More specifically, Portage. I know use flags and “optimization” are all the hype, but really, would the average user even see a benefit from customizing all their use flags? Especially a benefit that compensates for the constant compilation?
I installed it once to help grow my e-peen, but immediately switched back to Arch after watching my system compile.
Those who daily drive it, do compilation and use flags annoy you, and do you see any real benefit?
You successfully evaded the actual question: what is the point of Gentoo.
Gentoo doesn’t hold your hands, but that doesn’t mean that it has a purpose for even the most enthusiastic users.
There might have been a time when compiling your own software was an actual benefit, but those days are long gone. When you’re using Gentoo today it’s either a hobby on its own (which is fine, but per definition pointless) or it’s a flex (which is not so fine).
From what I’ve seen, Gentoo was popular in the 2000’s for users who wanted maximum control over their system. That means recompiling everything.
Sometimes the “maximum control” when too far when users set aggressive optimization flags that broke some packages. To the point that some upstream developers (e.g. Gimp) were refusing bug reports from Gentoo users because of the stupid optimization flags they were setting in hope of getting a “faster” system.
Anyway, it seems to me like the crowd who liked Gentoo has mostly moved to Arch. But I’m sure Gentoo still has its fans.