Gentoo Prefix

1.  Project Description

An effort to bring the virtues of Gentoo Linux to users on different operating systems, by means of installing in a "prefix".

Usually, Gentoo's Portage installs in the root of the filesystem hierarchy, '/'. On systems other than Gentoo Linux, this usually results in problems, due to conflicts of software packages, unless the OS is adapted like Gentoo/FreeBSD. Instead, Gentoo Prefix installs with an offset, allowing to install in another location in the filesystem hierarchy, hence avoiding conflicts. Next to this offset, Gentoo Prefix runs unprivileged, meaning no root user or rights are required to use it.

Using an offset, a "prefix", it is possible for many "alternative" user groups to benefit from a large part of the packages in the Gentoo Linux Portage tree. Currently users of the following systems successfully run Gentoo Prefix: Mac OS X on PPC and x86, Linux on x86, x86_64 and ia64, Solaris 10 on Sparc, Sparc/64, x86 and x86_64, FreeBSD on x86, AIX on PPC and Interix on x86

2.  Developers

All developers can be reached by e-mail using nickname@gentoo.org.

3.  Resources

Resources offered by the prefix project are:

• gentoo-alt mailing lists
• #gentoo-prefix channel on FreeNode
• How Gentoo Prefix works, and what changes are necessary to get ebuilds working.
• Bootstrapping a Gentoo Prefix system. Howtos for Mac OS X, Windows and Solaris 10 and above.
• An article with a global overview of Gentoo Prefix, including use cases examplifying who could benefit from a Prefix installation.
• A guide describing the tool 'ecopy' and how to use it to port packages to the Prefix tree.
• Frequently Asked Questions about the Gentoo Prefix project

4.  Gentoo Prefix Hall of Fame

Past Developers

Over time, developers come and go again. Some mysteriously disappear, others loose interest and decide to leave. For all past contributors we would like to express our gratitude towards them for helping the Prefix project to become what it is today.