Hello,
I have been using Ubuntu for half a year, and would like to expand my knowledge of the inner working of linux.

Is it worth starting from scratch and installing a 'bare bone' version like archlinux. To my knowledge, all of these distros are unix based and ultimately very similar. The main thing is they come with different packages installed from day 1.

Note: I still need to keep up with daily tasks like working on my projects.

Thank you for your time reading, and looking forward to being an active part of the community. Everyone starts at the same place

P.S. The more said the merrier! If you thing I've got the wrong idea, please correct me. Thanks again.

No they are both Linux based. None of the Linux distros are UNIX based. Some are more UNIX like than others but even that point is up for debate, IMHO.

There are many differences between Ubuntu and Arch. For example, they use completely different package managers and totally different init systems. With regards to the package selection, it is not just different small differences, for example by default Arch would provide you the bear minimum OS, Ubuntu comes with a complete desktop.

Arch needs ongoing work. You need to keep up with the constant flow of updates and pay attention to the news as sometimes big updates required you to make changes to the system prior to upgrading the core software. If you don't have the time for this, Arch probably isn't for you.

Here is their own take on this question:

If you want a "bare bones" distro (by that I assume you mean not overly automated) to learn from, I would personally suggest Slackware. The documentation provided by Arch is better (though much of it is still applicable to any distro, so you may be able to use parts of it anyway). The advantage with Slackware is that it is easier to setup and you will still learn a lot if you come from an Ubuntu background. Additionally once setup it should just work without requiring the same level of ongoing commitment.

Of course, this is just my personal opinion.

4 members found this post helpful.

Thank you ruario for replying, this is really helpful information!

I have since asked around and heard some good things about slackware. Really looks like exactly what I have been looking for

There is still lots to learn, but looking forward to it.

Please keep in mind that while slack is easier to setup and get going the lack of a package manager will be what makes it difficult.

Arch is going to be tough to setup but pacman is in my opinion the best package manager out there.

That is incorrect, Slackware has a package manager, called Pkgtools, which is made up of various utils, e.g. installpkg, upgradepkg, removepkg, makepkg, etc.

In addition Slackware ships with slackpkg, which acts as a network aware front end to the pkgtools, somewhat analogous to apt being a front end to dpkg.

1 members found this post helpful.

I would encourage the OP (and Germany_chris for that matter) to read a blog post I wrote on Slackware package management.

I should also mention that I used Arch as my primary distro (both at home and at work) for a little over a year prior to switching to Slackware.

I forgot where I was I apologize..

Try and then decide for yourself.

No, GNU is not UNIX.

Linux distros are actually pretty different and it's more than just how packages are compiled.

For me Arch is the only distro I can use to do the job I need to do. I tried Debian recently to see if it's any more stable than Arch ('cause Debian is known for it's stability) and it turned out Debian is even WORSE in this sense.

I think that needs qualifying. I run Debian Sid with some drivers from experimental and I have never had any "instability" problems. The problems I have had are all related to me not paying attention when packages are being installed or removed when dist-upgrading.
Which packages in Debian caused you problems?

Deluge. It crashed every time I tried to delete torrent from a list in main window. And that was "Testing".

As you state, it was Testing. Testing is supposed to have bugs, please report them, so that they can get fixed.

I don't use or care for Ubuntu all that much and I use Debian as my primary OS for what it's worth but I will say that Arch Linux was the most interesting and best way for me to learn Linux. Before Arch I was fairly comfortable with Debian Linux but hated being forced to install Exim4 and other dependancies I felt "bloated" my OS. After installing Arch, learning how to install on software RAID, installing a bare OS, using it as a dedicated email server (Postfix), and finally getting it as a GUI workstation w/ Gnome, I was really impressed how amazing Arch Linux performs and how perfect Pacman is.

I highly recommend Arch Linux for anyone looking to learn and see how Linux works.

1 members found this post helpful.

1) Definitely! Get your hands on the Beginners' Guide and the Arch ISO and have at it, you'll learn more than if you were to stick with Ubuntu, and you'll have a configuration all your own to boot, plus you'll have vanilla packages for the most part that are newer than what Ubuntu offers, and you won't have to upgrade or reinstall every few months due to being rolling-release.

2) Linux is Unix-like, but not Unix-based, meanwhile the BSDs are Unix-based, and OSX, AIX, Solaris, and HP-UX are all certified UNIX systems.

Also, one thing I recommend installing in Arch after you got a desktop and a normal user nice and set up is Yaourt, as it gives you both easy AUR access and easy ABS access, and both instructions on how to install it and how to configure it so that you don't get an out-of-memory error when installing from the AUR or ABS will be posted below, and pacstrapping base-devel in along with the base system will save you a step in setting Yaourt up:

Package-query and yaourt installation:

Open up whatever file manager your desktop uses, and then create a hidden folder called .builds in your home folder, that'll be the folder in which package-query and yaourt are compiled, and then pull up a terminal window and type in the following:

And that should install package-query and yaourt, now to configure yaourt to not give you out-of-space errors when installing anything from the AUR or ABS, create and chmod 777 the following directories:

Once those directories are created and chmod 777'd, go into /etc/yaourtrc using Nano or Geany, I'm using Nano in this example, but Geany works just as well.

Once you're in /etc/yaourtrc, uncomment and change DEVELSRCDIR and TMPDIR to look like the following, and save the changes (Ctrl+X and then Y for Nano, Save button for Geany) and you should be able to install packages from the AUR or ABS without worrying about the out-of-space error if everything goes OK.

Necro..

...bumpin