Chrome OS chooses Portage as their build tool

[Etal]

http://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/group/chromium-os-dev/browse_thread/thread/337cca9a0da59ad6/9354a38894da5df5

[Kollin]

yay that's amazing
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[mikegpitt]

This is very cool, if they are indeed using portage as a build framework for Chrome OS. I've always viewed gentoo as a set of tools that allow you to roll your own distro. The portage framework is a smooth way of automating this process.

[patrikas]

Awesome, thanks for the post. Google has a lot in common with Python. Does this mean that we're going to see more contributions, Portage extensions, ebuilds .. ?

[Kollin]

[Shining Arcanine]

This will be great advertising for Gentoo Linux. Hopefully we will get more users who will become more contributors who will ensure we get the latest packages uploaded sooner and the latest issues resolved sooner.

[mikegpitt]

[BonezTheGoon]

Thanks for the link, and the knowledge! Good news all around!

Also, this is already mentioned in a Gentoo OTW Thread.
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[kernelOfTruth]

[Shining Arcanine]

[NathanZachary]

That is very cool news! Portage is an incredibly powerful package manager and build tool, so it makes sense.
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[Etal]

[Ion Silverbolt]

This is non-news to me. Nothing about ChromeOS is appealing at all; It's so limited. The whole idea of cloud computing only seems silly. Hell even the cheap netbooks out now can run a complete OS. Why run anything else?

Maybe if google starts to practically give away netbooks with it. Then it might be appealing.

[Shining Arcanine]

[r3tep]

[Kollin]

[NathanZachary]

[timeBandit]

[Kollin]

[hujuice]

I'm building the Chromium OS now and I'm really wavering between laughing or not .
While compiling, I write this post. Let's see if I will change my mind in the future.

The system appears (I'm *emerging* 315 ebuilds) as a patched Gentoo system, built with a crossdev toolchain. They assume that the compiling machine is a x86_64, while the generic target is a different one (I'm building for a x86 target).

I'm following this guide: http://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/building-chromium-os/portage-based-build
(And I'm laughing, because Google people has a lot to learn from Gentoo community about writing docs. Anyway, it's understandable...)

I noticed, until now, three differences between their way to build the system and a normal embedded Gentoo.
(http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/embedded/handbook/)

1. there's a collection of scripts, that reduce the numer of manual interventios;
2. there will be (I suppose) a pre-configured kernel;
3. there are special ebuilds, as overlays.

I didn't like (as Gentoo user) the first difference: the scripts.
It is normal: I'm used to install Gentoo in a variety of ways. For example, why should I download a whole portage while I'm on a Gentoo system? Why don't bind-mount my existing, well synced portage?
The provided scripts keep my usual freedom off, so I don't like them so much.
Naturally, Google Chromium OS is not intended for Gentoo users. But, naturally, I've the weak sensation to waste my time, now.

The kernel difference is very useful. The system is intended to run on a variety of different hardware (starting from a USB drive, if you want) and I will be a leech of the Google power of monitoring different devices.
I'll see if Google will use genkernel, their configuration and their patches (if present).

The Google work about patches, overlays and ebuilds make me doubtfully.
They propose a different portage tree. I suppose that this tree will be mostly a normal Gentoo portage, with some changes. And I suppose that the most important differences will be about hardware managing.
So, why don't share their solutions?
The system is open, so nothing will be secret. But I feel a bit unpleasant the idea to "fork" the projects, instead of collaborate to the Gentoo growth.

Let's see. I'm emerging libxml2, now. 116/315 packets done.
How will I change my mind?

Regards,
HUjuice

PS: luckily, there's no advertising until now
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