Ugh I am not happy that Netrunner has decided to use arch over debian as thier base for rolling, for me this is a bad thing for many reasons so lets go down the list shall we?
1: Arch is harder to use
Arch from an end users persepctive is not an easy system to use, with non intuitive gui interfaces such as Pamac and Octopi that if you need a package from AUR you need to interact with a terminal.
2: Not everything has binaries in the AUR:
Like using applications like google chrome? Dont like compiling? too bad as Chrome mainly comes in two packages .deb and .rpm and you need to compile every time there is even the tiniest update to chrome, there is no automation like what happens in the Ubuntu based version of Netrunner, you are stuck watching a commmand line prompt tick your precious time away.
3: Arch tends to break:
Perhaps even more so then Ubuntu
4: Arch sucks.
Sorry but really it does, I have tried to like arch and join the anti Ubuntu crowd but Ubuntu and Debian have it all over arch when it comes to usability and not needing to recompile every 10 bloody seconds to just get a minor point update.
Heck you might as well use gentoo and Sabayon
As mentioned, a lot of programs like Chrome in the AUR can’t even be compiled because their source code is not available. So the AUR script downloads the same closed-source binary package that Ubuntu users have, and converts it into something that can be installed on Arch/Manjaro/NetrunnerRolling. I actually prefer this approach, because new users don’t have to deal with the concept of add-on repositories or PPAs or any of that clutter. They just have to search first in the official repos, and if it’s not there, search the AUR. No fuss or confusion or repos or version switching or conflicts with older pre-existing versions. In my experience, the aformentioned issues created by add-on repos and PPAs are what really confuse the heck out of new Linux users.
As for Debian vs. Arch, Debian is not designed to be a rolling distro, whereas Arch is. That’s the big difference. While it’s true that Debian Testing and Unstable do roll sometimes, they often stop rolling for a long time as the next release of Debian is being prepared. And that’s the point of those repositories, to lead up to a stable FIXED release of Debian. Testing and Unstable are usually fairly stable, but they’re not intended to be so. On the other hand, Arch never has fixed releases, and its release system is designed and managed to be both rolling AND stable at the same time, unlike Debian. So Manjaro takes that even a step further and moderates the possible errors that could creep into Arch, and in my experience provides a very stable and regularly updated system that works great for new and seasoned Linux users. Great choice by Netrunner.
If you like Debian distros, I see no point in throwing stones at another systems.
Linux is freedom - and freedom give us a choice. And that don’t mean that you will get EVERYTHING. You’ll never get everything brought to you on plate right at your nose. You have to choose all the time. Living is choosing. Same with computing and operating systems.
You like rolling distros? take, Arch, Manjaro, Genntoo, netrunner rolling
You like stability, usability and millions of .deb packages? take Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, whatever use it.
Make a choice. Take it, enjoy it’s advantages, and learn to live with it’s limitations.
I had same dilemma some time ago myself, but I haven’t started to insult other distros, because I couldn’t decide.
Yep then stick with debian. Myself been running SolydXK KDE since Aug. last. Based on Debian testing and use to be monthly update packs. Where testing went thru another round of testing by the Solyd team. But being a small team they change to quarterly beginning of this year and just now got our Apr. 15 update pack.
Reason I’m hear is curious about Arch and the way arch works. I know it’s not truly arch pure. But it’s a good way to dip the toes into the Arch pool shallow end. And take a stroll down the path to the Arch!
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Manjaro is the first linux i ever had installed and I have no intent to change distros. Believe me, if it would be any of the things mentioned I would have changed long time ago.
There is not much more value in the starting point except that it points out that the Netrunner Arch as a name is misleading.