swift 11/09/23 18:47:05 Modified: index.xml Log: Support request in bug #232358, hopefully aiding some confused users in picking the right architecture but without introducing information that becomes outdated quickly.
Revision Changes Path 1.78 xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/index.xml file : http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/index.xml?rev=1.78&view=markup plain: http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/index.xml?rev=1.78&content-type=text/plain diff : http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/index.xml?r1=1.77&r2=1.78 Index: index.xml =================================================================== RCS file: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/index.xml,v retrieving revision 1.77 retrieving revision 1.78 diff -u -r1.77 -r1.78 --- index.xml 4 Sep 2011 17:53:42 -0000 1.77 +++ index.xml 23 Sep 2011 18:47:05 -0000 1.78 @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ <?xml version='1.0' encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE guide SYSTEM "/dtd/guide.dtd"> -<!-- $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/index.xml,v 1.77 2011/09/04 17:53:42 swift Exp $ --> +<!-- $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/handbook/index.xml,v 1.78 2011/09/23 18:47:05 swift Exp $ --> <guide> <title>Gentoo Handbook</title> @@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ <license/> -<version>0.51</version> -<date>2009-06-14</date> +<version>2</version> +<date>2011-09-23</date> <chapter> <title>The Gentoo Handbook Effort</title> @@ -64,12 +64,176 @@ </body> </section> +<section> +<title>Architectures</title> +<body> + +<p> +Gentoo Linux is available for many architectures. But what exactly is an +architecture? +</p> + +<p> +An <b>architecture</b> is a family of CPUs (processors) who support the same +instructions. The two most prominent architectures in the desktop world are the +<e>x86</e> architecture and the <e>x86_64</e> architecture (for which Gentoo +uses the <e>amd64</e> notation). But many other architectures exist, such as +<e>sparc</e>, <e>ppc</e> (the PowerPC family), <e>mips</e>, <e>arm</e>, ... +</p> + +<p> +A distribution as versatile as Gentoo supports many architectures. For that +reason, you'll find that our Gentoo Handbooks are offered for many of the +supported architectures. However, that might lead to some confusion as not all +users are aware of the differences. Some are only aware of the +CPU type or name that their system is a part of (like i686 or Intel Core +i7). Below you will find a quick summary of the supported architectures and the +abbreviation used in Gentoo. However, most people that do not know the +architecture of their system are mostly interested in <e>x86</e> or +<e>amd64</e>. +</p> + +<note> +The table below gives a high-level overview of the supported architectures. The +example set of CPUs or systems is nothing more than an example. If you are +still not certain which architecture to pick, please read the first section of +the Gentoo Handbook's second chapter (<e>Choosing the Right Installation +Medium</e>) as this will elaborate on the supported platforms. +</note> + +<table> +<tr> + <th>Architecture</th> + <th>Description</th> + <th>Sample set of CPUs or systems</th> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>x86</ti> + <ti> + A 32-bit architecture used by CPUs that are often said to be "Intel + compatible". It was, until recently, the most popular architecture for + desktop PCs. Gentoo offers builds for i486 (supports all families) and + i686 (supports Pentium and higher or compatible). + </ti> + <ti>i486, i686, Intel Core, AMD Athlon, Intel Atom</ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>x86_64<br />(amd64)</ti> + <ti> + A 64-bit architecture that is compatible with the x86 architecture. It was + first used by AMD (under the AMD64 name) and Intel (under the EM64T name) + and is now the most prominent architecture for medium and high-end desktop + PCs. It is also commonly found in the server segment. + </ti> + <ti> + AMD Athlon 64, AMD Opteron, AMD Sempron processors, AMD Phenom, + Intel Pentium 4, Pentium Core i3, i5, i7 + </ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>ia64</ti> + <ti> + A 64-bit architecture designed by Intel and used in their Intel Itanium + processor series. This architecture is <e>not</e> compatible with x86 or + x86_64 (aka amd64) and is mostly found in medium and high-end server series. + </ti> + <ti> + Intel Itanium + </ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>sparc</ti> + <ti> + The SPARC architecture is best known by its most common producers, Sun (now + Oracle) and Fujitsu. It is used in server systems although a few + workstations exist as well. In Gentoo, only SPARC64 compatible CPUs are + supported. + </ti> + <ti> + E3000, Blade 1000, Ultra 2 + </ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>ppc</ti> + <ti> + A 32-bit architecture used by many Apple, IBM and Motorola processors. They + are most commonly found in embedded systems. + </ti> + <ti> + Apple OldWorld, Apple NewWorld, generi Pegasos, Efika, older IBM iSeries and + pSeries + </ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>ppc64</ti> + <ti> + The 64-bit variant of the PPC architecture, popular in both embedded as well + as high-end performance servers. + </ti> + <ti> + IBM RS/6000s, IBM pSeries, IBM iSeries + </ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>alpha</ti> + <ti> + The Alpha architecture is a 64-bit architecture developed by Digital + Equipment Corporation (DEC). It is still in use by some mid-range and + high-end servers, but the architecture is slowly being faded out. + </ti> + <ti> + ES40, AlphaPC, UP1000, Noname + </ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>PA-RISC<br />(hppa)</ti> + <ti> + Referred to as HPPA, the PA-RISC architecture is an instruction set + developed by Hewlett-Packard and was used in their mid- and high-end server + series until about 2008 (after which HP started using Intel Itanium) + </ti> + <ti> + HP 9000, PA-8600 + </ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>mips</ti> + <ti> + Developed by MIPS Technologies, the MIPS architecture entails multiple + subfamilies (called revisions) such as MIPS I, MIPS III, MIPS32, MIPS64 and + moer. MIPS is most common in embedded systems. + </ti> + <ti> + MIPS32 1074K, R16000 + </ti> +</tr> +<tr> + <ti>arm</ti> + <ti> + This 32-bit architecture is a very popular architecture for embedded and + small systems. Subarchitectures range from ARMv1 to ARMv7 (Cortex) and are + often found in smartphones, tablets, handheld consoles, end-user GPS + navigation systems, etc. + </ti> + <ti> + StrongARM, Cortex-M + </ti> +</tr> +</table> + +</body> +</section> </chapter> <chapter> <title>View the Handbook</title> <section> <body> +<p> +Assuming that you know (or at least have an idea) which architecture your system +is using, you can now select your choice of handbook. +</p> + <table> <tr> <th>Format</th> @@ -254,35 +418,16 @@ <p> The goal of the Gentoo Handbook is to create a coherent document that describes every possible aspect of Gentoo Linux. It combines already existing guides in -one consistent book so that the same document is used for every possible -architecture, every install, every user. This not only makes it easier for us to -maintain, but also for the user to see that the differences are slim, and that -other architectures are not seen as a separate entities. -</p> - -<p> -It also allows us to elaborate about difficult points and give more examples. We -aren't forced to write all documentation into a single displayed page anymore -making the documentation read more fluently. -</p> - -</body> -</section> -<section> -<title>Status</title> -<body> - -<p> -At this time, the fourth part on <uri link="handbook-x86.xml?part=4">Gentoo -Network Configuration</uri> is finished and officially available. This part -contains an in-depth coverage of the networking configuration options for the -now stable baselayout. +one consistent book, targeting a specific architecture, so that the entire +document can be used as a single resource for installing and administering +Gentoo Linux. </p> <p> -If you are interested in the development of the Handbook, please use <mail -link="[email protected]">the gentoo-doc mailinglist</mail> for all -feedback. +Many parts of the different Gentoo Handbooks (different by architecture) are +copied across all handbooks (actually, it is written once and duplicated +automatically) to make sure that the general information and quality of the +documentation remains consistent. </p> </body> @@ -307,9 +452,12 @@ <body> <p> -Everything is possible, but we have opted not to do this for several reasons. +Everything is possible, but we have opted to only do this on a per-architecture +level. Other choices, like partitioning, kernel selection, tool installation and +more are easy enough to explain in a single document. </p> +<!-- <p> <b>Maintaining</b> the guide would be a lot more difficult. Not only will we have to map bug reports to certain decisions (far from all bug reports would @@ -327,7 +475,7 @@ <p> The choices that the user makes are made <b>in different places</b>. This would -make it more difficult for the user to just print out the handbook -- we would +make it more difficult for the user to just print out the handbook - - we would first have to inform the user of all possible options before they can begin, probably scaring them away. </p> @@ -344,6 +492,7 @@ the results of the other choices easily. This provides a <b>better view on the installation instructions</b> for the user. </p> +--> </body> </section>
