But this picture of an empty desktop was far too long in the making. it took me a week to succesfully install Arch. I could do the process start to finish, blindfolded, at this point.
Finally, after endless hours of repeating the same steps over and over again, trying to word google searches in just the right way to get just that one specific answer to that one absurd issue, re-reading guides and links over and over again trying to find the single missed Sentence that ties everything together and finally. Finally.
It may seem kinda stupid to consider that an accomplishment, but I feel quite genuinely proud of myself for actually succeeding at this instead of just throwing in the towel and giving up like I usually do when I try and take on new hobbies, and don't immediately succeed.
ETA: Image fix!
What's the alternative to using the wiki though? Asking for a friend.
Automate it or create a pre-made install image, or simply use an already premade install image online as you are essentially having the same final install as everyone else following the guide. Following a guide without understanding the reasons behind each step is a counterintuitive way to learn. The goal is to install a GNU/Linux os on a computer. Gather the required information of what is needed for the installation. This can include the base components, the desired software and/or hardware to be used, and any extraneous needs that may come up from day to day usage. List out all the reasons for each component(software/hardware) and then decide how you wish for each to interact with each other or how they will be used. Layout a personal security policy and the necessary compromises to achieve a balance on usability and minimal risk to your data and system.
While this seems daunting, most of this is skip able as premade os images already are catered to common users. It is, however, the proper way to learn. Instead of just slamming together an OS install from a guide without realizing what you did or why it is needed, building a deeper understanding of the system and knowing the reasons for each step allows you to gain great insight and improvement on professional marketable computer skills.(be careful of accidentally over qualifying you in the interview, sometimes less is more)
There is plenty of documentation, and the arch wiki is just one of them to help you. Installing the Arch OS is the easiest part. It is the simplest goal, and it is the fun part of the process. The other parts are usually boring or need to be iterated over that can feel like a grind/large sink of tine and energy.
I hope my options don't dissuade you from practicing being in a terminal environment vs. the comfort of a GUI. This is an important skill for many users of Linux. There are many time-consuming stuff in this world, and I chose to plan installations and reading documentation for personal development. I may not be rich, but I am enjoying what I am doing.
I did install Arch on a small home server which I'm not using anymore, I can't remember how I installed it, but I spent a lot of time on the wiki.
So thanks for the detailed explanation! I'm using Mint as my daily driver for gaming as my spare time is quite scarce and I don't want to spend most of it reading and learning really.
archinstall comes by default on medium now; there's also archfi and about a dozen other install scripts with varying levels of customization, interactivity, and ease of use. All of which are better options than wiki installation.
Asking a friend
Run the included archinstall.sh
obligatory without an install script
Following any number of walkthroughs, like on YouTube for instance. Try to find a relatively recent one if you're taking that path. Or you could just use an Arch-based OS with an installer. I like Endeavor, it's pretty close to a basic Arch install with a DE pre setup for you.
Either way just don't ask for help on the Arch user forums if something doesn't work, unless you want to be swiftly RTFMed.
OS is meant to be the background, not the reason to boot up your computer.
I partially agree. Installing from a script saves time and energy, but installing manually allows you to learn and have a deeper understanding for your computer (along with giving you more control). I'd say install from scratch once, install from a script the rest of the time, in my opinion it's worth it to have the extra understanding of how everything works, and also then you can audit the script you'll be using.