by Diggle

Created on: September 11, 2009

Sabayon Linux is a Linux distribution based on Gentoo and which like Gentoo is source based. Many well known Linux distributions like Debian and Suse are binary based. That is they provide repositories of software available for download in the form of binary packages suitable for installation on a wide range of machines. Source based Linux distributions like Sabayon do not offer these pre-compiled binary packages. Instead they provide the source code for the software which the user compiles on the his/her machine whenever he or she installs a new piece of software. Only very large packages such as the Open Office suite are offered as pre-compiled binaries since they might take a long time to compile on less powerful hardware.

Sabayon differs from its Gentoo parent by offering a DVD of pre-compiled software which can be installed quickly and which will work straight out of the box(a feature which Sabayon emphasizes as a design goal). This makes initial installation quicker than Gentoo and makes it easier for those new to the idea of compiling their own software. Updates and new software are subsequently installed by compiling source code packages downloaded from the Sabayon repositories.

What are the advantages of Sabayon?

There are two main advantages to offering software in a source code format rather than as a binary package. Firstly since there is no requirement to produce a binary package tested on a range of machines, source code distributions tend to have new versions of software available before binary distributions do. They therefore suit those who prefer to have the latest and greatest software on their machine at all times.

The second advantage is that software compiled on the machine it is running on will be optimized for that machine and the user's preferences. Desired options can be included at compile time and unwanted ones left out. This will produce a much leaner operating system which takes up less disk space, runs faster and is highly customized to the users needs.

Any drawbacks?

Those new to Linux may find a source code distribution a steeper learning curve. Although there is plenty of help available and package management software to make the process easier, there is still more to do than with a binary distribution. Sabayon's provision of a disk with a fully featured distribution helps make it easier for newcomers than Gentoo in this respect. Compiling software also takes time which has to be balanced against the potential speed gains from the optimization. Where the balance of time saving lies will depend on how powerful the machine is and how often new versions of software which require fresh compilation are installed.

If you want to check Sabayon Linux out, you can find it at http://www.sabayonlinux.org/

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