[ale] Arch Linux anyone?

Bruno Bronosky bruno at bronosky.com
Wed Mar 24 22:29:57 EDT 2021


I've been a Linux server admin since 1995. I've tried using it on a laptop
every few years and eventually would have my employer get me a Mac. I just
took delivery of the first computer I've purchased since 1997. A used
ThinkPad T480; the last model to have a swappable battery. I've did months
of research on YouTube before purchasing it. I installed a 1TB NVME and
Arch dual booting with Windows (I use it to take proctored Certification
exams online then wipe and reinstall that partition to get their spyware
off after). It took me maybe 30 minutes to install the first time. I took
good notes and could now do it in half that time.

I love Arch because I like to know how everything works. There is nothing
on my machine I didn't put there. I had to learn the difference between
Xorg and Wayland; Window Managers and Desktop Environments; Tool Kits and
Compositors. But when I was done it was MINE and I understood it. It's hard
for me to not think in terms of apt but I understand why people love PacMan
and the AUR. I'm sure I will too as soon as I quit cursing the use single
capital letter flags instead of subcommands like a civilized CLI.

https://youtu.be/8RqFL92IEYs
https://youtu.be/LGhifbn6088
https://youtu.be/-dEuXTMzRKs
https://youtu.be/VbsmQFNx5n4


On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 8:50 PM David Jackson via Ale <ale at ale.org> wrote:

> >In that month, only one thing I considered core to my needs failed.
> >It was due to some dependency issue - one project team decided to
> >upgrade to a newer version of some core libraries and the others
> >didn't get the memo.
>
> I feel your pain. I've had that with other builds on other distros.  I
> just haven't experienced that with Arch yet, but I'm sure my day is coming
> at some point.
> Yeah, if that build rodeo were one of my top 3 tools, my grapes would be
> very sour too.
>
> Next time we get together, maybe I can do an install and share my screen.
> Without X it normally takes about 5-10 minutes if I'm not using
> cryptsetup.  Pretty painless.
> With X it might take 15-20 minutes or so if I don't get carried away on
> fonts and icons and extra desktops and stuff.
>
> Are you guys meeting in person yet?
>
> Dave
>
> On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 8:51 PM DJ-Pfulio via Ale <ale at ale.org> wrote:
>
>> On 3/24/21 6:21 PM, Jonathan L. Meek via Ale wrote:
>> > On Wed, Mar 24, 2021 at 11:54:07AM -0400, David Jackson via Ale
>> > wrote: I have heard of Arch Linux but haven't quite understood it.
>> > Would mind telling what pulls you to use Arch Linux as a daily
>> > driver? I am honestly curious, not trying to start a flame war on the
>> > internet :-D.
>>
>> I used Arch for about a month. To me, Arch feels like Slackware, but
>> with a package manager.  The install can be brutal. Being asked about
>> every tiny package to be installed is some I don't miss about
>> Slackware.
>>
>> In that month, only one thing I considered core to my needs failed.
>> It was due to some dependency issue - one project team decided to
>> upgrade to a newer version of some core libraries and the others
>> didn't get the memo.  Perhaps it was a 1-time thing, but it left a
>> bad taste. Bleeding edge comes to mind as the term. Within about a
>> week, the other teams move their stuff to the newer release and it
>> seemed fine.
>>
>> If I were a developer and didn't work in a corporate environment and
>> didn't care what any corporate teams needed, then I'd run Arch. I'd
>> also have a non-Arch system for use outside my dev needs; for things
>> that have to work all the time.
>>
>> I did enjoy the old-Unix feel to the system and having all the control
>> I could stand. But that can be approximated without the bleeding on
>> other, less volatile distros too.
>>
>> After only a month, I'm positive I didn't gain all the skills with
>> the distro that could have reverted and solve problems quickly.
>>
>> We all have to decide where we'd like to spend our time. I often say,
>> I did my bleeding edge time with Linux in the 1990s and don't care for
>> a repeat.
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-- 
.!# BrunoBronosky #!.
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