linux migration

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Arch Linux on Surface Book 1
2 months ago
- The author switched to Arch Linux on a Surface Book 1 after Microsoft deemed it obsolete, motivated by defiance and Windows decay.
- Debian was tried first but rejected due to sleep issues, desire for full disk encryption including /boot, and a preference for latest software versions.
- Arch Linux installed successfully with KDE, offering a snappy, lightweight experience and good high-DPI display support.
- Battery life is similar to Windows (~4-5 hours), touchpad and touchscreen work, and hibernation was enabled with a large swapfile.
- Major issues include lack of S0ix sleep states (5% battery drain per hour while closed), no working dedicated GPU, and janky camera setup requiring kernel module fiddling.
- Power states were initially missing but resolved by installing power-profiles-daemon, offering eco, normal, and performance modes.
- A critical bug filled /tmp with crash dumps, causing a non-bootable system after pacman update; this was resolved by switching to BTRFS with snapshots.
- Overall, the author is satisfied with Arch and KDE, appreciating the latest software and hoping to never reinstall.
Using agents and Wine to move off Windows
2 months ago
- Agents excel at reverse engineering Windows code, enabling Wine compatibility fixes and patching DLLs.
- The author moved from Windows to Fedora Linux, finding it better than Ubuntu for desktop use with fractional scaling and up-to-date packages.
- Agents resolved Linux issues like setting up an iPhone webcam via kernel module signing and fixing Bluetooth conflicts.
- Claude Code successfully fixed a Wine app rated 'garbage' by decompiling DLLs, patching assembly, and building missing Windows DLLs on Linux.
- The process demonstrates that agents can autonomously port apps between platforms, challenging traditional software ecosystem network effects.
- Open source development benefits from agents, as they democratize the ability to edit and improve software.
Almost Went Back: One Month on NixOS
2 months ago
- The author considered switching back to Arch after four weeks on NixOS due to missing the direct, imperative system interaction and feeling distanced from Linux knowledge.
- After posting on the NixOS Discord, community responses highlighted that NixOS offers reproducibility, rollbacks, and finite control, which matched the author's frustrations with Arch breaking.
- Existing Linux knowledge transfers to NixOS in substance (understanding how systems work) but not in familiarity with file locations, making an Arch background helpful rather than irrelevant.
- Trying to configure everything 'the Nix way' led to overcomplexity; the author learned it's fine to use native config formats via symlinks and only control system-level aspects with Nix.
- The declarative model simplifies maintenance, prevents losing configurations, and reduces anxiety about updates, though it initially felt unfamiliar.
- The author ultimately finds NixOS worth committing to, recommending community support and noting the learning curve is real but surmountable.
- Recommended resources include Vimjoyer, NixOS Discord, Nix Pills, and LLMs for troubleshooting.

linux migration

Arch Linux on Surface Book 1

Using agents and Wine to move off Windows

Almost Went Back: One Month on NixOS