open to include any 3-rd-part overlays, which will help users contribute.

[causes]

Google uses Gentoo as basis for Chrome OS.

[systemshq]

To me Funtoo is like a Linux designed for users to play around with, experiment and come up with new ideas. So the website should have areas which allow users to collaborate, share and rate custom projects and addons. I realise this is already possible with custom overlays but apart from a few paragraphs, there is no mention of what custom overlays are already available and no rating system. If Funtoo wants to expand its user base it has to go further to empower its users to play with the Linux. That's why its called Funtoo right? 

 

@causes If you hadn't put your link to http://causes.host.funto.org how would I have easily found your overlay from the main Funtoo website. Its a shame because you have a very nice utility there and I would give you very good rating:):)

[systemshq]

@causes Yes I also read somewhere that Google uses Gentoo. Most probably because they want to make sure there's no chance of Chinese addons included in the final binaries:) Probably for the same reason Gentoo will soon be very popular in China so they also have tighter control over the binaries they distribute as well.