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juil
September 29th, 2010, 06:45 AM
I want to install Arch Linux to learn more Linux but I also love the openbox environment. I want to know if Archbang is exactly like Arch Linux plus the openbox environment.

I'm also interested in #!Crunchbang. Can anyone describe the differences? User experiences?

The Real Dave
September 29th, 2010, 07:01 AM
Crunchbang is a Debian system with an Openbox setup. If your trying it out, you might as well use Crunchbang Statler 10 Alpha 2, which is the latest development release. Even though it's a dev release, it's very stable. It's got plenty of programs bundled with it, most that are aimed toward being lighter or working without Gnome. So your ready to go straight away.

There are Openbox versions, and also XFCE versions. It'll feel in a way quite similar to Ubuntu, seeing as Ubuntu comes from Debian roots.

Archbang is kinda the same idea. I havn't used it since RC2, and most likely a lot has changed since, but probably for the better. It seemed to be a well managed project, which is heading in a good direction I think. It's basically Arch + Openbox + a few programs. It takes the jump from having to install Arch yourself, to just having a working OB system.


You should give them both a shot. They're both quite fast, quite light, and very well managed projects.

hhh
September 29th, 2010, 07:11 AM
Big questions needing long answers...

No, ArchBang is not exactly like Arch. It's way easier to install and it can be installed over a wireless connection. That said, you will be getting the apps and setup of the ArchBang developer. Part of the experience of an Arch setup, for Arch purists, is installing a base system and then installing the components that they want to use. For me, installing a pre-built system and then swapping apps and components is just as good, if not better as you start with a working system so troubleshooting might be a bit easier (that's pure conjecture though, I've never built an Arch system as my box has always used a shared connection via wireless making a purist Arch install way too inconvenient).

#! has 3 flavors now, the standard Openbox version built on Ubuntu and now 2 Debian testing flavors, Openbox and Xfce. They are all really really really good, with a very friendly forum. They are all testable as Live "CDs" with a 1G USB via Unetbootin (if I remember correctly) so you can try them out pretty damn easily. The 2 Debian versions are not yet in final release form, but have just some small quirks that have easy workarounds. The #! forums are small and very, very friendly. You should register there and you'll get all the help you need.

HTH

And what The Real Dave said (I knew I should have refreshed before posting).

smellyman
September 29th, 2010, 07:35 AM
I already have an Arch + Openbox setup so I haven't felt the need to try Archbang. I probably will to see what they did different and ideas I can incorporate with my install.

However, from appearances, it looks like Archbang is looking a lot like Crunchbang, so I guess it depends if you want a debian or arch base really.

hhh
September 29th, 2010, 07:45 AM
@smellyman, no, ArchBang is built completely on Arch and uses Arch repositories. It's similarity with #! is it's default Openbox/conky setup (it no longer uses LXDE)...
http://archbang.org/Main/HomePage

-edit- oops, I guess you meant the difference with CrunchBang or ArchBang is the base. Yes, and of course ArchBang uses pacman and CrunchBang uses apt and Synaptic.