[Coda]

Gentoo doesn't have defaults. :P The base system has enough software installed to compile packages and then you're on your own to choose what you want to add on top of that. This is one of the reasons I like it.

Also, just because you compile everything doesn't mean you're compiling everything BY HAND -- Gentoo has a package manager just like every other Linux distribution, except that instead of downloading precompiled binaries it downloads source code and builds it directly on your computer. This lets you change the compile settings (the "USE" flags) so that you don't have to drag in heavy optional dependencies if you don't want to. It's completely automated after you finish the initial setup.

And my Gentoo system actually uses Fluxbox. :P I don't use either GNOME or KDE as a desktop environment, and I can install either GNOME or KDE applications if there's not an environment-neutral alternative available.