i have a new computer arriving soon, and will be using linux on it (probably arch)
i've not used linux on the (lap|desk)top since uni, anyone got any tip and tricks for setting things up nice in 2022?
i want a gui, have used tiling wms in the past and wouldn't mind doing that again, but i'm open to all recommendations
yeah, i'm really enjoying fedora silverblue
it was a little awkward at first trying to understand how to tweak an "immutable" operating system, but really with flatpaks and distrobox, it works really well
it's nice to have a system that is hard to break, and easy to roll back, and having separate containers for different versions of compilers and stuff makes development so much easier!
this laptop is called "fearless"
the background is a baby me scared out of my mind on a friend's dirtbike
@gaeel
I don't really know Arch, but if you go that way, maybe consider Artix.
@gaeel Ditto. And I’m gravitating away from GNU + Linux to “Rust + Linux” (https://github.com/learnbyexample/awesome-rewrite-it-in-rust) given how well a cargo install (into your user directory) works with having seamless access to your CLI apps from every container.
Traditional package managers are going to have to fundamentally alter their approach if they’re going to be relevant in a world of “immutable” operating systems. Hopefully will also mean that we leave the mainframe model behind completely in Linux land sometime soon.
@aral oh that's interesting!
so this basically lets you install and run cli apps as cargo crates the same way you'd run flatpak apps?
@aral i also agree that linux needs to realise that mainframe multi-user models are next to irrelevant on the desktop, and that if we can find more appropriate models, it'll greatly help make desktop linux much better
@gaeel And we don’t even have to search very far. macOS is standing right there :)
Silverblue is so close. They just need to implement beautiful defaults so no one has to know/care it’s “immutable.” Can be as easy as defaulting to Fedora container in Terminal (with maybe a separate “admin terminal” if someone needs to know about/manage the host) and adopting an account-level package manager.
Beyond that, add account-level disk encryption that triggers on lock screen and we’re basically there.
@cyberspice i'm just a dude, and i have other things on my plate
i also never said that the current form of linux should go away
@cyberspice @gaeel But then what do I do Tuesday?
@gaeel
My impression is that this used to be the direction of travel, but was mostly abandoned. Example: Yast on openSuse: No digging through config files and remembering what's where, just one sensible GUI that was pretty good by 2003‘s standard (when I started using it).
The user side of things has barely improved since then, despite obvious opportunities to do so.
@gaeel
One multi-user feature I *would* like to see: A "just works" interface to set up ldap in my LAN. We have three user accounts, two PCs, three laptops and a NAS (and a Raspi), and I want everyone to be able to use every device without wading through everyone else's stuff.
The NAS (synology) runs on Linux and has a server and client that just work, easy-peasy. I've spend hours but haven't managed to either join any other device, yet it is clearly possible to set up with a few clicks.
@aral
@gaeel Exactly :)
The whole idea is that you install apps into your own account instead of the system (whether that’s in a container or layered on the host OS).
@aral @gaeel have you seen this little write up https://mobile.twitter.com/sdroege_/status/1564212185672327177
@flukejones @gaeel *sigh* yeah, I believe the age of centralised packaging by third-parties has had its day. I see zero reason for it with immutable distributions being the norm right around the corner and so many excellent package managers that devs can use themselves without relying on distributions.
i don't know if i forgot how much of a hassle arch linux was on desktops or if i simply had way more patience for linux tweaking ten years ago, but i've bailed and switched to fedora instead