dreadedmonkeygod . net

I recently ordered a copy of Gentoo Linux. Upon inserting the installation CD, I was confronted with something I didn't expect: a root prompt and a bunch of documentation about how to go about installing Gentoo. It involved copying "stage" files onto magical points on my hard drive, etc.

Now, I read a bit of the documentation, so I am now fully, and repeatedly aware that "Gentoo is all about choice," and yo, I can dig it. Word. But I also think that the first option on any installation media should be a giant button that says simply: "Make it so." It should pick some intelligent defaults, ask the fewest possible questions, and then hum happily along installing the new system. A root prompt and a man page doesn't even come close.

I'm going to give it another try in a few days (maybe), since SuSE continues to annoy me, but I don't hold out much hope: "Mandrake 10 Power Pack" just arrived in the mail on Friday, and I'm willing to bet that their installation procedure is just as easy and excellent as it was the last time I used Mandrake. If that goes well, the only thing driving me to Gentoo will be a glowing recommendation and my own curiosity, with a few technical hurdles in the way. In short, I don't see it happening.