#linux

yeah :P

@Eren @angelux what is the main advantages of Arch in respect to other distros as Ubuntu? I admit my ignorance in this field... ;)

@mcastel That depends on the reason you use Linux. The first thing I see is the freedom, I've used Ubuntu for years, I tryed Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian and Arch and above all Arch lets you install a system with only the things that you want, there are no meta-packages, no false deps, no garbage install. Another thing is the customizable system, in Ubuntu you have limited options to configurate your system, for instance the services, in a linux distro, you have aprox 30 services running and Ubuntu shows you only 10 at most, that gives you the false sence that you have nothing more running, which isn't the case. Another up side is the rolling release updates, that means you only install once and the updates are cumming as they are stable, no need to reinstall every 6 months (like in fedora or Ubuntu). I know that you can use the "Upgrade" option on Ubuntu but it is proven faulty, in almost every case you end up with a unstable system acting weird and apps not responding or with config files messed up. There is a down side too, but that depends on you, archlinux is a distro wich gives you the freedom to install and configure everything as you want it, but you have to do it manualy (in most cases) but it is not so complicaded or imposible to do it, you just need one or two things learned and patience, belive me, it's worth it. When you encounter a problem with something in your system, you don't have to be googleing every place to find out how to solve it, if you configurate your system, you know how to fix the problem, and if it's something unknown, the wiki on the site of Archlinux.org it's amazingly documented, 99% of the time you will have a problem already addressed by someone else.

In summation, It's the best distro (for me and many linux users) and you learn a lot from your system, configuration and linux as you use it. In the end you will love it but you need to want to learn and the satisfaction of having a working system and compleatly configurated and personalized, you wont go back (well, at first everybody goes back to their old distro but always end up in arch again, I know, I was a Fedora User)

By the way, I forgot to tell you, as is a rolling release, you have the latest stable version of the software and if you want something that is not stable enoght to make it to the official repository, you can use AUR (Archlinux User Repository) where you can install software in newer versions or eaven software that it is not in the official repo, the users maintain these packs and there is another repo ABS(Arch Build System) where you can download the sources from every package you want and you can build it as you want it to a pack installable to archlinux.

@angelux thanks a lot, you definitively swiched on my interest about Arch Linux !

In passing, have you experience of an arch istallation via Virtualbox? I wonder if it's a viable procedure just to begin to play with it...

@mcastel Yes, It is installable where ever you want it, I have it on a flashdrive and on my machine, but make shure to configure the Virtualbox correctly so you can test it whith all your posible hardware freedom (like the lan card usable by the virtulized system so you can install everything without having to download every pack by yourself). Test it and you will love it. By the way, I'm trying to make a shell script to make configs and installs automatic, It's an alpha release but if you know a little bit of shell scripting you may find it useful, don't use it as it is, is not test it yet and it may break the system you just installed (the archlinux install). In the end It may be helpful, who knows, the script is in pastebin.con, I'll put the link here http://pastebin.com/z4xD9C1n

Thanks a lot Brian, I'll try it in a Virtualbox environment, and I'll post my comments. Many thanks also for your script, in passing! ;)