ArchISO, the Arch Linux Live-CD

As DistroWatch reports, a new Arch linux Live-CD is available.

Arch Linux has a rolling-release model; there are no fixed periodic new versions.
New (and improved) software is distributed as soon as the Arch team find it stable enough for it's user base.
This means you won't have to update every (half) year like with Ubuntu et al.
Your Arch install is always up-to-date.

Arch does require a moderate level of linux experience, it's not meant for newbies.
However, this Live-CD offers every mortal a chance to experience why Arch has become so popular among more seasoned users.

Now, before all the experienced Archers here on NBR start shouting " Heresy! Blasphemy! Sacrilege! Desecration!"
I know.
One should be able to install Arch in the usual/standard/hardcore way, in order to fully enjoy such a beautiful distro.
But the Arch Xfce Live-CD (685MB) is meant for all lesser gods (me included).
Enjoy.

 

I think these ISOs are a great way to get into Arch. Arch is about doing it yourself, but you should have options. The Chakra project was to have a more full-featured KDE4 or KDEMod desktop LiveCD, but last I tested it didn't work very well.

Arch is at current, my distro of choice. Its up to date (sometimes to a bleeding edge fault) and you learn a lot using it.

 

Heresy! Blasphemy! Sacrilege! Desecration!


alright ok jk, but I do think it sort of loses the fun this way. My opinion still says that one could just follow the Beginners' guide and learn a lot more during the process. Or if one doesn't want to, it's probably safer to just run any other distro which is actually meant for being user friendly...

 

Im on vacation next week and I might join the Arch bandwagon, if I can get the raid -0 working on it. Hehe. Last time I tried I failed miserable, I got close, but not close enough.

 

Is Arch still based only around the Intel CPUs? This was what kept me from trying it seriously. I need distro that runs on both platforms, or i don't bother to spend the time ...

 

What do you mean by based around intel CPUs? Arch has always supported any x86 processor.

 

Thanks Baserk...is this 64 bit? I'll check it out...I can't run a cable where I'm at, that's what has kept me from it in the past...

 

To my understanding, Arch runs just fine on AMD cpus as well, including Arch 64bit. Its kernal is usually the latest available of the 2.6 branch, and includes support for x86 and x64 instruction sets.

 

I'm on it now....first time I've been online with Arch....Archers: what's a command to install the gnome DE and remove most of the Xfce DE? I have two paid for programs that pretty much need gnome.

thanks.....(I'll look up BT myself....just want a quick start...

 

I'm not sure how the live CD installed the XFCE DE, be it through the same packages or not etc... but I suggest reading through...

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Beginners_Guide
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xfce#What_is_Xfce.3F
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Gnome

To uninstall, pretty much use the install commands except with "pacman -R packagename" or "pacman -Rn packagename" (The second removes unused dependencies)

To check which of the XFCE metas are installed, use "pacman -Q packagename" and then remove them with the -R or -Rn switch again.

 

You could do:

Code:

pacman -Ss xfce

And for each package it lists:

Code:

sudo pacman -Rs package_name

To upgrade packages to make sure the transition is smooth:

Code:

sudo pacman -Syyu

and then to install Gnome:

Code:

sudo pacman -Syy gnome gnome-extra

 

thanks Thomas....I guess I could try it out as long as my pay for programs work OK... Learning curve, big time.... BTW, this liveCD is 32 bit, which on this little Vostro, I don't really care much....

 

Yeah, I don't see why your pay for programs wouldn't work on XFCE, though.

 

They do...but it's funky...I just stick with GaNome....

 

I'm sorry for misinfo, it's really way back when i looked at the Arch, it was like beginning of 2006 or something and it hasn't had the x86-64 support yet (that's why i mentioned intel and amd cpus - i need back then 64 bit distro for my amd 64b capable cpu. So went with 64 Debian.
It somehow stuck in my head that it's not AMD friendly and went on and never turned back to Arch.
Thanks for pointing it out and excuse my lack of knowledge (getting older) )

 

Haha, I see