I've been trying out a few different Linux distros (Ubuntu Gnome being my main one and the only one that I didn't just install in a VM). One I didn't try out that I heard a lot of good things about is Gentoo. However I also hear that it's much more complicated than most other distros. So now I am wondering: How experienced do you need to be to (somewhat) effectively use Gentoo. Can I install and use it as a semi-advanced user and just learn it by using it?
Gentoo (and Funtoo) is somewhere between Linux From Scratch and Arch Linux.
Like LFS, Gentoo takes quite a long time to install because you compile all the packages yourself, but if you do make it through to the other side (the challenge here is mainly patience and determination, because the process is well-described) you will have learned a good deal about how Linux works under the hood.
Also, like Arch, Gentoo is on a rolling release cycle, so you only need to go through installation once (unless of course you installed it in a virtual machine the first time).
If you have the patience and determination Gentoo is a brilliant choice.
A quick look at the Gentoo install Wiki was enough to put me off, but I'm sure it's very rewarding. Lets us all know how you get on.