Oh wow so this is like 2002 gentoo then?
On switching to Arch Linux
51–60 of 174 posts
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#52It feels like he's describing installing Linux (any distribution) around 1997-1998. A bit complex, lots of manual setup, etc. Not terrible, and it has its benefits for sure, but it feels a tad like a step back.
I use Arch on my laptop for daily use, it brings in my paychecks. The benefit is, once you have it setup, it is dead-simple easy to maintain. All my applications and libraries are always up to date and there are no big releases or reinstalls. It is easier than dealing with Ubuntu releases every 6 months and their constant interface changes.
Also I use some esoteric software that is more difficult to get on Ubuntu.
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#53Something the article mentions, but bears repeating, it that Arch has an excellent wiki on just about every component you're likely to use. So for those fearful of having to set everything up yourself, the wiki will be your savior.
Although parts of it are specific to Arch, overall I found the Arch wiki very helpful when set up a minimal Debian installation.
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#54Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why would you want to be a minimalist? Even a Raspberry Pi system, which costs under $50 kitted out with storage, could handle a moderately full install. The only "minimalist" Linux install I've ever wanted was one so stripped down it would boot off of a 3.5" floppy. It's amazing what you can do with a kernel, a baked in read-only filesystem and a tiny loopback device for storing configuration files.
Minimalism means faster boot time, less cruft in $HOME, generally knowing where stuff is, and more time to comb my enormous neckbeard...
"generally knowing where stuff is" has been my favorite part of using Arch. I started out on redhat systems back in the day, and kinda figured out where the really important stuff was, but never wrapped my head around everything. Adding things piece by piece as I need them to Arch is much more instructive.
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#55It feels like he's describing installing Linux (any distribution) around 1997-1998. A bit complex, lots of manual setup, etc. Not terrible, and it has its benefits for sure, but it feels a tad like a step back.
Distributions like this can't be taken seriously. They're for the outcasts of the neckbeard crowd. Cynically I suppose that the people involved in making this software aren't encouraged to improve ease of use because then they couldn't be "helpful" in the IRC channel used for support. Is something like this the reason so many open-source projects so vehemently opposed to usability?
Hooray for ad-hominems and sweeping generalizations!
I've found the Arch community to be EXTREMELY helpful because they are encouraged by people who want to know what's going on and not just taking whatever is pre-packaged into the distro and shoved down their throats.
The beauty of Linux is that there's something for everyone. We could speak with equal pejoratives about distributions that do everything for the user but the reality is that Arch is around because there is a community who wants it --- and they're not the "necbeard crowd."
What OS do you use? I'm sure we could hurl insults at you, too. That wouldn't be a constructive conversation, though.
Here I go again ... feeding trolls. Sorry folks.
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#56I read the article and groaned. My days of "tweak it until it works, just for fun" are pretty much past me (I'm typing this on a Mac, for instance). I like to spend my energy creating things these days. But Arch seems really cool if you want to rebuild Linux systems for fun & knowledge!
I find your definitation of "creating things" narrow and shallow.
There's a tremendous amount of creativity that goes into customizing an OS to meet every need you have --- and ONLY those needs.
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#57It feels like he's describing installing Linux (any distribution) around 1997-1998. A bit complex, lots of manual setup, etc. Not terrible, and it has its benefits for sure, but it feels a tad like a step back.
Distributions like this can't be taken seriously. They're for the outcasts of the neckbeard crowd. Cynically I suppose that the people involved in making this software aren't encouraged to improve ease of use because then they couldn't be "helpful" in the IRC channel used for support. Is something like this the reason so many open-source projects so vehemently opposed to usability?
Perhaps the "neckbeards" and "outcasts" you refer to prefer to fix the motorcycle when it breaks, instead of paying somebody else to it?
http://google.com/search?q=zen+and+the+art+of+motorcycle+mai...
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#58I like Arch as a whole but I've found that for my purposes it is a time sink compared to Debian for example. Debian has lots of sensible well thought out defaults. Arch has lots of disparate defaults each provided by the package vendor (as they don't customise packages). It's not a criticism, but a difference to bear in mind.
This is a great comment and the key phrase is "for my purposes..."
Many people look at a particular OS, decide that it's not right for what they need or want, and jump straight to "that OS sucks because it doesn't meet my needs." It should be fairly obvious how that is just a silly thing to think.
Different OSs meet different needs. We should strive to understand our own needs and to understand our options so we can make the optimal choice for our particular situation.
As an arch user myself, I like (and can afford the time) to tweak and fiddle with my setup so that it's just right for my workflow. Another reason I use it, is that it's a great way to learn more about linux.
Arch probably is not right for people who need lots of stability or don't have the time to fiddle and tweak the OS. And that's ok. There are many other options they can use. It sounds like Debian is the right fit for you and that's awesome.
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#59The community has become quite aggressive and elitist lately, they now remind me of the days of gentoo.
Probably because of comments like what astrodust is spraying everywhere.
Re: On switching to Arch Linux
#60I have an ArchLinux installed at home. Well I am unsure on what to think. It can be used to go on the internet, have the latest software but if you are serious on coding stable things well... you're going to cry. Since you always have the latest packets ready your code is going to be often broken by changes in the libraries (damn Boost!). Other problem, if you leave your computer untouched for 1 months you'll have 1…
The transition from python 2.7 to python 3 bit me in the butt.
Having said that - it was resolved quickly by some friends in the community.