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Why you should run Arch Linux on your system


securitybreach

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securitybreach

Nice article:

 

Installing Arch Linux is a bit like building your own house. You have to dig the foundation, erect the walls, build the roofs, run the plumbing and electrical wiring around it … and all the rest of it. In other words, installing Arch Linux is not at all like renting an apartment, just moving in, and letting the landlord take care of everything else.

 

While I mostly use my MacBook these days that runs macOS, Arch is the primary distro that runs on my desktop system. But then I also run Windows 10 on a virtual machine as my journalistic work requires me to be updated with all major platforms. Using different platforms also ensures I am neutral and not biased.

 

The bigger question is, why did I choose Arch Linux over others and what does it have to offer that others don’t.

 

#1 By the community, for the community

 

One of the strengths of Arch Linux is that it’s a pure community driven project. It doesn’t have to worry about the market, customers and ROI, which can affect its development — and could, in fact, derail it.

I am not even aware of any organizational structure of Arch. The Arch page clearly says “Arch Linux survives because of the tireless efforts of many people in the community and the core development circle. None of us are paid for our work, and we don’t have the personal funds to sustain server costs ourselves.”

 

What they do have are release managers and maintainers of core components such as pacman and main repositories, but beyond that it’s all for the people, by the people. And this has been working quite well, as it turns out.

Arch Linux doesn’t patch anything. It’s more or less like a ‘stock’ Android experience where you use what the upstream developed. When you use a package there is no tweaking – it flows down right from the glacier.

 

#2 The ‘biggest’ software repository

I have yet to find a package that is available for other Linux distribution but not for Arch (minus some distro specific packages). Credit goes to the mega-bank of software packages called AUR – Arch User Repository.

 

It’s a user-maintained repository that enables users to ‘compile’ and install packages from source. Compiling packages doesn’t require a computer science degree, it’s fairly easy. Just two commands and the package is installed. To make the process even simpler there are tools like Yaourt that not only compile and install packages for you, but search desired packages in AUR. At the same time it’s also fairly easy to create packages (using PKGBUILD) for other users so anyone can create them, and once again it’s not rocket science.

 

Users can vote on AUR packages, which helps users in installing the ones which are more popular. It also helps developers because popular packages hold the potential to enter the official repositories.

 

I have found AUR to be much better than Ubuntu’s PPA, which lacks any centralized search feature, requiring you to search for packages on Google (just the way we used to do for Windows) and then manually add the PPA to system. openSUSE’s software.opensuse.org is better than Ubuntu’s PPA in that regard but there is no way to search and install packages from the terminal or any system tools. AUR beats them both as you can run the yaourt command with packages name from the terminal and install the packages. Yaourt can install packages from both AUR and enabled repositories.

 

If there are any bugs or problems with AUR packages, you will also see other user’s comments in the terminal. You can fix the problem then and there just by editing the pkgbuild file.

 

In my experience, Arch is the first distribution where the latest packages land first. If you are like me and want to test out the latest version of any given software, then Arch is for you....

 

http://www.consumeit.io/run-arch-linux-system/30890?

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A good article. He also has a pretty good tutorial on installation if you want to use it. Just a few comments:

  • Although I got lots of practice installing Arch in VirtualBox I have found it's most stable for me as a single on the rails installation. I have given it entirely to my Toshiba netbook where it's installed on a cheap SSD. No dual booting or virtualization let me concentrate on getting it installed right and it's been very stable since.
  • I enjoy the fact that I can choose my desktop and software at the start. On the netbook I have enough power to run Xfce so I do. At the same time I didn't bother with Libre Office, just installed Abiword and Gnumeric.
  • I learned a lot about Linux packages and features from installing and configuring Arch. I don't think I would have learned what avahi does if I didn't have to set it up to use a wifi printer.

Edited by raymac46
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abarbarian

Not a bad article at all, he has done some sterling stuff in the past aswell.

 

Mind you he installs sudo and recomends grub for uefi both of which I am not keen on. An I may be mistaken but is there not a warning about security with using users as a group option ? Oh and he is only using ssd's not nvme's :harhar:

 

Did i mention I am posting from Arch + Window Maker. :breakfast:

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securitybreach

Not a bad article at all, he has done some sterling stuff in the past aswell.

 

Mind you he installs sudo and recomends grub for uefi both of which I am not keen on. An I may be mistaken but is there not a warning about security with using users as a group option ? Oh and he is only using ssd's not nvme's :harhar:

 

Did i mention I am posting from Arch + Window Maker. :breakfast:

 

Agreed but it is a decent article, plus I know the guy.

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abarbarian

Not a bad article at all, he has done some sterling stuff in the past aswell.

 

Mind you he installs sudo and recomends grub for uefi both of which I am not keen on. An I may be mistaken but is there not a warning about security with using users as a group option ? Oh and he is only using ssd's not nvme's :harhar:

 

Did i mention I am posting from Arch + Window Maker. :breakfast:

 

Agreed but it is a decent article, plus I know the guy.

 

Yup knew he was on your buddy list. He does do some decent stuff or he did, I have not been reading articles for the last year or so, been a tad distracted.

:breakfast:

 

 

Did i mention I am posting from Arch + Window Maker. :breakfast:

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securitybreach

Not a bad article at all, he has done some sterling stuff in the past aswell.

 

Mind you he installs sudo and recomends grub for uefi both of which I am not keen on. An I may be mistaken but is there not a warning about security with using users as a group option ? Oh and he is only using ssd's not nvme's :harhar:

 

Did i mention I am posting from Arch + Window Maker. :breakfast:

 

Agreed but it is a decent article, plus I know the guy.

 

Yup knew he was on your buddy list. He does do some decent stuff or he did, I have not been reading articles for the last year or so, been a tad distracted.

:breakfast:

 

Well he was but then he started using Apple devices and I didnt read a lot of his posts as they were related to that.

 

Did i mention I am posting from Arch + Window Maker. :breakfast:

 

I seen your other post :thumbup:

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securitybreach

Fanbois. :rolleyes: I'll try Arch when Debian stops working. :D

 

It sounds good till you realize that you are running software that is years old.

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Fanbois. :rolleyes: I'll try Arch when Debian stops working. :D

 

Ha-ha! Yeah, I'm a huge fan of both distros -- I love having both installed here, wouldn't want to be without either one!

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I agree they are both great choices - Debian because it's so familiar to me, and Arch because it has taught me a lot about Linux (and has pacman.)

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Fanbois. :rolleyes: I'll try Arch when Debian stops working. :D

 

It sounds good till you realize that you are running software that is years old.

When I said Debian, I really meant siduction. Sid is usually not far behind Arch. ;)

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securitybreach

Fanbois. :rolleyes: I'll try Arch when Debian stops working. :D

 

It sounds good till you realize that you are running software that is years old.

When I said Debian, I really meant siduction. Sid is usually not far behind Arch. ;)

 

Ah, ok. Carry on.. B)

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Something about titles that start out with "Why you should..." doesn't sit well with me, sometimes. I guess I would have preferred something like "Why I Run Arch Linux."

Edited by saturnian
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V.T. Eric Layton

Who needs all that new-fangled baloney? Slackware's old (stable) apps are just fine for old (somewhat stable) people. ;)

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abarbarian

Who needs all that new-fangled baloney? Slackware's old (stable) apps are just fine for old (somewhat stable) people. ;)

 

Yer right there Eric. Beats me why you ain't using Window Maker though :hysterical:

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Hedon James

Not a bad article at all, he has done some sterling stuff in the past aswell.

 

Mind you he installs sudo and recomends grub for uefi both of which I am not keen on. An I may be mistaken but is there not a warning about security with using users as a group option ? Oh and he is only using ssd's not nvme's :harhar:

 

Did i mention I am posting from Arch + Window Maker. :breakfast:

 

Agreed but it is a decent article, plus I know the guy.

 

Yup knew he was on your buddy list. He does do some decent stuff or he did, I have not been reading articles for the last year or so, been a tad distracted.

:breakfast:

 

 

Did i mention I am posting from Arch + Window Maker. :breakfast:

 

Reminds me of that computer geek joke:

 

Q: How do you know if a linux user is running Arch?

A: Rest assured, they'll tell you!

 

No disrespect intended...I think it's kinda funny. Always makes me smile. o:)

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V.T. Eric Layton

Who needs all that new-fangled baloney? Slackware's old (stable) apps are just fine for old (somewhat stable) people. ;)

 

Yer right there Eric. Beats me why you ain't using Window Maker though :hysterical:

 

I believe it's actually available at install with Slack, along with a KDE, Xfce, and a couple others. I'm content with my Xfce, though. I'm getting to be a lot like an old cat these days; I don't like change.

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securitybreach
Reminds me of that computer geek joke:

 

Q: How do you know if a linux user is running Arch?

A: Rest assured, they'll tell you!

 

No disrespect intended...I think it's kinda funny. Always makes me smile. o:)

 

Well I was using Archlinux long before it got popular with the fan boys.

 

Same with the long hair and the beard.... B)

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Something about titles that start out with "Why you should..." doesn't sit well with me, sometimes. I guess I would have preferred something like "Why I Run Arch Linux."

How about "10 Reasons to Run Arch Linux. The 7th will amaze you!" :whistling: :lol:

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securitybreach

Something about titles that start out with "Why you should..." doesn't sit well with me, sometimes. I guess I would have preferred something like "Why I Run Arch Linux."

How about "10 Reasons to Run Arch Linux. The 7th will amaze you!" :whistling: :lol:

 

Rofl :hysterical:

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abarbarian

Something about titles that start out with "Why you should..." doesn't sit well with me, sometimes. I guess I would have preferred something like "Why I Run Arch Linux."

How about "10 Reasons to Run Arch Linux. The 7th will amaze you!" :whistling: :lol:

 

Have you a link to that article ? :happyroll:

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V.T. Eric Layton

 

Same with the long hair and the beard.... B)

 

Sorry, bro... long hair and beards were popular long before you were around. ;)

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securitybreach

Same with the long hair and the beard.... B)

 

Sorry, bro... long hair and beards were popular long before you were around. ;)

 

I realize that but now its a hipster fad. Wearing manbuns and long beards.

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