Not that I remember finding any rules, so that’s mostly just messing around; technically you can quickly setup your own mirrors in LAN, although I don’t remember if that was done. Stuff was mostly about knowing what to type and blindly pre-typing next commands while previous are still in action
oof i wish it was that easy. that’s the simple version of what i spent the last 2 weeks doing. On Windows I’d consider myself a power user. I get a lot of work done, quickly, and besides that I would say I’m pretty tech literate over all. But arch is just ridiculously difficult to understand how to use unless you’re already very familiar with linux. I feel like any wrong move i make is gonna break my setup. i got my comptia A+ , which while very basic, definitely goes to show I’m not some random luddite
I installed Linux mint on a trusty old thinkpad. Used it probably 5 times over the course of a year. Then installed arch on a newer T480s I received from work. I am a complete novice. It is literally that easy. You download the arch installer, follow the wiki on the 2 or 3 commands needed for internet, then type archinstall. Thats it. You literally dont even have to install anything else, especially if you choose desktop instead of minimal like I did. I have no idea what anyone is talking about it being difficult. Its easy.
There are some minor choke points (restorecon if installing with a “dirty home” and installing RPMFusion), but yeah, otherwise it does a great job of staying out of your way.
For me it is, in so far as I’d see it as a personal failure if my contributions here failed to create at least some controversy and ruffled some feathers :P
You see, it’s fun to poke things. Poking a pumpkin is funny for about 10 seconds. Poking a beehive on the other hand … that has a certain thrill to it. Sure, one might get stung, but it keeps on giving for a long time.
Yeah but how many knew that? Context helps, I initially thought you were commenting on “if you tell everyone you’re vegan, you’re probably also the type to talk up arch”.
Is this comic a useful contribution? It seems more divisive, made by someone who really concerns themselves with being part of an ingroup, vs anything meaningful.
no one’s fucking downloading Arch to have a quick and easy OOTB experience, and no one’s touching Fedora workstation for a lightweight and super tailored OS.
This is a strawman at best, and OP is full of shit.
It’s funny how you completely missed the point. Isn’t it an obvious satire portraying people who pretend to be better just because they use a specific distro?
portraying people who pretend to be better just because they use a specific distro
How exactly is your setup going to be better
it won’t have all the bloat and will reflect who I really am
How the fuck is this satire? It’s literally just shaming someone for having different priorities. Like the only attempts at “comedy” here are actually just going for low hanging fruit “I use arch BTW”, the entire vegan t-shirt thing, the receding hairline.
Nope, I can run it on old potato with 3GB of RAM and i doubt i could run Ubuntu’s full snaps flotila . They also remove the telemetry of Ubuntu. But AFAIK you can turn on snaps. The way i understand it Mint has these main goals : get rid of questionable Ubuntu things, keep it super stable, be welcoming to newcommers (like my none tech parents who never seen Linux could just use Mint outbox the box)
I’ve found Garuda pretty much gets you all the perks of Arch without the drawbacks and installs just as quickly as debian if not faster. And I love ancient Linux memes as much as anybody but neither Debian or fedora is much to write home about nowadays IMHO.
Endeavour is a great alternative IMHO, but Garuda’s development is definitely more skewed towards gaming and comes with a lot preinstalled/preconfigured.
I’d say it’s even more simple. Comes with stuff like snapper and zram preconfigured and a bunch of tools to do various things. I use their KDE lite version since I do not like their theme AT ALL.
I love it, because you can also get best out of both worlds in relation to the comic discusses. You can personalize OS to your liking, and the entire configuration is in a file, so you can redeploy the same setup again.
I feel like I keep posting this everywhere but there’s a project called AstOS that attempts this. Also someone clued me in on this distro neutral solution. AshOS. Full disclosure I haven’t used either.
It looks like solutions like these miss the whole point of what Nix is trying to do. Nix comes with the belief: “Unix has some fundamental issues, because it was designed in specific way. If we store things differently it works really well, and we even get those cool properties for free”.
The authors of those projects instead of thinking “this looks interesting, and it is a paradigm shift but it might be worth to to try feel like Linux noob for some time and start thinking a bit differently how the file system is structured to see if this change is really worth it”
Instead it is: “I don’t need to be PhD in Computer Science (whatever that means), here is how I can force this Nix feature or two on traditional Linux, with ansible, bubble gum and some duct tape and make it immutable-ish, which fails sometimes but, hey, it has the same feature on paper.”
Well to be fair I think it’s because they aren’t trying to be NixOS. You could leverage those arguments against any distro that’s trying out an immutable flavor. Which is mostly accomplished through btrfs features.
I agree that Nix/NixOS does a lot more and it’s a genuinely impressive and paradigm shifting project but it does break with traditional Linux layouts and thinking in a way that immutability doesn’t necessarily have to do.
You could also make the same argument with the systemd and non-systemd crowd.
Either way I look forward to the future of both immutability projects and NixOS. I feel like both areas still need a bit of work but they’re both really exciting fields.
Just add rescue to kernel options (if you use GRUB, press e to edit it for the current boot) and it will boot into console from which you can do downgrade.
When I started using Arch I just set it up on a btrfs filesystem and wrote a simple btrbk hook to take a snapshot before any package updates. That made it trivial to unfuck anything that broke after an update. I can’t remember the last time I had to roll the system back but it’s nice for peace of mind.
Start by playing with subvolumes and snapshots so you can get a feel for how they work. Once you’ve got that down you can break down your root filesystem into sensible subvolume chunks (/, /home, /var/log, /var/cache etc) so that you only snapshot relevant content during each update. I wrote a btrbk config at that point, tested it a few times and then wrote a pacman hook to fire it on install, update or package remove events and went from there.
Here’s what I use to take snapshots - you’ll need to write an appropriate btrbk config file for your subvolume layout but it’s otherwise feature complete. gitlab.com/arglebargle-arch/btrbk-autosnap
Like I mentioned above, I haven’t actually needed to roll the system back in ages but I get a lot of mileage out of being able to reach back in time and grab old versions of files for comparison.
Time shift is a lot easier if you’re just starting out but it also requires a specific subvolume structure and isn’t very flexible.
Edit: pro tip: don’t make /var a separate subvolume from /, it’s way, way, way too easy to roll one or the other (/ or /var) back without the other. If you do that by accident pacman’s state becomes out of sync with the running system and everything breaks. Stick to splitting frequently rewritten data like /var/cache and /var/log off, leave /var itself in the root subvolume.
Well yeah obviously like NixOS. My reason for not using it is that they use a non standard Linux filesystem and it renders a # of packages I want to install incompatible.
The 32bit libtcmalloc_minimal.so.4 that all Source 1 games ship with needs to be updated. You can symlink it to your system’s version to get TF2 running again. It’s usually only a matter of time before it starts to effect more downstream distros.
The other problem I have with TF2 is queueing for casual just stops for no discernable reason or error every time, even if I’m not the party host. But then I come back later and it works again? Only real solution I’ve found is to have my friends queue without me and then join after they’ve found a match.
See, I did all that… and then audio broke. So, I couldn’t anymore, man. I probably could’ve copied the install, kept it updated and held it for a resolution but I just don’t demand that much from my builds anymore really. I went with Mint with XFCE and haven’t had a single issue since install. I’m good. If it comes down to Ubuntu’s base, a lot more eyes will be on the problem and I’ll sort it out then.
Cultural appropriation is a bullshit concept predominantly invoked by people not belonging to a culture who are not able to make valuable contributions to society.
I’ve been considering dipping my toes in and trying to learn Linux for the first time recently, having seen a couple screenshots from Mint that look approachable and not intimidating… Can somebody tell me how Mint would fair if it was included in this comic so I know what I’m getting myself into (or if I should try Fedora or something…)
Mint is hands down the easiest and most stable distro I have ever used. You don’t need the terminal at all. Comes with everything necessary preconfigured and if you need any tutorial you can use any Ubuntu tutorial (its based on Ubuntu).
Mint is a based on Ubuntu, which is based on Debian, so the guy on the left. The comic implies that it’s easy but not quite as easy as Fedora. I would say that it is easier to use than Fedora.
Setup is simple and unless you’ve got something unusual going on on your computer, then everything will just work. Since it’s based on Ubuntu, most Ubuntu information will also apply to Mint, and that’s nice because there is a lot of information about Ubuntu.
Not everyone would care about this, but I personally don’t like chasing updates and constantly installing the latest versions of things. All Debian distributions favor stability over cutting edge features, whereas some distributions are set up to try to get the latest changes quickly. Ubuntu leans very slightly toward cutting edge compared to stock Debian, but Ununtu has Long Term Support (LTS) releases which are supported for, I think, 5 years. Ubuntu also have other releases with shorter support times. If you’re using Ubuntu and favor stability, you need to pay a little attention to what you’re installing. Mint is based only on Ubuntu LTS releases, so Mint favors stability.
Not to ambush you into tech support, but I decided to take your advice and try that, but I’m instantly stopped and trying to google the answer for myself is just leading to vague powershell language and I’m fully unfamiliar with powershell. I installed WSL and Ubuntu, but when I attempt to open Ubuntu I’m getting:
“Installing, this may take a few minutes… WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x80004002 Error: 0x80004002 No such interface supported”
Any idea what I’m doing wrong? The site I’m following (your link) doesn’t mention this error or how to overcome it, unless I’m just to dumb to decipher it.
If you’ve got a spare USB stick laying around then you could install Ventoy on it (www.ventoy.net/en/index.html) and run Linux in a live environment. Just (1) install Ventoy on the USB (this will wipe it, btw) (2) download any live Linux ISO (Mint has one of these) and put it on the USB (3) change your BIOS boot order to USB first (4) reboot and select the Linux you want to test drive from the Ventoy menu. (5) When you’re done, just shut down, unplug USB and reboot normally.
PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> wsl.exe -l -v Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions.
Use ‘wsl.exe --list --online’ to list available distributions and 'wsl.exe --install ’ to install.
Distributions can also be installed by visiting the Microsoft Store: aka.ms/wslstoreError code: Wsl/WSL_E_DEFAULT_DISTRO_NOT_FOUND PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> wsl --set-default-version 2 For information on key differences with WSL 2 please visit aka.ms/wsl2The operation completed successfully. PS C:\WINDOWS\system32> wsl.exe -l -v Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions.
Use ‘wsl.exe --list --online’ to list available distributions and 'wsl.exe --install ’ to install.
Distributions can also be installed by visiting the Microsoft Store: aka.ms/wslstoreError code: Wsl/WSL_E_DEFAULT_DISTRO_NOT_FOUND PS C:\WINDOWS\system32>*
Still getting this when I try to open Ubuntu:
*Installing, this may take a few minutes… WslRegisterDistribution failed with error: 0x80370114 Error: 0x80370114 The operation could not be started because a required feature is not installed.
Press any key to continue…*
I did make sure the subsystem feature in windows features was turned on, btw
If you just want to get to using and enjoying an operating system without reveling in nerdery (which can be fun!), Mint is fantastic. Just make sure you understand partitioning basics if you want to install alongside Windows.
You can’t go wrong using something like VirtualBox to try the install process without touching your actual system :).
If it were depicted in this comic, it would be even easier than Debian because it doesn’t lean toward any particular extreme, it just goes for being usable.
I’m pretty sure there’s a simple check box to include proprietary codecs and things that are commonly used, so you can still watch Netflix or open .mp4s and stuff.
Wide variety of drivers. Should just work on most systems. Friendly community if it doesn’t!
That said sometimes the applications feel a bit old, and you’re looking over at people playing with shiny new features in something like Blender or Krita…
Well, Mint has flatpaks built into the software store! Flatpak is basically a self-contained app that can be the latest version so it doesn’t care about the rest of your system and “just works.”
What’s the process of switching distros? If I start with Mint but do decide later I’m enticed by those shiny new features, will switching over be akin to starting entirely over and learning a whole new system, or is it gonna more similar to just like reinstalling windows for a clean install (to use an analogy situation I’m familiar with)?
edit: wrote dispo instead of distro, goddamn stoner brain
Create a separate partition for /home so you can change distro without having to backup and restore the files in your home directory. Just be sure to NOT format that partition in the installer for your new distro. Take a backup anyways.
It’s mostly a clean installation. You can copy the contents of your home directory, which is where personal configuration files are stored, in the hopes that some stuff will transfer, but surely that won’t be complete.
You could also try dual booting, installing two OSes and you’d choose which to run at start up. You can configure these so that files on one are accessible from the other. This is pretty easy to do if you’re even slightly tech savvy.
I’ve found that the shiney new features are usually buggy. If you’re into helping improve things, using and fixing the new stuff is a great way to contribute. If you’re reasonably tech savvy, you’re going to be able to figure out any distribution. With few exceptions, they’re all easy enough to use. I even doubt the portrayal of Arch in this comic. If you’re not into developing stuff or just want to get your feet wet before diving in more, starting with Mint is easy. And it’s also easy enough to switch or expand if you decide to try something different later. There’s not a lot of lock in with Linux stuff.
The only thing I really have to add regarding “shiny new features”, is you can fire up something like VirtualBox and make “virtual” installs of other distros on your current machine.
A virtual machine or “VM” is basically running an emulated computer on your currently running computer, just like it was a program or game. But everything is self-contained in that emulated system.
So in Mint for example, you can still download other distro ISOs, get used to running the install process, trying out new things, basically just playing around and experimenting, because if you bork the whole thing it won’t affect your working “bare metal” system you’re using. You can just delete the file and start over as if it were a brand new computer! It’s strangely fun and has a lot of practical uses. (You know, like seeing what all this fuss is about with Temple OS for instance lol)
You can find a ton of interesting distros to play with on Distrowatch.com for instance, from stuff that’s meant to run on embedded devices to stuff that’s straight up memes. Lol
If you decide to actually switch your bare-metal system using the advice above, you’ll have a lot more experience then. :)
As for other distros, distro-hopping can be a lot of fun, but just remember in the end, there’s not as much difference between distros as it seems.
Mostly it’s about whether it’s rolling release or LTS, the desktop environment it starts with, and the packages / package-manager it ships with, aside from different specific customizations that team might have done.
Essentially Linux is Linux, but different distros cater to a certain kind of use case, audience, community, and so on.
The beauty and fun of Linux is choice and always having more you can learn!
Also Mint is often touted as a “beginner distro” but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a main driver for pros! There’s nothing wrong if you find you enjoy sticking with it in the long run. :)
My first real experience with installing/running Linux on my own machine back in the day was with Gentoo. My experience was basically the same as Arch guy there, except with the added step of compiling every single component from source. On a Celeron equipped laptop. Nobody warned me about that part.
It took fucking ages. I was stuck in textmode land with Matrix code flying up the screen for like three fucking days, before I even got to a shell prompt.
I was in an IT school around 2012. I thought I was the only one using Linux besides Windows (predominantely though). I wasn’t. He was daily-driving Gentoo where most of the students haven’t even heard of Linux the kernel before confronted with a bash shell in a course.
I’d say in 2000 only the nerdiest people, academics or professionals knew the difference between say Red Hat or Gentoo at least here in Central Europe. Windows 95 (and 98) came pre-installed on every OEM PC and the best windows to that date (2000) would come out that year and I guess everybody was hyped for XP. Saying you are compiling your kernel and software yourself with GCC would have only got you puzzled faces instead of kudos in 2000 here.
I did mine closer to 20 years ago, I’m guessing things might have changed a bit since then. That said I ran Gentoo on an IBM ThinkPad for about five years before switching to OSX.
Add comment