βArchβ they just need to read the newsletter before updating.
this post was submitted on 14 May 2025
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_From_Scratch
Linux From Scratch (LFS) is a type of a Linux installation and the name of a book written by Gerard Beekmans, and as of May 2021, mainly maintained by Bruce Dubbs. The book gives readers instructions on how to build a Linux system from source. The book is available freely from the Linux From Scratch site.
LWN.net reviewed LFS in 2004:[19]
Linux From Scratch is a wonderful project. It should become a compulsory reading material for all Linux training courses, and something that every Linux enthusiast should complete at least once. This would also create another interesting side effect: people who tend to be quick in expressing dissatisfaction on the distributions' mailing lists and forums would probably show a lot more respect for the developers. Installing a ready-made distribution is a trivial task. Building up a set of 4 CDs containing a stable, secure and reliable operating system, plus thousands of applications, is most definitely not.
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@Natanox Seems like NixOS replaced Arch as both a local extremist cult and the most effective newbie repellent.
What's funny to me here is that, as a long time Arch user, I have been considering switching to NixOS. One of the most terrifying thoughts to me is that after using the same Arch install for 2 years I will spend ages trying to recreate it if I ever have to. Oh, that and Nix letting you test packages seems like a cool feature.
I've been on arch around a year now and also considered the jump to NixOS. I was actually dual booting it with arch for awhile and I found pretty quickly that the shit documentation was a huge turn off for me. I ended up nuking the nix partition and reclaiming it for arch.
This is my biggest issue. I am utterly spoiled to the exquisiteness that is Arch's Wiki...
I mean the Arch wiki mostly works on NixOS too. The problem with NixOS documentation is that there aren't many examples for the Nix language itself.
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The nice thing is that NixOS will keep your setup and all your tweaks if you ever need to reinstall. It's designed to solve that exact problem.
One way of switching over would be to carry over your homedir and just starting with migrating packages and config as a first step.
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Documentation? For Nix? Yeah right.
Did you know that the suffix for nix documentation files is, coincidentally, .nix?
The code of the packages is the documentation. So the newcomers better start learning Nix language and reading the paper about how Nix works under the hood before they get started! /s
But seriously, I used NixOs for about 2 years almost 10 years ago and while it was/is fascinating when you have everything setup, getting there and maintaining everything across so many packages that each have their own way of configuring them took hundreds of hours. I'm back on Arch using a custom tool I wrote to fully manage my configs, packages, dotfiles etc.
The way I remember it is that there is no consistency across Nix packages and it all feels like a giant puzzle for people who enjoy spending time configuring more than actually using the computer. And I say that as someone who actually enjoyed getting into that when I had unlimited time.
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I really love this image for this, that expression combo is perfection.
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I mean isn't it accepted that NixOS is a terrible pick for a beginner, especially a non-technical one? I feel like even the Nix community doesn't recommend the distro to complete beginners.
I use Nixos BTW.
And I can't recommend it to anyone. Not even veterans.
I can only say if you like souls like games nixos might be your thing....
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I really wish everyone thought like that, but I still see people recommending Nix, Arch, Void⦠and some go the ideological route and start recommending systemd-less only like Artix or ranting against anything that uses Flatpak. Those discussions can get messy, and they always alienate the person who asked. Unfortunately those with ideological reasons are always the loudest and present in basically every "Beginner's Help" group.
I wouldn't recommend vanilla Arch only because of the installation process. CachyOS that simplifies it is an extremely good pick for a person who already knows what a computer is, but wants to try a proper OS.
Arch mostly got it's reputation in the early days. Today some things are a lot easier to do on Arch than on other distros, especially because AUR exists. Also, it built one of the best wikis over all that time.
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I wish. People recommend Arch to beginners all the time. And then wonder why there's so many "Linux is too hard" comments everywhere
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I swear, I've only recommended it to one newbie, and they were an engineer! I had a reason!
Hilarious that this is the new norm, though. NixOS is so not typical at all. Arch is more normal at this point.
NixOS consist of a bunch of options that you define using the nix programming language. Since it's a programming language, everything is well defined and organised into single place.
Technically, someone could build a GUI configuration editor with sane defaults and clearly organised pages of settings, which generates a configuration for you. This could immediately change NixOS from the most tedious to a relatively easy to use distro.
They already built a GUI editor, but a programmer made it so it is actually harder to use than the text file
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I have an old MacBook for 2012, can barely open terminal, installed Pop!_OS, and I love it!
Am I a terrible person?
Nah, you're killing it.
Pop!_OS has been my go to for years now. Always been so reliable and easy to use. This was the distro which kept me from going back to Windows
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I've genuinely never seen a single person recommend NixOS to a new user, unless they already had advanced technical knowledge
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I use Alpine, tbh I dont see why I should learn an entire programming language just for a distro
Alpine just feels like everything on my system is there for a reason (and somehow makes arch feel "bloated") so I 100% understand wanting a full config file for everything on your system. But DAMN THE DOCS SUCK. Also NixOS locks you into systemd...
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I have this exact situation with my wife's work laptop, which can't upgrade to windows 11. The requirements are pretty simple, something that runs Chrome and Dropbox as well as Microsoft Office 2007.
I'm going with Mint Cinnamon for her (I use arch & kde btw) - was pleasantly surprised to see Dropbox now has Linux support actually, haven't looked at it for years!
Almost everything she uses her computer for runs in Chrome.
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Imo a just works, deb based kde distro with nvidia drivers, flatpaks and no snaps is what we need to bring forth the year of the linux desktop.
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Debian/ubuntu/arch is easy to use even as a beginner, just try NixOS and compare.
Tap for spoiler
Big nix fan here, I love being able to define my system from a couple configuration files and not scrounging around the file system for the right dot file
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Does anyone really recommend Ubuntu these days? I think Mint has reigned supreme for years, at least for beginners.
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I use arch btw
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