Yes, I have finally succumb and installed Debian after resisting the urge for 10 years.
My dependable Compaq AlphaServer DS-10 decided to blow its disk drive. I have been running Gentoo on it up until that point. But after cobbling together a decidedly "Heath Robinson" disk array together, Gentoo refused to play ball.
So Debian to the rescue and the alpha is back up and running and busy smoking CPAN uploads.
Hurrah!