Looks like Gentoo is a sinking ship.

[ronstudio]

I wish I can add something from a newbie perspective.

As a newbie, I want to stress the importance of good documentation... What attracts me to come to Gentoo Linux was because of its good documentation and the steps that it took to install and configure a system, which in turn gives me a far larger satisfaction than just running those no-brainer GUI installer. You would find yourself learning a lot by following the steps and having the document telling you why to do so, how to do so and what is the result.

As a newbie, I think this is what ArchLinux attractive to new people.

Recently, as seriously determined to learn more about Linux, I have been removing the Windows from my desktop, forcing myself to learn and use Linux. I spent a few months to get this done. (Why takes so long?) Well, wish you may remember a few months ago it is not possible to install Gento Linux successfully by just following the Handbook or installation guide. I finally got the installation successful by seeing the forum that I need to del something like /dev/null.

To my surprise, this issue has been happening over several months after checking the forum! In that case, why not saying anything in the documentation or providing any link to the forum of the solution in Installation guide?? Does Gentoo care about new users??? Or is Gentoo now restricted to the people who know what they are doing only? But I have to thanks the people actively helping others in Forum, which I finally got my system running.

Back to my server which is just targeted to be a BT box with vnc for remote while I'm on the road. After I spent a few months in setting it up, this is actually something which I can achieve almost immediately with Windows. (This is only because of my past experience of using Windows) What do I have learnt from the process?? Is it really that important or valuable in knowing how to configure the Linux to do something? With the interface and ways of doing things keep improving, the knowledge that I know how to configure the system could be nothing relevant in future anymore.

Provided that there is a good documentation, everyone can just follow the guide or doc to achieve the same thing consistently. Although I am a newbie, which doesn't mean I don't want to have more control and further understanding what the computer is doing. I just need more guidance and document to follow. I disagree with the point that Gentoo is having too much more flexibility than others, as no 2 users configure their system in the same way, hence there could not be a thorough documentation. As a basic, there is always a default way to do something, flexibility comes after you have mastered the basics.

If the ebuilds or packages are broken, it's fine, just tell the people in documentation what to do in such scenario. Why the same questions have to be repeated so many times in the forum?? There are people who know how to use the forum, but also large amount of people who are new to the process and do not know how to use the forum or simply not good at asking the questions.

I'm glad seeing the update of the Gentoo Handbook recently, as if I haven't remembered wrongly, the last update before was already 2008 something.... I just wish Gentoo can see the importance of documentation to new people, which could be one key reason for people come, stay or leave.

[dirkfanick]

[baaann]

@ronstudio

Couldn't agree more on the Docs, we have seen some fairly major system changes and it is a shame that the documentation has not always kept up recently, although the information has generally been comprehensively provided via the forums, with devs posting threads when significant changes are imminent.

Personally, I feel it would really benefit the community if the Gentoo home page provided links to external resources(with the usual disclaimers if necessary), there are some gems available.

Sven Vermeulen has the excellent Linux Sea - Complete Linux handbook with Gentoo as OS with an accompanying forum thread here. Incidentally, he has just returned as a Gentoo dev with documentation as part of his focus

There is also http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Main_Page

and for packages http://znurt.org/ is an excellent resource for the main tree

while those wishing to have an overview of packages available from overlays(including the main tree) http://gpo.zugaina.org/Newest is superb.

These are just sites that I use from time to time, I am sure there are others available