On 9/19/06, Alon Keren <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
My aim is to have the ability to regularly build and maintain completely customized Linux systems.
This should be possible by using your own local portage tree (probably based initially on Gentoo's tree) that you update somewhat manually with ebuilds and eclasses as you want. Combined with pre-built binary packages, and a 'golden' portage configuration and world file, it should be relatively simple & quick to stage a new system. If Gentoo's minimal installation CD and a stage1 install doesn't work for you, you can build your own release media with catalyst (no, it isn't just for rebuilding the toolchain). This _is_ going to require a solid understanding of how Gentoo/Portage works, but not necessarily how to write ebuilds/eclasses. You need to understand what we mean by "portage tree", "world file", "use flags", "profile", "binary packages", etc. The best way to acquire this knowledge is to install and use Gentoo, daily, for something significant (like your desktop!).
The ROOT variable is probably a major part of the solution, but is it enough? I've also found '/usr/portage/scripts/bootstrap.sh', which seems suspiciously relevant, but comes with little external documentation.
bootstrap.sh _is_ for only rebuilding the toolchain. Probably not what you want at all.... The ROOT variable is used to install packages into a different (fex chroot) directory. It is usually used for things like cross-compilation environments where one wants to build binary packages for another system, although not always. The normal way of installing a new system in a chroot from a live system is to use the "Knoppix Installation" instructions [1]. -Richard [1] http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/altinstall.xml#doc_chap3 PS: list replies only please -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
