I`m a "refugee from Windows". Before I permanently switched to Gentoo I tried few distributions. Among other things, Ubuntu. In each of them, however I missed something ... This was not it.
Only Gentoo has fulfilled all my expectations (I use it since July):) It depends only on me fast, trouble-free configuration, stability and convenience of use. Gentoo provides it all. Even with a stage1 installation is long and confusing (and I conducted just such a - leaving a computer on the night). Within two "approaches" (night of the bootstrap and emerge system on the rest day) I received a fully adjusted to my system. Almost nothing I was doomed:) Everything compiles the sources and I think that the it is not in any way burdensome. As a rule this is done only once, you can also do it in the background, during ordinary operation.
I admit that I have tried 10GB of software code (with a tilde is my collection in / usr / portage / distfiles /), and never complained about the wait. Everything lasts so briefly that one can get used to it.
With a little willingness, installation (with a great manual - basically it boils down to rewrite the command), and later use is extremely simple (I'm sure, for me, easier and more convenient than in Ubuntu).
A huge advantage for me is the system user community. Many times I met with the arrogance of Linux users (I admit, with quite a long time ago, and now is unlikely to meet this) - but never among Gentoo users. Always helpful and willing to spend much time on helping the needy:)
If you want the system, in which all the installation work immediately, if you do not want to have (in 99% of cases), problems with configuration ... This is the system for you.