I’m a little bit underwhelmed, I thought that based off the fact so many people seem to make using this distro their personality I expected… well, more I guess?
Once the basic stuff is set-up, like wifi, a few basic packages, a desktop environment/window manager, and a bit of desktop environment and terminal customisation, then that’s it. Nothing special, just a Linux distribution with less default programs and occasionally having to look up how to install a hardware driver or something if you need to use bluetooth for the first time or something like that.
Am I missing something? How can I make using Arch Linux my personality when once it’s set up it’s just like any other computer?
What exactly is it that people obsess over? The desktop environment and terminal customisation? Setting up NetworkManager with nmcli? Using Vim to edit a .conf file?
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Most of the time it is achieved with the phrase: “I use Arch, btw”. 😉
Also wearing unix socks might help
EDIT: A more complete guide.
Also, Blåhajar for better pics
In a way this post is just long-form “I use Arch, btw” 🤯
Ha ha, you fool, you fell for the classic blunder!
It’s just a meme, dude.
Not the only meme I fell for… Anyone know the best way to unload 5 thinkpads that originally shipped with Windows 7??
Good now wipe it and install NixOS. You’re ready.
Not too familiar with it, in what way would you consider it better?
It is better in all the ways. Newer packages, no imperative config, reproducible.
a lot of people base there personality off it because they installed it from scratch and customize it exactly how it fits them. ofcorse that’s not going to be everyone because everyone is different.
The thrilling thing about arch is you get to put together your own user land applications, especially things that could form your desktop environment, audio stuff, etc.
I agree it is not that complicated. If you want more thrill, here is what I recommend:
gentoo Linux
has the option to compile everything from source. This isn’t just for bragging rights. This resolves a whole class of software breakages that can happen on other distros (especially when using old or less common applications).
- It gives you the option (emphasis on optional) to use openRC, an alternative to systemd.
- patch any software super easily, working nicely with the system
- customize compile flags on a global level
- have package manager manage software that isn’t available in repos, or easily write a package script for it (technically AUR can do this, but gentoo more powerful)
- works like a charm with heavily customized setups, such as musl, or less common architectures like arm or risc-V
NixOS
Takes it a step beyond gentoo and uses a functional, lazy approach in package management. Every package is fully reproducible, has a kind of isolated environment. Your entire setup is reproducible and declared with a single file.
---- below this line is torture. Not recommended
slackware
Idk how it works exactly, but package management looks like a manual pain
Linux from scratch
A book where you create your Linux installation from scratch, compiling every single component until you reach a working system
Notable mentions
- Alpine Linux: uses musl and busybox by default. Extremely lightweight. Some things will not work, but you get the thrill of running a couple MB distro
- void Linux: ok I’m tired of writing so I will not explain that one
Slackware avoids the issue of package management completely.
You just install the entire repository up front, which resolves all dependencies.
If you need software that isn’t in the repo, you can install it any way you like from wherever you like, there’s no real package manager that gets in the way. Usually you compile it with Sbopkg, a helper script very similar to Arch’s AUR helpers. It comes with rudimentary dependency resolution in the form of queue files, which just list what needs to be installed in the correct order for any given source package, and then does it for you.
A more modern approach I follow is to use Flatpaks.Void is far from torture. It is just as easy to set up as Arch, if not more so.
Arch offers a combination of rolling software updates, a simple but easily customized base, pacman for the package manager, the AUR, a barebones installation process by default, good documentation, and active development. That may or may not be a good combination based on your goals.
Other distros offer a different combination of characteristics. Those characteristics are a starting point and you can get to the same destination no matter what you use. The trick is figuring out what starting point is closest to your destination or which starting point makes the journey fun for you. For some people, Arch is that. For plenty of people, Arch isn’t that.
Do people really make Arch their personality? Ive been using Arch-based distros since forever and never really met someone like that. I thought it was just a meme.
I like the minimalism and ability to control more parts of your system as opposed to an automated install process doing everything for you. But you don’t have to do that much manually. The main pacstrap step basically sets up your whole system anyway. It’s not that different to other mainstream distros. I have always just used it like any other distro.
Edit: Forgot to mention that the bleeding-edge packages and AUR are nice features too. And being rolling release to a lesser extent, just my preference.
I thought it was just a meme.
I see way more complaints about ‘elitist Arch users’ than I ever do comments from actual elitist Arch users.
Also, I never saw anyone saying anything about a “year of the Linux Desktop”. It’s just a meme.
Both were a thing in discussions many years ago. That’s why they became a meme.
But since then it’s basically only used ironically because people quickly noticed they’re a meme.
I worked with a guy who had a flag with the Arch logo and his Arch forums username on it hanging above his desk.
Arch is for the most part comparable to Debian unstable/sid, but instead of a normal repository, it instead depends largely on a massive 3rd party repository (the AUR), and for some reason people think that’s a feature.
Before the install script, i setup arch manually and added the gnome package that bringd DE and all the good Gnome stuff with it. it was then just the same as any other Gnome DE really. People taut the AUR, but OpenSUSE has same with their software.opensuse.org where packages maintained as experimental or community can be accessed (or by adding OPI). Since OpenSUSE had built in snapshotting, rollback and GUI admin (plus curation to do cleanups and maintemamce already OOTB) I uninstalled Arch. The ArchWiki though, that thing is a masterpiece
I think you might be missing the part where memes are not real. aur is useful. arch wiki is useful.
Arch is too easy to set up nowadays for it to be a “thing”.
Maybe 15 years ago when the process was slightly more complicated but even then it’s always been paint by numbers.
Even Gentoo isn’t that difficult, just time consuming.
Yes, you are missing the fact that it’s mostly not people making Archlinux their personality, but people making meme’ing about “Archlinux users” their personality. For the vast majority it’s just an OS.
Welcome to realizing the Memes are all bullshit and its just a solid distro that’s worth using for the simpleness. Just go use your computer like the average user is and roll with it
Yep, all this «how do I learn linux» stuff is weird. You don’t learn your OS, you use it. Did you need to «learn» Windows? You just launch it and click your browser / file manager / media player and browse, manage files and watch or listen to your media files.
You can just use your PC as you would regularly use your PC and find solutions once you face some issues. Yes, Linux issues are different from Windows issues.
You got downvoted but as a Systems Engineer when I get home from work, I want my OS to get out of my way. All these other people are crazy.
I mean if you want to be blasé about the fact not everyone has the same technical skills as you, sure…
Just do
./install_arch.sh
