More specifically, Portage. I know use flags and “optimization” are all the hype, but really, would the average user even see a benefit from customizing all their use flags? Especially a benefit that compensates for the constant compilation?
I installed it once to help grow my e-peen, but immediately switched back to Arch after watching my system compile.
Those who daily drive it, do compilation and use flags annoy you, and do you see any real benefit?
So, that sounds like the kind of thing you would want if you’re making something like a drone or a router, and you have very limited resources available in the device. Compiling can be done by a the cluster you you have in the factory, not the feeble pi zero on the final product itself.
However, I can totally see why many people would want to run Gentoo at home too. It’s a pretty cool idea, and if it’s cool you might be willing to put up with the drawbacks.
Highly customized/optimized Linux images certainly are one use case of gentoo.
The “cool factor” is a significant point. My gentoo laptop (which I update rarely besides browser/security updates) boots in under 3 seconds to graphical login :-)
Actually most compiling is pretty quick on modern systems (compile in DDR4 ramdisk, nvme, fast CPU etc.) I’d say, most stuff compiles as quickly as installing a binary nowadays.
It’s the huge stuff that’s annoying: webkit, rust, Qt, boost, firefox/chromium etc. But one can skip updates easily or use precompiled binary packages that are provided for big stuff.
Pi4 is perfectly doable. But Pi Zero won’t be a lot of fun.