Been awhile since I have used any Arch based Distro, but Endeavour, with Mate DE, is running well in a VirtualBox VM using a W10 host.
This Distro has very little software install, and it uses Arch packages to install software.
Just find the package name and run " sudo pacman -S package name ". It also uses
AUR or git clone, that I am still learning. It helps me since I used to run Arch.
I guess if one wants to run Arch and not do the CLI install, then Endeavour
would be worth a look see.
It is a rolling release but I would not say it is a easy Distro or even a best Distro, but
if you like security, then look no more.
To get the sf_Linux_Shared folder to work I had to use sudo su and then run
" chown root:vboxsf /media " to change permission and then run " ls -la /media " to
view content of /media. I then ran " usermod -G vboxsf -a username " to add
to the vboxsf group.
Try it if you have an itch to try Arch.
1 Like
Interesting 
must give it a try for real soon…?
Distro Wars comparison against Manjaro was very informative as is…
@Andy2…Jury is still out on the User-Friendly but it does beat a CLI Arch install.
I got the Brave browser installed by using this
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/brave-bin.git
cd brave-bin
makepkg -si
I make Brave the default and use FF if I need two browsers opened.
I have already been down the Manjaro road.
As much as I like the great variety of distributions, I sometimes wonder whether it wouldn’t be more efficient to reduce the number of distributions out there. Setting up and maintaining a distribution is not an easy task and requires skilled people with enough time to spare in order to do so.
As far as I understood the review, the main selling point of Endeavour seems to be that it is Arch based but comes with a graphical installer, proper tools for easy packet management and preconfigured desktop environments.
Whilst these are nice features, they are definitely not unique to this specific distribution. The Garuda distribution I am using on my laptop offers exactly the same features, but adding a resilient file system (BTRFS) and heavy performance optimization plus incredibly beautiful artwork for the provided desktops.
I am not saying, one is better than the other. I just reckon, with so similar approaches, it might be more efficient to join forces when the actual differences are so negligible.
1 Like
@Mina…How about just a Linux OS and be done with all the Distros? I have had the pleasure of installing Arch from the CLI, any graphical installer will appeal to any
Windows user, trying Linux.
If one is looking for a Distro with preinstalled software, this is not the one, but if one
wants to build their own, then look no more.
I am not saying this is better, just different, and it does take time to get this Distro
configured, the way one may wish.
I have never used Garuda or BTRFS.
I would love to see just one Linux os
But which one ?
That really would take on Windows and Mac… and stop the ideas Linux is hard to use.
My preference would be mint, or a debian flavour, imagine trying to get everybody to agree on something as simple as what colour it should be, never mind the more complex stuff.
You cannot be serious… 
Mina drifting off a bit, I know, but is this Garuda as bad as DistroWatch implies - so slow and TWICE as heavy on RAM whilst purporting to be fast and efficient – Hey and that was just the Lite versions. Worst review of a distro that I have ever read – unstable with wobbly windows too - only good point seems to be gordy desktops and flashy effects. I do not call all this “negligible differences”
Imagine suggesting this is the one and drop Endevour etc… 
I think everyone would be happy, if there were an extremely slim base distribution, which would be delivered in different editions, each edition adding a bit more of bloat and heavy weight. This way total noobs and experts would be sufficiently pleased with a single distribution. 
2 Likes
@Akito…That might work if the developers have deep enough pocket book to take on Microsoft and Apple. Hardware support from vendors would have to be onboard. Kinda like Linux Basic, Home, Pro, Ultimate OS editions and no CLI Arch installs or Gentoo compile installs.
Have you or @4dandl4 tried Manjaro? It is Arch base and was easy to install, but I have not done any real testing yet. I understand Arch is a different branch of Linux vs Debian which Ubuntu is base on. From your point of view, is Arch Linux better then Debian Linux? Do you know the major differences between the two branches?
@easyt50…Hi Howard, I will try to answer some of you ?.
Yes, I have, the KDE version. No problem with Manjaro, just really do not care for KDE, XFCE or the Gnome DE. Have no use for flashy DE so I stick with Mate. It was no harder to install than any Debian based Distro.
The difference is really pacman (arch) or apt (Debian) package manager, or the way you install and update your system. Just as in Debian based, it is helpful to do a Debian install and a Arch CLI install,
you will get a better knowledge of the two system.
You could install VirtualBox in Mint and do a Arch based install before installing to real hardware.
Go ahead and give Manjaro a try with a VirtualBox VM install.
One thing that is really different between Arch based and Debian based, is that most that I have dealt with are
rolling release. That means they can be unstable at times, I had to deal with this a few times when
I was running Arch.
One might argue that this is already the case: GNU and the kernel are the base. The rest is just sugar coating.
1 Like
The question is: in which sense it is the “worst” review!? The reviewer deliberately ignored the developers’ advice that Garuda wasn’t meant to be installed in a virtual machine and did just this and only this.
As far as supposedly high RAM usage goes, they explicitly write:
It’s widely known that unused RAM is wasted RAM nowadays. In Garuda we use some performance tweaks that might increase RAM usage while improving performance such as systemd-swap.
Despite being a Linux user of many years, I lack the distro-hopping experience to do fair comparisons.
I can only say: In my on-metal installation, I did not experience any of the issues, the reviewer encountered in his virtual installation. In contrast, I found it to be extremely responsive and stable on medium range hardware (i3 CPU with 8 GB RAM). Still, I have to admit: I am a sucker for beautiful and flashy things as long as they don’t slow the computer down. So, I am not unbiased when something comes as polished and shiny as this distribution.
However, when somebody writes a review, they shouldn’t ignore explicit warnings. Imagine somebody reviewing kitchen blenders ignoring the specific advice not to grind coffee beans and then complaining that the knife was damaged by grinding coffee beans.
1 Like
Yes, but all the different Linux distributions have each their own different development team, resulting in different styles and mindsets. If all development teams would magically unite, perhaps they could work on a single huge distribution, that follows the same style guide and mindset, while resulting in different editions, but not entirely different distributions.
Hey @Mina - would you like to read it again and issue a correction for your misleading untrue post 
Garuda wasn’t meant to be installed in a virtual machine and did just this and only this. What This DistroWatch Guy; Jesse Smith must have personally tested hundreds of distros and I like his in depth trusted reviews.
To quote Jesse -
“On my laptop both desktops were noticeably more responsive.” So where you get this virtual machine and only this I do not know - please explain. 
His comments were based on actual installations SFAIK 
Where is this advice you talk of which forms your reply…? A search on their front page and their wiki page gives ZERO results… 
In my appraisal of his review I was being KIND for you as I did not list all the many faults - Now I would say do not go near that steaming pile of RAM hungry 
Imagine someone slagging off a review without reading it 
@Andy2 looks like I really upset you…
You’re right, I have to take back some statements, namely that your esteemed reviewer did only run tests on virtual machines.
I read I began by playing with Garuda in a VirtualBox environment. This started out well, with the desktop resizing dynamically inside the host window. However, both editions of the distribution tended to be slow to respond, especially the Plasma edition. In the virtual machine the system was bogged down by visual effects, compositing,[…]
and later […When run in a virtual machine the KDE Plasma edition was unusable for all practical purposes while the LXQt edition was slow, but functional. […]
It definitely escaped me (or my memory failed, I don’t know) that he had also done tests on real machines.
So, I take back my complaint that he had only tested where he wasn’t supposed to and hence the nasty comment at the end. So, sorry to the reviewer and to you who holds him in so high esteem.
BTW: The advice not to install Garuda on virtual machines can be found prominently featured on: Garuda Linux | Download :
- Our editions are optimized for performance on real hardware. Installing on virtual machines is not recommended as it might result in a bad experience.
- We sacrifice extra RAM to improve the responsiveness of the system.
However, I still find it astonishing that the reviewer had issues with the system’s performance: I run it on an only slightly more powerful device (same i3 CPU, 8 GB of RAM instead of 6) with all bells, whistles and graphical gimmicks turned on and still find it extremely responsive and perfectly stable, even with lots of windows open. Unlike for the reviewer, it never failed to boot.
It is true that RAM usage might be rather on the higher end (840MB for an idle system).
but I wonder whether this is really an issue in 2021 when the used laptop it runs on just cost me 150 Swiss Francs and even single board computers with 8GB RAM ship for 70£/80€/90CHF!?
You are obviously free to
and yet, I find it somehow disturbing, to disqualify some people’s voluntary and creative work as a pile of crap.
3 Likes
I did not expect this - this is so gracious and kind of you.
I am genuinely lost for words - Yes; you read that correctly - moi…! 
Thanks for commitment by posting photographic evidence of performance - very interesting.
1 Like
Perhaps, we will soon all use the best distribution of all:
Trandysquel
1 Like
What…! A coloured bullet indent for Trisquel in Topic Categories on this forum - NEVER…
What and break up the duopoly of ubuntu and mint promotions - NEVER… 