Thoughts on Arch Linux

[jorpoveda]

Hello there I am new to Linux i have started using Ubuntu recently and I have also heard about Arch Linux. Can anyone please guide me? How good it is as a distro? What are its pros and cons?

My major concern is about hardware drivers as I like to buy the latest laptops on the market, right now I am waiting for the new Lenovo ThinkPad X130e.

[snowpine]

A brief intro to Arch (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/The_Arch_Way).

Read the Arch Beginners Guide (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners%27_Guide). If you say "that sounds really fun!" then Arch is the distro for you. If you say "why would I spend hours setting up Arch when I could just install Ubuntu in 20 minutes?" then Ubuntu is the obvious choice. :)

[jorpoveda]

A brief intro to Arch (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/The_Arch_Way).

Read the Arch Beginners Guide (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners%27_Guide). If you say "that sounds really fun!" then Arch is the distro for you. If you say "why would I spend hours setting up Arch when I could just install Ubuntu in 20 minutes?" then Ubuntu is the obvious choice. :)

Lol! Actually both sound like fun to me. I have read that Linux and Linus Torvalds thoughts on ditros is that a good distro should be easy to install.

But I like Arch as I would prefer to have the option to change my DE as my choice rather than downloading a diferent Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu distro. I think that Ubuntu should be Ubuntu and no other.

Guess I am asking for to much. Thanks for the link, I find the idea behind Arch as really good one, but is lack of professional support makes my doubts.

[snowpine]

But I like Arch as I would prefer to have the option to change my DE as my choice rather than downloading a diferent Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu distro.

Ubuntu already has this capability; you may install any DE you like from the Software Center, and if you prefer a base install with no DE, you can use the Minimal CD (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD).

[Perfect Storm]

Do you have a test machine you can play around with? That way you can get comfortable with it.
Arch is fun, but can be tedious. What I enjoyed most was making packages and putting them on AUR (mostly games).

[satanselbow]

But I like Arch as I would prefer to have the option to change my DE as my choice rather than downloading a diferent Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu distro. I think that Ubuntu should be Ubuntu and no other.

You can install any of the myriad of de/wm combos through the software center without downloading another iso.

The different "spins" are packaged with different default apps than the vanilla ubuntu - although again there is nothing stopping you installing any that you like.

Arch is very cool indeed (that is "cool" as in useful and productive not "cool" as in look at me i'm a chocolate biscuit) but not really one for with little other linux experience ;)

Ubuntu is a great place to start - and frequently to stay ;)

[jorpoveda]

You can install any of the myriad of de/wm combos through the software center without downloading another iso.

The different "spins" are packaged with different default apps than the vanilla ubuntu - although again there is nothing stopping you installing any that you like.

Arch is very cool indeed (that is "cool" as in useful and productive not "cool" as in look at me i'm a chocolate biscuit) but not really one for with little other linux experience ;)

Ubuntu is a great place to start - and frequently to stay ;)

Totally agree I have been using Ubuntu for a month and find it awesome. Although one of the things I did not like was the DE, and I checked out the different DE's around and I was fascinated with the latest version of Xfce, not only because its minimium use of memory but also because it resembles somehow OS X with the dock and I am a long OS X user but changed to Linux when I started studying Computer Science.

[jorpoveda]

Do you have a test machine you can play around with? That way you can get comfortable with it.
Arch is fun, but can be tedious. What I enjoyed most was making packages and putting them on AUR (mostly games).

Man I love your Avatar and Signature. I am also a HUGE Iron Man fan. Although I found lame the fact that one of the Iron Man writers stated about Tony Stark/Iron Man resembling closed source and his rival Ezekiel Stane resembling more the open source spirit.

I did not like the fact of comparing Iron Man with Windows and his enemies with Linux.

[Double.J]

Lol! Actually both sound like fun to me. I have read that Linux and Linus Torvalds thoughts on ditros is that a good distro should be easy to install.

But I like Arch as I would prefer to have the option to change my DE as my choice rather than downloading a diferent Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu distro. I think that Ubuntu should be Ubuntu and no other.

Guess I am asking for to much. Thanks for the link, I find the idea behind Arch as really good one, but is lack of professional support makes my doubts.

As other's have said you can add DE's and any linux softare to any linux system, but I admire your intention to branch out and experiment - that's how I found Ubuntu - I staerted on fedora, went on to gentoo then went all round the houses (inc. Arch) to end up here :)

One thing you may be interested in is that linux distro's can be installed from inside another distro - this is basically what an installer does; boots up a linux OS to RAM, and installs the OS to the HDD. As linux is linux - it doesn't matter what that original OS is as long as it has the files to install.

This may seem more complicated, but is actually very useful as installers such as arch are more minimal environments and take longer to get a fully working system. I always use a fedora live stick to install gentoo (that's just because rpm distro's support my wifi so one less thing to do) Take a look over at the Arch wiki (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Install_from_Existing_Linux#Install_pacman_on_the_ host_system) for this type of install and see if you like it. It is a lot more complicated than a normal arch install, but does allow you to take more time with it as you can keep using your pc as normal from the live USB.

If you did want to go down this route, use a live USB not CD and make a nice big persistence to save the data to ;)

Most of all have fun!

Oh and whatever other OS you try... allways back up your data before doing anything ;)

[jorpoveda]

Thanks for the advice, I will try to install it as you say. But I must say that since I started this thread I have downloaded a VM Machine from Oracle, the ISO file for Arch and started the installation. Up to now I have find it rather meticulous but I like the fact that I am learning tons of new stuff related to Linux. So far so good as I have not had any driver problems up to now

[ssri]

Don't install Arch, it'll break your machine. :twisted:

[BlinkinCat]

Don't install Arch, it'll break your machine. :twisted:

To each his own - :)

[kazuya]

If you are trying to learn with some small challenges then archlinux is very worth it. Personally, I would recommend Archbang instead as it installs in a fully ready to use state. And it gives you a nice looking livecd environment that you can install from and have flashplayer, multimedia codecs, enabled.
It is essentially archlinux +openbox desktop environment.
This has become my favorite distro for a year plus now. Blazing fast and functional.

[jorpoveda]

Don't install Arch, it'll break your machine. :twisted:

Are you serious, them what is your suggestion???

[mips]

Are you serious, them what is your suggestion???

He forgot to mention that whenever someone installs Arch a kitten is killed! :tongue:

[jorpoveda]

He forgot to mention that whenever someone installs Arch a kitten is killed! :tongue:

LOL!!! Yes I think I understand now, I installed Arch yesterday on a VM, I had so much trouble with the installation and spend almost 8 hours setting it up. I enjoyed that time but it was still too much trouble.

[zhogan85]

But the upside is that once its set up, you never need to install again, you can stay up to date with pacman.


sudo pacman -SyuI agree, the installation process can be arduous, but I have found its wort it. You can always just keep arch on a separate partition just for tinkering, too.

[mips]

...the installation process can be arduous...

It's only hard the first time, it's all new so people are a bit out of their depth. It gets easier with time and eventually you can do it without looking at the wiki. Great distro, my favourite distro.

[jorpoveda]

Well I cant say it is not a good distro since I enjoyed installing it even with all the problems I had with it. I find Arch Linux really useful for people who want to learn more about Linux and how it works. As zhogan85 said I leave it on a VM for tinkering with it.

[Starks]

If you've been with Ubuntu for a few years, Arch is quick to learn.

I recently made the jump from Ubuntu but compromised with Mint's Cinnamon DE.

[cbowman57]

Thanks for the advice, I will try to install it as you say. But I must say that since I started this thread I have downloaded a VM Machine from Oracle, the ISO file for Arch and started the installation. Up to now I have find it rather meticulous but I like the fact that I am learning tons of new stuff related to Linux. So far so good as I have not had any driver problems up to now

Archbang is a slightly easier way to install Archlinux. There is also KahlelOS that gives you a live Arch CD but the installation tools leave something to be desired.

[jorpoveda]

If you've been with Ubuntu for a few years, Arch is quick to learn.

I recently made the jump from Ubuntu but compromised with Mint's Cinnamon DE.

Well I only have like a month using Ubuntu, I started with version 11.10 but I find rather buggy so I changed back to a LTS version being 10.04 my choice. I have installed a VM machine, installed Arch Linux and I am using it as a tool the roots of Linux. In a few hours I installed and unistalled so many times that I can make now a basic installation without the wiki. It is really cool to set up a whole system from a bash command line interface.

[satanselbow]

He forgot to mention that whenever someone installs Arch a kitten is killed! :tongue:

I think they reverted to seal clubbing...

The original post should most likely have been "I broke my machine trying to install Arch"

[cbowman57]

Well I only have like a month using Ubuntu, I started with version 11.10 but I find rather buggy so I changed back to a LTS version being 10.04 my choice. I have installed a VM machine, installed Arch Linux and I am using it as a tool the roots of Linux. In a few hours I installed and unistalled so many times that I can make now a basic installation without the wiki. It is really cool to set up a whole system from a bash command line interface.

Well as a long time Ubuntu user I do appreciate it but if you've already managed to get an Arch installation up & running that's the direction I'd go in.

My summation in a nutshell.

Ubuntu, easy to install, easy to maintain, hard to fix.
Arch, difficult to install, easy to maintain & easy to fix.

This reflects my own bias of course, people should use what works best for them.

[mips]

Ubuntu, easy to install, easy to maintain, hard to fix.
Arch, difficult to install, easy to maintain & easy to fix.


Only difficult the first or second time round, after that it becomes second nature. Yes, very easy to fix compare to Ubuntu if something goes south.

[cbowman57]

Only difficult the first or second time round, after that it becomes second nature. Yes, very easy to fix compare to Ubuntu if something goes south.

:lol:

Ubuntu thread:

Q: Something's wrong with my Ubuntu.
A: Just reinstall it.

Arch thread:

Q: I screwed up my Arch installation.
A: You idiot, read the wiki before you post.

:)

Pretty sure the rest of you with a foot in each camp gets the humor.

[satanselbow]

Pretty sure the rest of you with a foot in each camp gets the humor.

Painfully true - the Arch wiki is an excellent resource for Ubuntu fixes ;)

I've got "perfectminimal" style scripts for both distro so installation is a breeze for either :popcorn:

Both need some serious updating though must be said ;)

[mips]

Arch thread:

Q: I screwed up my Arch installation.
A: You idiot, read the wiki before you post.


Or,

Q: I updated my system and now x, y & z are not working.
A: Did you bother reading the news/announcements on the main site, www.archlinux.org

[cbowman57]

Or,

Q: I updated my system and now x, y & z are not working.
A: Did you bother reading the news/announcements on the main site, www.archlinux.org (http://www.archlinux.org)

Exactly. :lol:

@satanselbow, I'm interested in your scripts. I can get an Arch installation installed pretty quick these days with the netinstall but I haven't created any scripts to speed up & simplify the process.

[zhogan85]

Arch thread:

Q: I screwed up my Arch installation.
A: You idiot, read the wiki before you post.[/URL]



Or,

Q: I updated my system and now x, y & z are not working.
A: Did you bother reading the news/announcements on the main site, [URL="http://www.archlinux.org/"]www.archlinux.org (http://www.archlinux.org/)

+1 Too true.

[jorpoveda]

Well I have made a couple of post on the Arch wiki and I got good answes, no one was that rude. Maybe what I asked was not that trivial.

[satanselbow]

@satanselbow, I'm interested in your scripts. I can get an Arch installation installed pretty quick these days with the netinstall but I haven't created any scripts to speed up & simplify the process.

Nothing spectacular really and no more than butchered and customised/revised perfectminimal alikes - the Arch one is obviously just ported to pacman/yaourt syntax ;)

I do mean to pay them more attention and give them a tidy up as they are currently more commenting, hard-coded and feature crippling than actually that useful - I currently use LM12 so no longer need all the Unity ripping stuff which was pretty substantial for a while... there is much less effort involved in tweaking LM12 to my liking than tearing Unity out of the guts of Ubuntu... if I get some time i'll let 'em out of the cage ;)

I got bored of answering all the multiple choice questions in the orig pm as I was distro hopping for a while there which is how they came about in the 1st place :D

Grab a copy of the original perfectminimal and rip away :popcorn:

[satanselbow]

Well I have made a couple of post on the Arch wiki and I got good answes, no one was that rude. Maybe what I asked was not that trivial.

No - I've not found anyone to be outright rude over there either but they tend to be a lot less tolerant of idiocy as a general point - which given who/what/where Arch as a distro is levelled is fair enuff really ;)

[cbowman57]

Well I have made a couple of post on the Arch wiki and I got good answes, no one was that rude. Maybe what I asked was not that trivial.

No they aren't, I was just having fun with it trying to show the contrast. :)

Make sure to take a look at abs, kind of like AUR but using official repositories.

[zhogan85]

Well I have made a couple of post on the Arch wiki and I got good answes, no one was that rude. Maybe what I asked was not that trivial.

On the occasions I've had to post, I've gotten great help as well. If you spend anytime reading the forums, you will invariably see those comments, almost verbatim, on a regular basis.