Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

cdahmedeh · 2009-03-09 02:54:08

Hello,

I have been using Ubuntu for 3 months and loved it. I have been interested in ArchLinux for quite a while now. I am trying ArchLinux in a Virtual Machine, yet I am uncertain if I want to change yet. Here are my quesetions/concerns :

1. Does ArchLinux have any graphical installers like Synaptic Package Manager ?
2. Are the unsupported repositories with binary packages (such as for new games, other applications not in default repository and so on)
3. ArchLinux seemed to be very responsive on the Virtual Machine. Compared to Ubuntu, how much more responsive and stable is it ?
4. If I have a program available in a .deb or .rpm format, can it be converted to the format supported in pacman ?
5. Does pacman also manage manually compiled applications ?
6. Can I backup a preset configuration so that I can reinstall easily in case of failure ?
7. How well does ArchLinux support Compiz Fusion ?
8. If an application is supported in Ubuntu, will it mean it is supported in ArchLinux ?
9. ArchLinux seems to be a rolling release ? Will this mean that I won't have to break my computer every 6 months and reformat ?

I do not expect that all these questions are answered in one posts. ArchLinux seems to be lots of fun. I'm sure after lots of work, I will have a fully usable complete desktop that works my way. I'm not afraid to learn and love the command line ! I just want to be able once I finish molding ArchLinux, installing new applications will only require adding from a graphical application (like Synaptic) and that I will have a Desktop that will just work (unless I try something new of course !)

Thanks

Inxsible · 2009-03-09 02:59:53

1) No. Not official ones.
2) No. They only contain PKGBUILD. Read the wiki for more info on them
3) You cannot compare stability unless you have the exact same software on both machines. So stability will only be with respect to what you use.
4) Not very easily. If you have the source however, it would be easier to create an Arch package.
5) That is what PKGBUILDs are all about actually. you compile a package and install it with pacman, so that it can manage it.
6) Yes. it is advisable to do it in fact.
7) Very well. However, most Arch users tend to be minimalists and don't use Compiz all that much. But there are many who do as well.
8) Not if the application is Ubuntu specific. Otherwise all other applications will be the same on all distros.
9) Yes. That's one of the reasons why I don't like Ubuntu anymore.

Last edited by Inxsible (2009-03-09 03:05:15)

djnm · 2009-03-09 03:02:30

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer:
1. There are graphical pacman front-ends, yes. However the installer for the main system is not graphical.
2. There is a [testing] repo and the AUR...not sure which you mean
3. Very responsive and stable...
4. Yeah there are tools to do that, but chances are your package is already available.
5. Yep!
6. Yeah, you can backup your install and reinstall.
7. Just fine, I've used it with no problems.
8. Yep, linux is linux and it will work fine.
9. You never have to reinstall if you don't want to...unless you really break something

Welcome to the community!

Last edited by djnm (2009-03-09 03:03:41)

cdahmedeh · 2009-03-09 03:12:45

Thanks for your quick responses. I will probably be installing Arch Linux during the March Break on my laptop. I will see how it goes. The Wiki Documentation is very solid and detailed !

pyther · 2009-03-09 03:49:38

If you haven't already, check on the Beginners Guide on the wiki, it is very in depth!
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide

Runiq · 2009-03-09 06:55:09

You may also want to have a look at the ABS wiki for your daily exotic package needs. The ABS is actually some kind of "interface" between binary and source packages, you can use it to build a package which can then be managed by pacman.

Mr.Elendig · 2009-03-09 14:32:00

cdahmedeh wrote:

1. Does ArchLinux have any graphical installers like Synaptic Package Manager ?

No, but there are a few 3.rd party ones.

cdahmedeh wrote:

2. Are the unsupported repositories with binary packages (such as for new games, other applications not in default repository and so on)

[community] (enabled by default, maintained by 'Trusted Users') and aur (only build scripts, anyone can submit to it.)

cdahmedeh wrote:

3. ArchLinux seemed to be very responsive on the Virtual Machine. Compared to Ubuntu, how much more responsive and stable is it ?

Depends on how you set up the system. Anything from fast and stable to slow and unstable. Arch is what _you_ make it.

cdahmedeh wrote:

4. If I have a program available in a .deb or .rpm format, can it be converted to the format supported in pacman ?

Yes, but it's better to get the source, and make a pkg from that.

cdahmedeh wrote:

5. Does pacman also manage manually compiled applications ?

No, use makepkg and create a package instead of compiling by hand.

cdahmedeh wrote:

6. Can I backup a preset configuration so that I can reinstall easily in case of failure ?

Yes.

cdahmedeh wrote:

7. How well does ArchLinux support Compiz Fusion ?

Same or better than everyone else.

cdahmedeh wrote:

8. If an application is supported in Ubuntu, will it mean it is supported in ArchLinux ?

No.

cdahmedeh wrote:

9. ArchLinux seems to be a rolling release ? Will this mean that I won't have to break my computer every 6 months and reformat ?

New versions of applications is pushed to the repos all the time, instead of just backported patches to the old versions of the apps.

Last edited by Mr.Elendig (2009-03-09 14:34:42)

tjwoosta · 2009-03-09 16:19:31

arch is just another distro (its a very good one, but in the end its just a distro)

it does not do magical things that other distros cant

3. ArchLinux seemed to be very responsive on the Virtual Machine. Compared to Ubuntu, how much more responsive and stable is it ?

depends what you use for an environment, and what apps you install

4. If I have a program available in a .deb or .rpm format, can it be converted to the format supported in pacman ?

well, technically yes, but you would be much better off starting with the source and making an arch package

5. Does pacman also manage manually compiled applications ?

no, but it will handle arch pakages that you build

6. Can I backup a preset configuration so that I can reinstall easily in case of failure ?

of course you can...

(anything that you can do in other linux distros can be done with arch)

7. How well does ArchLinux support Compiz Fusion ?

uhhh, the same as any other distro? (compiz is not a distro specific app)

8. If an application is supported in Ubuntu, will it mean it is supported in ArchLinux ?

not necessarily, but for the most part, yes

9. ArchLinux seems to be a rolling release ? Will this mean that I won't have to break my computer every 6 months and reformat ?

thats what it meant for me

good luck

Arch Linux

#1 2009-03-09 02:54:08

Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

#2 2009-03-09 02:59:53

Re: Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

#3 2009-03-09 03:02:30

Re: Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

#4 2009-03-09 03:12:45

Re: Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

#5 2009-03-09 03:49:38

Re: Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

#6 2009-03-09 06:55:09

Re: Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

#7 2009-03-09 14:32:00

Re: Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

#8 2009-03-09 16:19:31

Re: Thinking to convert to ArchLinux from Ubuntu

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