All Linux distributions have things in common, but many differ in software installation and updating. Gentoo Linux is based on Portage, SUSE uses YaST, Red Hat and Fedora opt for yum, Linspire prefers CNR.... Oh, and don't forget the different package options: RPM, Debian, source, and more esoteric options.

Using Gentoo Linux, you have to get used to things just breaking, especially in the last couple of years. Portage is probably one of the best package management systems in the open source community. I have been quite impressed with Portage 2 the last couple months. Things seem to be improving. Yesterday I woke up to check some email. Later I needed to do some web development for an NGO.

"In >=portage-2.2_rc2 there are a few new emerge options that many Gentoo users will probably be interested in: ..."

Anyone who knows me personally knows that I am an advocate of Gentoo. Linux ricer? Sure, why not, I live for those minute speed advantages. I also, perhaps masochistically, prefer building every package from source, and compiling kernels built just for my machine. Why, then, am I dumping Gentoo, and for kubuntu of all distros? In a few short words: Portage, lack of direction, outdated support, and a few other issues that are not as signifigant that I will mention below.

A number of folks have been surprised by Google’s decision to transition to Portage – the package management system from the Gentoo Linux distribution – rather than something more popular like Apt (Debian/Ubuntu) or Yum (Fedora).

I have been planning to move to Funtoo Linux, a derivative of Gentoo Linux, for over a month now. The install is basically the same as a Gentoo installation. The only difference is that instead of using Gentoo’s Portage, you can choose to just use Daniel Robbin’s Funtoo git-based Portage located at Github.

You can tell when someone who dropped his or her legacy OS for Linux is not moving back. It's when he or she gets the way of the package manager. Mark Pilgrim explains the difference between what most OSs make you do and the ease of installing everything from the package manager.

To me this is a very simple question to answer. Linux does not need a unified package manager when the source to the application you are using is available for you to compile on your own. Make your own package.

The installation instructions in most free software reviews aren't enough. If you decide a package sucks, how do you get rid of it? If a package rocks, how do you upgrade it? GNU Stow, a package manager for packages you compile and install yourself, provides an easy answer to both questions.