Void Linux

I have recently tried another linux distro — linux void. Void Linux to great extent resambles Arch Linux (it is among else a rolling release), but Void is even more minimalist than Arch. The installation is crazily fast. It takes about five minutes to install.

I first tried it out in Virtual Box, and later on an old HP-computer that I have. What is special with Void Linux, setting the distribution apart from Arch Linux, is that Void does not use systemd as init. Instead, Void Linux use runit. Runit is very easy and fast, and on the internet some say that Void Linux is more like a FreeBSD. I don’t know since I have not tried FeeBSD (yet). As a non-developer I must say that it is hard to understand systemd, and I have a limited feeling of controlling that init. With runit I actually have more of a feeling of being in control. And in the end Linux is for me to great extent about being in control of the computer.

It was suprising that Void Linux had so many programs and applications. I could find everything I need on a daily basis. But to be honest, I don’t use so many applications. I am glad if I can install firefox, emacs, mu4e and R, with dependencies to make these programs work. Of course I also need Latex, Markdown and a PDF-reader. Libreoffice is also handy to have. All of these programs exists in the repos. I don’t even have to use the non-free repo.

There are some programs I miss. For example Backintime GUI did not exist, only backintime cli. I have no idea how to set up backintime from the terminal, so instead backup the system using Rsync. The repo did not either have Simple screen-recorder. Repos seldom have Simple screen-recorder, and I honestly don’t know why. Of course it is rather easy to build from source, but I just donwloaded Vokoscreen. It is good enough for my needs.

The best thing with Void Linux is also maybe the downside. After installation, which as I said takes about five minutes, you end up with literary nothing. Not even Dbus is activated. If you lack Linux experience this can of course be somewhat confusing. But if you dig into the documentation you can really build the system you like. I ended up installing I3, which I like and use on a daily basis.

Will I use this as my daily distribution? I definitely could. But for now my Fedora just works, and I have a set-up that works great for me. So I will have it on my secondary computer to see how stable it is. And who knows — maybe in the future. It is a nice and fast distribution.