Part - I Going to Pure 64bits GNU/Linux

Going to NO-MULTILIB amd64 gnu/Linux

After searching on the sites, I did not find any distro provided by default No-Multilib environment. Most linux distro nowadays serving amd64 architecture, but by default using multilib environment. For someone do not familiar with terminology, multilib is a 64bits environment but with capability to run 32bits library by using some connector or wrapper, by checking the "symlinks" of /lib will pointed to /lib32 and /lib64. 2 (two) years ago, it was 2006 I have tried to build No-Multilib system, but some "annoying" things happened, due to flash-plugins not available at 64bits format, also Java browser plugins. OpenOffice also have problem to be built in 64bits environment as well as xaraXtreme and ibmLotus-Symphony. Thus running 64bits linux at that time is pain. Its the reasons, why so many distro provider maintain multilib capability on their amd64 (x86_64) architecture.

Now 2009 many of application and plug-ins available on 64bits format. Thus running Pure 64bits Linux system will be less pain, comparing to 2 years ago. Almost all Linux Distro can be "changed" to pure 64bits environment, but the way to build the system will be different. Let say you going to build pure 64bits ubuntu .... you will get Debian, if you wish to have pure 64bits openSuse, finally you will have RedHat :=)). The choice remain to Slackware, sure you can build pure 64bits system of Slack or LFS (Linux From Scratch), the scarry distro for Newbie like me. Im not familiar with Slacky, but I tried zenwalk (MiniSlack).

Finally I hook Gentoo Linux, 2008.0 r-1 version. Its funny, when gentoo said 2008.0 or 2006.0 since No real "version" of gentoo ... it's just GENTOO. Why Gentoo ? gentoo with portage is incredible linux distro with "easy", to build, customize, and use. The only frustating on gentoo is compile time. since gentoo compiling everything from source. My laptop machine is 17 months old. it was Lenovo T61/ Intel EMT64 T7300/ 4 GB RAM/ 160 GB Fujitsu HDD/ Intel 4965 ABGN wifi Adaptor/ Intel e-1000 wired ethernet/ VGA nVidia Quadro 140 NVS

Gentoo has great documentation, in which newbie like me, will be able to install gentoo by reading carefully the gentoo Handbook. One thing, I have learn during my touch with gentoo is ... "everything have to be well prepared". Since there is ubuntu "live" in my machine, its easy for me to manage. Download stage-3 tarbal and latest portage (uncle google will assist you to find out). Put somewhere in the disk.

Get Prepared

I have time for fun at week end only, thus downloading stage3 and latest-portage tarbals will save downloading time, since time to download and compile are the most problem in gentoo installation. I copied (by hand) all "USE Flag" in the gentoo documentation and will be put into /etc/portage/package.use it spent a lot of time, but very usefull to easy switching on and off use flag.

My plan is to have pure 64bits linux system for daily use, the most application I will need is :


Claws Mail & Thunderbird - Mail Client
Firefox and Opera - Web Browser
openOffice.or-3 - oFFice suite
GIMP - Image Editor
iNkscape - Vector Drawing
Exaile or Amarok - Media Player
Totem /mPlayer - Video Player
Brasero - Disc Burning Utilities
Picasa - Photo Manager
GoogleEarth - earth Image viewer
Evince - Document viewer
XPDF - Pdf Viewer
Ristreto - Photo viewer
Pidgin - Internet Messenger
CHEESE - Video Viewer
NVU - html Editor
Gnome Desktop Environment
Compiz Fusion - Window Manager
With standard set of system Administration


The following previous barrier have been broken, due to availability on 64bits format


Adobe flash-player plugins
sun Jawa browser Plugins
nVidia vendor Driver


I have read that GRUB will be hard to be compiled in 64bits environment, but it will be No Problem since I have i386 ubuntu reside.

... seems everything get ready, just to find good time to start fun on gentoo.