Gentoo History

Gentoo is an independent software distribution that traces it's origins to the end of the 1990's.

Gentoo has targeted several *BSDs in the past, but now is exclusively the Gentoo Linux distribution.

Gentoo Prefix currently makes the distribution available on other operating systems, both Linux-based and others, such as MS Windows, Darwin (macOS/OS X), Android, etc.

This article aims to give a summary of the creation and evolution of the Gentoo project... so far.

This article is a work in progress; treat its contents with caution - ris (talk | contribs).

The birth of Gentoo

Not so long ago, in this very galaxy, a Stampede Linux developer called Daniel Robbins (aka drobbins) started a totally new and independent distribution around tooling that they created from scratch on their Stampede development box.

Drobbins leveraged the knowledge that they gained from their work on Stampede to create this novel distribution around what they named the ebuild system with the stated goal of automating everything from unpacking and patching sources; to compilation, installation, and packaging. Development was coordinated through a channel on IRC at openprojects.net.

The new distribution was code-named Enoch but would soon be officially named Gentoo Linux.

After a brief exploration of FreeBSD, drobbins would breathe new life into these beginnings of the Gentoo project. Taking inspiration from the excellent BSD Ports system, they gave the name Portage to what what was now a "next-generation ports system".

Commits to still-accessible version control systems reference work from 1998, though further research could still find earlier dates. gentoo.org was registered on the 4th October 1999 .

The Daniel Robbins years 1999–2004

Gentoo's copyrights, intellectual property, and other assets belonged indirectly to Daniel Robbins (named Gentoo's "chief architect") through the ownership of Gentoo Technologies Inc., a corporation that controlled the whole project from the founding of Gentoo until drobbins's retirement and the creation of the Gentoo Foundation in 2004.

The Gentoo shop also belonged to Gentoo Technologies Inc.

During this period, top-level project leads ran the project along with the chief architect. There were fewer formally-democratic processes in place, which may have been a good thing for the pace of development. Gentoo was smaller then and easier for one person to manage.

The transition to The Gentoo Foundation Inc. 2004

The not-for-profit Gentoo Foundation was formed on 14 May 2004. Its purpose was both to legally represent Gentoo, and to be accountable for Gentoo's assets, which it inherited from Gentoo Technologies Inc.

Whereas Gentoo Technologies Inc. was managed by Daniel Robbins without the involvement of Gentoo developers, the Foundation would now be composed of developers and major contributors.

The Foundation remained fairly invisible to most developers however, being kept separate from the distribution like Gentoo Technologies Inc. used to be. The top-level project leads, now without a chief architect, continued to be responsible for the technical direction of Gentoo

The rise of the Gentoo Council

For one reason or another, the de-facto system whereby the top-level project leads were responsible for the technical direction of Gentoo was felt by some to be becoming less effective with the passing of time. A number of proposals beginning with discussions at FOSDEM 2005, were formulated. One was selected by a ballot of developers and subsequently codified in GLEP 39.

The results of the first council election were announced on 1 Sept 2005 and the first council meeting was held on 15 September 2005

Thus the council was created later and separately from the Foundation.

The Gentoo Foundation Inc. 2007–

Since the 2008 Trustee elections, the trustees have held regular monthly meetings in #gentoo-trustees (webchat). Members and non members are welcome to attend. Meeting logs have been published (grouped by year), motions captured and all in all, the Gentoo Foundation Inc has been more visible and transparent than in the early years. That is not to suggest that the early trustees neglected the Foundation.

Since its formation the council has always been a visible body within Gentoo, they are required by their terms of reference (GLEP 39) to hold at least one public meeting per month. On the other hand, the trustees are the board responsible for a business. They are required by the laws of New Mexico to hold an Annual General Meeting open to all members. Its much easier for the Gentoo Foundation to be invisible.

The Gentoo Foundation Inc. is responsible to its members ... that's not the same body of people as the Gentoo council are responsible to. The council is responsible to and elected by Gentoo developers. Foundation members are members who have voted in at least one of the last two Trustee elections and people who have asked to join, showing how they have contributed to Gentoo. Not all developers are Foundation members, membership is opt in, and some Foundation members are not Gentoo developers.