Yes, with Gentoo you get a CLI system going first, then install GUI stuff like X11 and a DE.
Yes it is complex for a new user, and you need some CLI skills.
but
recently there has been a move to binaries in Gentoo. … I have not tried the
binary version, but Daniel has. It should be like any other distro to install.
Gentoo is rolling release… never have to do a fresh install. Its like eternal LTS.
Hi Neville and @ all, 
I´ve been using it for quite a while now.
Originally I came from Lubuntu but as Lubuntu is an official flavour of the ubuntu family they have to comply with the ubuntu standards in order to be recognized as such…
… which meant that firefox came preinstalled as snap by default.
I didn´t like that as I need to run any browser in a sandboxed environment (firejail).
And you cannot run snaps in firejail. 
So I was looking for an alternative Linux distro which played well with my PC (4 GB RAM, CPU: Intel i3-3240T (4) @ 2.900GHz).
I needed a light distro.
This led me to Linux LIte:
Additional benefit when comparing it to Lubuntu: Linux Lite receives support for 5 years. 
Citing from the page mentioned above:
- Our ongoing mission is to make the transition from Windows to Linux Lite, as smooth as possible.
- Linux Lite is a free operating system based on the Ubuntu LTS (Long term Support) series of releases.
Many greetings from Rosika 
Binaries are only available for the “x86_64” archtecture,
Think of Gentoo of being like LFS but with a few mote options to work with.
There are a few on this forum that use Gentoo, but not many!!!
Hi all,
sorry @Tech_JA for capturing this topic, but there´s something I´d like to know about cinnamon in general. Might fit in here.
Back in 2018 I actually had Linux Mint running as a virtual machine.
I was using virtualbox at the time.
After struggling with VBOXADDITIONS things seemed to have messed up.
After updating everything there was a update available for I was of the opnion Linux Mint should be workig fine.
Nevertheless, I always end up in cinnamon´s fallback mode.
And in no way could I get rid of it.
No idea whether it was a virtualbox thing or if this problem was initiated by Linux Mint itself.
From this time on I´ve been a bit sceptical about cinnamon.
Perhaps I´m doing injustice to cinnamon. 
Did anyone else ever experience this fallback mode with cinnamon 
Many greetings from Rosika
I am just looking at linux lite as an option for a older machine with limited resources, my client went from lubuntu to mint, but now his machine is about to die and he lacks money for a real upgrade to new so thinking i may let him have a netbook but 2gb is limiting for mint . Will put him a big screen and keyboard mouse so its just liie a mini box.
Hi Paul, 
perhaps this might help:
from: Linux Download | Download Linux Lite Free Linux Operating System
Cheers from Rosika 
Thanks saw the table myself.
Do you run chrome or chromium on yours ?
Fallback mode usually means going to a lower resolution video setting that
will work with any graphics card.
No idea if it means the same in relation to cinnamon… it may mean that it has turned off accelerated graphics… that is likely in a VM
Hi again, my friends,
On a regular basis: neither. I´m more of a firefox kind of person.
But Linux Lite comes with chrome preinstalled and I just let it reside on the system.
And it turned out to be a good thing, as my friend Margret, who is a teacher and who also uses Linux Lite on her laptop, actually makes use of chrome.
At some point in the past she needed my help for a special setup (with firejail) and I wrote a script for her which met her demands.
So I didn´t have to installl chrome for just that purpose.
@nevj :
Thanks Neville, for the clarification.
When it happened I didn´t have the knowledge to evaluate what was going on. So I didn´t actually bother to deal with it extensively.
Nowadays it´s a bit different. I wanted to know if the fallback mode was triggered by the VM of by cinnamon itself.
So, thank you for your answer to it, Neville.
But I guess it does. Makes a lot of sense.
Seems to have been initiated by the VM then.
Thanks again and many greetings from Rosika
Hi Rosika
Thanks for the extra info on linux lite and chrome.
Its funny how we choose linux version, and stick with them or change and how often.
Same with browsers.
I always insist on installing at least 2 usually chrome (chromium) and firefox if not by default. Just in case belt and braces !
Even resorted to opera light on a tablet where no other was available due to age and resources on tablet, ancient version of android.
The guy I was asking for is ill and under quite strong medication, so when I saw him yesterday decided the computer change would be too stressful at this point, so put it off for a week when hopefully he will be better equiped to make a decission.
Regards
Paul
On Android , have you seen Firefox Focus? … No tabs and there is an escape button to start again with an empty screen . Very useful for websites that trap you and dont allow a backout.
Not thought of looking for that.
My current tablet has samsung browser and chrome, you could argue they are the same but there are slight differences in use and sites offered.
Opera was just on a very old tablet as nothing else would work.
Not a big firefox fan but no real reason why not.
I use both those plus Firefox Focus and DDG.
Tending to avoid Chrome lately because there were reports of malware involving Chrome.
Hi Paul,
thanks for the feedback. 
Same with me.
I even add w3m and lynx to my installation.
I guess I´m a bit of a command-line person. I like applications that run in the terminal.
Let alone the amount of data you can save when using terminal-based browsers.
I know most people wouldn´t bother about that too much but I´m pretty restricted in that respect (metered mobile connection).
Makes a big difference for me.
Many greetings from Rosika
My command line knowedge is limited so could not use the net like that.
I forget metered connections and the limits imposed, we moved to fibre 4 years ago the day before covid closed france and could not live without it or to be limited. Radio, couple of tablets all day everyday plus downloads Think I would use my quota in the first half day quite easy.
Hi Rosika,
I saw this today on ZDNET about Linux Lite.
Yes i saw that as well, Jack Wallen, writes some very positive linux related items.
Thanks, Howard, for sharing the link to the article.
I just read it through.
I think from my experience I can confirm everythig the author says about Linux Lite.
It works very well with my machine and I like it a lot.
Cheers from Rosika
Just downloaded linux lite and surprised by its size 2gb5 … had not realised , had clicked download and just left it to run without checking, some time later it finished and put my usb in the drive to discover it would not fit, thought it was a faulty memory stick but on checking it was indeed too big.
Anyway its down and ready to try in next few days.
I had imagined a puppy size less that 1gb for speed.
Hate the site, so difficult to workout where to download and all that publicity put me off no idea wyat a new user would think.
Hi Paul,
for download see here:
It actually says:
SIZE: 2.7GB
Cheers from Rosika
