Quoting: benjamimgoisSuddenly arch seems the new standard ! that's an amazing time to be a linux gamer.

Nah, Arch just makes sense to use here.

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Quoting: slaapliedje

Quoting: KohlyKohl

Quoting: scaine

Quoting: Supay

Quoting: Solitary

Quoting: KohlyKohl

Quoting: Purple Library Guy

Quoting: KohlyKohlI'm also concerned about the switch to Arch. I would have preferred a more stable distribution such as Ubuntu.

It's not like you're going to be installing a stack of AUR stuff. Someone's carefully set up bare-bones Arch is probably very stable.

Arch is inherently less stable by design. Adding in the AUR just makes it more unstable. Arch has its place I just don't think a consumer device is one of them.

Just because it's based on Arch doesn't mean it needs to have Arch issues. The updates are still tested and controlled by Valve. It is SteamOS, not Arch.

Absolutely agree. I run Arch on my desktop and some various home servers. My desktop is the messiest with AUR stuff wedged and lots of random bits I tinker with, and even that hasn't had any issues in a long time. The issues I have had were ones I caused. My servers are kept lean and focused, and I have never had an issue with them. Even when I slack off and realise I haven't updated packages in months, it all just works as it's as minimal as possible.

On the contrary, I recently switched to Ubuntu to give it a go again, expecting it to be something that would just work and have a decent default experience. Sure, it installed easily and had a flashy GUI, and I didn't have to manually do everything as I do when installing Arch, however I have had more issues with Ubuntu in a few weeks than I had on Arch in the last two years. Stuff that just worked in Arch due to up to date packages and a huge central repo has involved forum scouring for fixes, random private repos added, and a host of other issues. Give me Arch anyday.

My experience: the exact opposite of yours. Nothing works easily on Arch, the AUR has heaps of outdated keys and I had to troubleshoot basic things like gamepads not working which work out of the box on Debian/Ubuntu distros.

You know what you know, I suppose, and there are significant differences between the big core distros that experience in one of them doesn't necessarily translate to a good experience in the others.

For a device like this though? Who cares if it's Arch? I'm not going to be looking up the arch wiki if something doesn't work on this thing. I'll be using Valve support, or sending the unit back.

It matters because Valve is pushing the idea that you can install any apps you like and in my experience this is much easier for new users on Ubuntu and not on Arch.

Not really... you have Flatpaks, snaps, and the 'software store' thing, that pretty much is just a frontend to PackageKit and makes most software installations on Linux these days Distribution agnostic. The only real difference these days are 'what is packaged and set up to be installed easy via UI?'

Arch would have a lot more customization options that would allow Valve to 'do whatever they want' with the OS, whereas Ubuntu is... well less so :P

I'm not as convinced as you are. Also, what happens when they break their system, which is much easier to do under Arch? I really hope Valve has an easy way to reinstall SteamOS on these.

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Quoting: scaine

Quoting: Supay

Quoting: Solitary

Quoting: KohlyKohl

Quoting: Purple Library Guy

Quoting: KohlyKohlI'm also concerned about the switch to Arch. I would have preferred a more stable distribution such as Ubuntu.

It's not like you're going to be installing a stack of AUR stuff. Someone's carefully set up bare-bones Arch is probably very stable.

Arch is inherently less stable by design. Adding in the AUR just makes it more unstable. Arch has its place I just don't think a consumer device is one of them.

Just because it's based on Arch doesn't mean it needs to have Arch issues. The updates are still tested and controlled by Valve. It is SteamOS, not Arch.

Absolutely agree. I run Arch on my desktop and some various home servers. My desktop is the messiest with AUR stuff wedged and lots of random bits I tinker with, and even that hasn't had any issues in a long time. The issues I have had were ones I caused. My servers are kept lean and focused, and I have never had an issue with them. Even when I slack off and realise I haven't updated packages in months, it all just works as it's as minimal as possible.

On the contrary, I recently switched to Ubuntu to give it a go again, expecting it to be something that would just work and have a decent default experience. Sure, it installed easily and had a flashy GUI, and I didn't have to manually do everything as I do when installing Arch, however I have had more issues with Ubuntu in a few weeks than I had on Arch in the last two years. Stuff that just worked in Arch due to up to date packages and a huge central repo has involved forum scouring for fixes, random private repos added, and a host of other issues. Give me Arch anyday.

My experience: the exact opposite of yours. Nothing works easily on Arch, the AUR has heaps of outdated keys and I had to troubleshoot basic things like gamepads not working which work out of the box on Debian/Ubuntu distros.

You know what you know, I suppose, and there are significant differences between the big core distros that experience in one of them doesn't necessarily translate to a good experience in the others.

For a device like this though? Who cares if it's Arch? I'm not going to be looking up the arch wiki if something doesn't work on this thing. I'll be using Valve support, or sending the unit back.

It matters because Valve is pushing the idea that you can install any apps you like and in my experience this is much easier for new users on Ubuntu and not on Arch.

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Quoting: damarrinUsing this for old games is really not the point, I think.

Anyway, I'll be reserving my spot in the pre-pre-order queue come tomorrow, I think this will do me just fine.

Why not? I plan a lot of older games on my Switch.

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Quoting: Purple Library Guy

Quoting: KohlyKohlI'm also concerned about the switch to Arch. I would have preferred a more stable distribution such as Ubuntu.

It's not like you're going to be installing a stack of AUR stuff. Someone's carefully set up bare-bones Arch is probably very stable.

Arch is inherently less stable by design. Adding in the AUR just makes it more unstable. Arch has its place I just don't think a consumer device is one of them.

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I'm concerned about the size. It looks to be about 150% larger than the Switch and that was already a bit uncomfortable (It often ends up resting on me).

I'm also concerned about the switch to Arch. I would have preferred a more stable distribution such as Ubuntu.

Still, at the price point + specs for the base model, it will be hard to talk myself out of purchasing this.

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Quoting: Frawo

Quoting: KohlyKohlI've had this installed on my Thelio for a few weeks and it is so much better than Dash to Panel. I haven't had it crash once and it feels like it is actually part of the DE.

Hmmm, I have been using Dash-To-Panel in my Pop!_OS 20.10 installation all the time, never had a problem with it. I like it's customizability and it even works in a dual monitor setup (with a panel on each monitor).
Out of curiosity, what is better about the new dock?

The only reason I did not update to 21.04 instantly is that I'm not sure if Dash-To-Panel will still work.

Dash to Panel has limited real-estate and you quickly end up with hidden icons that you have to scroll horizontally to access. That is bad UX design and really takes away from the experience.

It also crashed all the time for me. And when it crashed it just disappeared...Which again is not a great user experience.

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I've had this installed on my Thelio for a few weeks and it is so much better than Dash to Panel. I haven't had it crash once and it feels like it is actually part of the DE.

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High end Linux laptops are a dime a dozen. I wish there were more mid range Laptops to choose from.

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Some form of external streaming media support out of the box. Yes, I know, that the main point is gaming but we're long past the point of such single-use devices.

I thought the same thing before I bought a Nintendo Switch.

I'm glad that all it has is YouTube and would prefer it didn't even have that.

I think it only needs to serve one purpose, gaming, and it should do that seemlessly.

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