As of now 32bit image comes with GCC 4.1.2 so right after install one wastes several hours to do:
- emerge --sync && emerge --update --deep world
- make gcc 4.3.2 default, purge 4.1.2
- rebuild world (BTW, setting -march=native)

What a waste of resources!

For gentoo I typically do my own install. Start with finnix or gentoo images, mount another partition on /mnt/gentoo and follow the normal gentoo install guide. Then you can use the latest stage3 and go from there.

But if you don't like building world, then why are you running gentoo?

Well, given that the same base install fits 9[1-9]% of customers, why do it from scratch?
Never said I don't like building world.

BTW, do you get /proc/sys/xen with independent_wallclock & permitted_clock_jitter in it after install so that you don't have to sync time manually?

I think at first it was because I needed 64-bit and the only gentoo image linode offered was 32-bit. After that it just seemed that the linode gentoo images were always behind the latest release. Now with gentoo doing weekly releases I think it might be a hard sell to get linode to keep up. Besides, the first thing I usually do on a new install is change make.conf to the point that at least half the system packages need to be rebuilt anyway

I've been using the pv_ops kernels for quite a while, so I have no /proc/sys/xen at all. The pv_ops kernels start with approximately correct time, but they will drift if you don't run ntpd or similar.

I see, Gentoo admins are mostly maniacs.

I would have a hard time disputing that statement.

Although I would say that if you aren't changing any of the defaults then I can't think of a good reason to choose gentoo in the first place.

Because Portage is the best package management system?

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/ Peter

That's a lie and you know it. pkgtool(8) is the only real package management tool out there.

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Disclaimer: I am no longer employed by Linode; opinions are my own alone.