Sabayon Linux

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Sabayon Linux

Sabayon Linux Using KDE
Company / developer Fabio Erculiani
OS family Linux
Working state Working
Source model Mixed
Update method Emerge / Entropy
Package manager Portage
Supported platforms x86
Kernel type Monolithic kernel
Default user interface GNOME, KDE[clarification needed]
License Various
Website Sabayon Linux project website

Sabayon Linux or SabayonLinux, (formerly known as RR4 Linux/RR64 Linux), is a Gentoo-based Linux distribution created by Fabio Erculiani.

Contents

[edit] Core

Sabayon Linux differs from Gentoo in that instead of installing the entire system from source code, the initial install is made using packages which are pre-compiled and bundled with the source code. Sabayon Linux currently supports the x86 and x86-64 platforms.

Sabayon Linux uses the Portage system from Gentoo for package management, meaning that all updates and base characteristics are in sync with Gentoo's portage tree and other mechanisms; thus a user can follow guides and articles written for Gentoo users. However, "world updates" are discouraged for beginners or those new to the parent distribution, as the structure is a little different and requires a slightly different method of execution. A guide has been written by a Sabayon Linux developer on how to do global updates and recompilation of all packages.

The Sabayon Linux developers are currently working on an infant project called "Entropy", which will take a different approach to managing packages. Among the early highlights is a binary package installer utility/script "binmerge", which shipped with the 3.3 miniEdition. binmerge sits atop Portage's native "emerge" utility and uses Sabayon Linux's pool of binary packages to install them. A simple "binmerge application-x" instead of "emerge application-x" will fetch that package from the community's repository. This would eliminate compiling entirely for those who prefer not to do so, provided their application has been compiled for the pool. The script appears to leverage several Portage features such as the "BINHOST" feature and a number of emerge options like "--getpkg" and "--usepkgonly". The major feature is that binmerge will also be aware of dependencies, both direct and indirect, meaning complete removal of packages will no longer be a complex process for a Gentoo system.[citation needed]

[edit] Install

Although the distribution is a LiveDVD (or in the case of the miniEdition, a LiveCD), installation to hard disk can be initiated once the system is fully booted. Sabayon Linux uses the Anaconda installer. In previous releases, the Gentoo Linux Installer was used. The install process is designed to be simpler than a typical Gentoo install, which requires more extensive knowledge of the operating system (particularly for the compilation of the Linux kernel). Several options are offered before booting off the DVD, like launching games directly after the process or browsing the Internet anonymously. A feature included is a program which plays music during the boot process.

[edit] Features

Sabayon Linux includes many up-to-date features and software.[citation needed] Currently AIGLX, XGL, and Compiz Fusion are on the installation discs and can be enabled from the ISOLINUX boot prompt. Drivers are provided out of the box for most major video cards, and hardware auto-detection works well for many. For those wanting a quicker install or a CD instead of a DVD, there is the miniEdition.

Sabayon Linux is available with KDE and GNOME desktop environments. Alternatively, Fluxbox is also available.

[edit] miniEdition

The miniEditions are single-CD and LiveCD releases of the distribution (hence being less than 700 MB in compressed size, as opposed to the 2-4 GB DVDs). A "miniEd" is normally introduced a week or two after a DVD release, although it is not always true for every single version (they are available for major ones). Recently though, the team has announced that testing will be open in the future, so this time frame may differ.[citation needed] As they are released later than their DVD counterparts, they are likely to include bug fixes and minor improvements.

With 3.3(b) some users of this edition have complained that the type of applications included are inferior, and it indeed is closer to a base installation with very minimal software. There are others who want just that.[citation needed]

These CDs do not come with all the features present in the DVDs either. In the case of desktop environments, they only provide KDE, along with Fluxbox.

[edit] Latest releases

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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