how easy is it to install arch? (no anarchy/archinstall)
The wiki holds your hand through it so it’s pretty easy.
Easy if you go step by step and don’t accidentally skip anything. Archinstall will get you to the same result with lower risk of failure, in a tenth of the amount of time spent. And unless you install operating systems for a living, it doesn’t matter how you get there. Source: Installed Arch on about a dozen different devices, twice without Archinstall.
If you’re looking to learn something, do Linux from Scratch instead. The process is way more granular, way more documented, and way more educational than parroting the steps of installing Arch from the wiki.
It’s not rocket science. You might need a wired connection to begin with though
you can use iwctl
example:
list interfaces (usually wlan0)
$ ip link
enter iwctl:
$ iwctl
rescan:
$ <iwctl> station [interface] scan
connect:
$ <iwctl> station [interface] connect [ssid]
list networks:
$ <iwctl> station [interface] get-networks
exit:
$ <iwctl> exit
Yes, but what if you need to download additional drivers for your wireless card
Not really. This 1 minute video is all you need: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zqITuprlL8
The reason to follow the archwiki install instructions is because it teaches you how to do a lot more than just install the OS. This will help you a lot down the line and not just with arch.
Not as easy as Gentoo based on what I heard. But installing Gentoo takes quite some time.
Gentoo has binary packages now, so install can be quite fast.
True. It also had binary packages for huge packages like firefox and libreoffice for a very long time.
It’s as easy as following any set of instructions. Whether or not you actually understand what the instructions are doing is an entirely different story. If you actually want to learn how to operate a posix system, doing a bunch of command line installs of Linux isn’t going to help you with that. What will help is living in something with excellent documentation like OpenBSD, with minimal reliance on external tooling. Once you have the skills, they’ll transfer anywhere.
archinstall is easy. The hard part about arch is maintaining it and keeping up to date with linux innovation. As long as you keep reading forum posts and news about linux and browse the arch wiki, there’s nothing wrong with it. If you do not ever read about advances on linux, then don’t use arch.
I’ll respond when I’m done doing it. I plan on firing up my 15+ year laptop and install it the Arch way for the hell of it.
A lot easier than Gentoo
Now I’m kind of wanting to go mess with Gentoo again…
Honesty I found gentoo more easy to install then arch. Mainly because the Gentoo handbook is soo good and is in laid out in a good order. Compare that to the arch wiki that has a ton of sub pages and redirects. Which is just a load harder to follow.
PS. This is before their was a guided installer for arch.
It’s easy if you have a second computer or phone or something and can read and plan first.
It’s hard if you want to just click click click through.
If you have reading comprehension of, at least, an 8th-grader, you’ll do just fine. The instructions are all there
at most, an 8th-grader
Phew, looks like my 6th grade education is finally paying off!
Cant do if you never try
if you know your way around a Linux system, it’s really quite easy.
Its easy, follow the steps in the wiki and you’ll be fine.
