No not really. Just people.
this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2026
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I'm a bit disappointed with packaging/updates. Specifically Arch, I have slow-ish shared internet and didn't update frequently enough now my system is too outdated (1050Ti, them moving legacy nVidia drivers to AUR is another reason I haven't updated in a while).
Looking at alternatives.
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Void (I still might want something more user-friendly) musl? (but optional and interesting for creating static binaries)
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Tumbleweed/Slowroll might be perfect if it weren't for patterns (and I wish update structure were smarter* than just scheduling).
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NixOS is a fun idea but not with declarative desktop settings (I have my own XFWM window theme not uploaded anywhere) and extra mess when it comes to compiling/exporting also running non-packaged executables (especially if I decide to stop using Steam, running what library I can w/o client)
User packaging is also generally questionable, too. I know not to rely on it too much, but I'm also not going to be inspecting package scripts especially not every update.
Other package distribution is a neat idea, but needing to download another graphics driver for Flatpack sort of ruins the point for me (redundant data too). That, and less integration+more manual updates.
* it probably doesn't exist, but I'd like something that has some sort of awareness of compatibility (be it simple/explicit versioning, build bot troubles, user reports etc). If I haven't updated in a while, give me a safer update (hold more Major.Minor.newest packages to known-good). If I'm updating regularly, tell me if an update on tuesday might not be great and remind me on friday if it seems better. Let me mark software with some general issues (stability, rendering, features) and alert based on potential fixes.
Give NixOS another look. It's no problem to run a declarative system as a base, and plain old dotfiles on top if you want, especially for user stuff. Not sure what you mean by "non-packaged executables" exactly, but I don't see how NixOS would give you a disadvantage here. Heoric works fine as a Steam alterntative.
and plain old dotfiles on top if you want
I'm not the type to put my dotfiles in git, though. A lot of things I just plan on starting fresh and configuring in-session.
Not sure what you mean by “non-packaged executables”
Pre-compiled, non-system binaries.Typically, stuff downloaded from GoG and itch without a client (also the odd thing like BrogueCE). I don't know if this is always an issue, but it is for anything that uses dynamic linking (checking with ldd is a thing, though can be misleading with runner scripts).
Heroic works fine
I've never been interested in the Epic store even for free games. I'm sure there are 10 ways to "solve" this each with their own benefits/drawbacks, but I feel like this is a philosophy issue that creates more problems than it solves for me. And this is without the ability to create static binaries (out of the box) like I'd get with void-linux musl.
That, and seeing talk about how great Nix is but also people having trouble later on too (major updates? bleeding edge woes?).
I’m not the type to put my dotfiles in git, though.
That's what I'm saying, you don't have to! Just install the package (like neovim or whatever) through NixOS and it will use your ad-hoc dotfiles like it would on any other distro. For a lot of stuff you can make use of declarative NixOS options (programs.neovim = { ... };), but you don't have to, except for really basic system stuff like networking I guess.
Pre-compiled, non-system binaries.
Gotcha. There's several ways do do this on NixOS (steam-run works like a charm!), but I'll concede that there's an extra step involved here that you don't have to do on other distros.
That, and seeing talk about how great Nix is but also people having trouble later on too (major updates? bleeding edge woes?).
There's a learning curve for sure, but I haven't looked back or experienced any major issues (where I hadn't shot myself in the foot) since 22.11.
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I’ve had some sound issues here and there, but those are largely resolved. My only issue at the moment (which I suspect is mostly a skill issue) is figuring out an easy way to install games to the drive I want. With Epic for example on Windows it was easy to pick which drive I wanted to install the game on, but since Epic runs in WINE on Linux I haven’t figured out an easy way to do that. It works fine on Steam since the Steam client is Linux native.
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The one recurring unsolveable problem I run into is not being able to kill a process that's stuck in D state. If something has broken in the layers between that process and hardware (not uncommon when working with old cheap "box of scraps" hardware, as I like to do), it can get stuck forever and you have to kill the whole system, sometimes forcibly. Not the end of the world, but it sucks when it happens.
Most of my disappointments with Linux come from the proprietary bits to be honest. Both the hardware drivers, and the games and other apps. And even the few times I'm let down by open-source apps, it's because of abilities from their proprietary counterpart that they are yet to implement.
Power management on a laptop.
Use a 10 year old Logitech mouse out of the box.
Mint's stupid annoying print monitor.
Dealing with cached samba creds though the box to save creds wasn't checked.
The lack of real competitors to office. And no, Open Office doesn't come close to replacing MS office.
There's lots that's annoying.
But Linux is excellent as my servers, as my VM host, as my dedicated systems. Still has it's issues, but works great for always-on systems with very specific tasks.
Linux and Windows serve different purposes.
What do you mean with regards to the Logitech mouse? I've been using M185's for two decades now without issue. The only issue I have is with the newer version of them which doesn't drop an easily readable battery state in /sys/class/power_supply/hidpp_battery_{0..9}/capacity_level .
Also; Libre Office exists.
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having used windows long enough to know what the .11 brought you and having gone windows-free for well over a decade i can say i have never, ever thought "i wish i was on windows cuz this would be better/easier/faster/possible"
When I first started using it I had the issue that every install would throw up a new thing not working. I suspect that was the hardware rather than Linux though.