Is Emerge better than using Equo?

[fwempa]

Once set up using equo and it's partners. Can I now commit to being more Gentoo-like and use emerge/portage exclusively? If so, is there a benefit? Should I just keep using the equo methods?

Thanks from this Sabayon newb.

[batvink]

Can I now commit to being more Gentoo-like and use emerge/portage exclusively?

Sabayon IS Gentoo-like.

Sabayon Linux relies on two package managers.
Portage is inherited from Gentoo, while Entropy was developed for Sabayon.
Portage downloads source-code and compiles it specifically for the target system, whereas Entropy manages binary files from servers.
The binary tarball packages are precompiled using the Gentoo Linux unstable tree.
Entropy clients then pull these tarballs and perform the various post- and pre-compilation calls of the Gentoo ebuild to set up a package correctly.
This means the system is completely binary-compatible with a Gentoo system using the same build configuration.
The adoption of two package managers allows expert users to access the full flexibility of the Gentoo system and others to easily and quickly manage software applications and updates.

There are a few advantages of using two package managers:
1) Some packages are not available in entropy, but do exist in portage so you can still install that package.
2) Portage and Entropy can perfectly work together., as long as you tell entropy what you did via Portage.
3) If, for some reason Entropy breaks, you can always fix it, and get it up and running again with Portage.
4) Expert users can choose to use only Portage, or mix them together. (If you know what you are doing, and know how things work)

There is also a kind of disadvantage:
Beginners/Newbe's who wants to "try" Portage, and don't know what they're doing, can seriously breakdown the entire system, leaving them with no other choice than setup the system again.

In other words, if you are not an experienced gentoo user, and not familliar with the Portage package manager,
i suggest you keep using Entropy (equo) as your default package manager.

Here are a few links about Portage documented.
I suggest you read that, and if you want to "try" Portage., please remember:
DON'T ever upgrade the Portage tree using emerge, 'cause when you do, you actually "downgrading" Portage, since Sabayon uses the unstable version.
So, if you do "emerge --sync" , and Portage tells you there is a new version of Portage available, please ignore that message.

Code: Select all

sent 46162 bytes  received 4524807 bytes  96230.93 bytes/sec
total size is 213698216  speedup is 46.75

 * An update to portage is available. It is _highly_ recommended
 * that you update portage now, before any other packages are updated.

 * To update portage, run 'emerge portage' now.


 * IMPORTANT: 6 news items need reading for repository 'gentoo'.
 * Use eselect news to read news items.

http://wiki.sabayon.org/index.php?title=HOWTO:_Safely_mix_Entropy_and_Portage
http://wiki.sabayon.org/index.php?title=Portage_Package_Manager
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-amd64.xml

[albfneto]

If you try to use Portage, instead of Entropy, you will have in mind that...
certain packages, as C Libraries and python, may have different versions
in portage and in entropy etc...

The best way, if you REALLY wnat to use Portage, is to use both installers.
in this case, see the above post, and not mistake to prior edit /etc/entropy/client.conf file, substituting "disable" to "enable", in the string " ignore pseudo-downgrades".

However, using Portage in Sabayon, needs some Portage expertise, or you may turn your system fully broken...