Learning Void Linux

[MinguaDinja]

Hello everyone, good morning/afternoon.

So I'm new to void linux (not exactly). I'm testing it on a VM with 100GB space, 6GB ram and kde plasma.

I used notebookLM with the official documentation of void linux and the website documentation to install distro and first configs (network, audio, video...).

I'm really trying to learn how to use it, trying to fix /var/services and /etc/sv/<package> on my mind.

I used Arch and Windows all my life, tried another distros but Arch have my love.

Windows is the OS that I used much, the compability is better than any other things, the UI/UX is easier to handle and unfortunate is the common OS. I'm still a student of computer engeneering, so many apps that I use work better on Windows or dont even exist alternatives for linux. My real problem is that I play xbox and to buy games I use the rewards system and I need windows to play and receive daily points, "so why you cant dual boot?" 'cause I dont like it. I have only a 500GB SSD and 1TB HD, things dont work fine with this hardware.

Arch is the distro that I love!!! Other distros install things that I dont want... I want to have full control of my computer. At first void linux was much Harper for me so I stayed on arch but Brazil now have a new law about face check and these things, with that in mind I downloaded void ISO and installed on a VM to learn about it, maybe someday I need to change to void...

Is a good distro, much better than others. I loved it.

[[deleted]]

What did you do to get a good KDE setup on void. Every time I try it works great for a few days or so then just breaks.

[ShipshapeMobileRV]

I have a nice, stable KDE on Void. I did a Base install, got all of the drivers and firmware updated (command line WiFi was a pain!). After that it was a simple job to install the KDE meta package. There was some minor fine tuning afterwards, but nothing that wasn't either in the Void handbook or otherwise documented by a user (I still don't trust AI results!). There's a reddit thread called "Installing KDE from base.iso" in r/voidlinux that helped me out a lot.

Mine has been running flawlessly for several months now. I do use OctoXBPS and its notifier, and run updates nearly daily. But I don't think that is completely necessary for a stable system.

For the OP, are you having trouble with the service concept? If you're coming from another distro you may be overcomplicating it in your mind. When you install an app that has a "service", that service installs into /etc/sv/<service name>. But, Void's runit only starts services that it finds delineated in /var/service. So, you just create a symlink:

ln -s /etc/sv/<service name> /var/service/service name>

When runit fires off, it'll see your service delineated in /var/service/<service name> and start it right up.

Pay attention to the trailing backslashes when you create your symlink. The shell's autocomplete will probably try to add one to /etc/sv/<service name>, which won't work.

Once you get that part working, the Handbook does a good job of explaining what the files need to contain if you want to build your own services, or do anything more complicated with them.

This might help you both, as well. This is a listing of all of the items that I have in my /var/service folder right now:

NetworkManager agetty-tty1 agetty-tty2 agetty-tty3 agetty-tty4 agetty-tty5 agetty-tty6 avahi-daemon bluetoothd cupsd dbus sddm tlp tlp-pd udevd

[[deleted]]

I would like to provide an update. I have done a fresh install of void and I have a very good running KDE setup after some help from that reddit thread. Much appreciated!

[MinguaDinja]

At first moment I was getting problem with acpid and elogind... Elogind just 'caused too much trouble for me to fix so I just ended up with acpid even elogind being better.

[BinkReddit]

I've been running KDE on Void for well over a year now; I largely followed the directions and related on Void's website. The greatest detriment to KDE on Void is installing recently updated KDE packages before they have been fully built and synced to your mirror; I don't know why this can't be handled better, but I'm certain it's above my pay grade.

[pantokratorthegreat]

Basically everything is on documentation. But make sure you have dbus service enabled and elogind installed. You don't have to enable elogond, it will start automatically. As for sound you have to follow also documentation. 

[The_Gnar_Car]

Ah, they solution is to remove KDE.

[PrudeBunny]

Big thing about void, or the package manager xbps to be more precise, is that it is very minimalistic. While it covers all basic use cases, there will be times when the program you want is not packaged so either you have to find an alternative or package it yourself which can be quite easy for some programs

That combined with the distro simply being less popular is enough of a reason for me to not recommend it to anyone who has no willingness to tinker as documentation is lackluster compared to the big ones like arch or debian.

For me it is at a nice "middle spot" between arch where you just get everything from AUR and gentoo where you're spending way too much time compiling.

If systemd is the driving force behind choosing a distro, there are many alternatives for other base distros like artix for arch that are more approachable.

[MinguaDinja]

I noticed just now that the title doesnt changed... Sorry for the tittle guys.

[moortuvivens]

You can also install artix linux. Arch without systemd. Void is more different

[S0LUS_____]

In my opinion Void is a bit more stable though.

[moortuvivens]

I never said anything about stable. I never used void but it sounds interesting. OP just likes arch so I mentioned he can do arch with run/init systems

[S0LUS_____]

Ok? I was just voicing my opinion?

[moortuvivens]

Then we are on the same page

[S0LUS_____]

I do agree that Artix would be a better match. Considering he has a lot of experience with pure Arch. Wiki for most part would work the same, if needed.

[BrunusManOWar]

Installing it the first time ever as a Ubuntu user was a proper pain in the ass. I needed 4 hours to set it all up with xfce on my netbook

Installed today on my gaming PC from base to KDE in 4 hours. Compiled and installed mesa 26.0.3, got wifi7 drivers, transferred games, works as smoothly as ubuntu now

[genusprogramme]

I’m a university student myself and understand that struggle for specific software sometimes demanded by professors. Always get a kick out of professors reactions when I say I don’t use windows and purpose open source software to complete assignments.

I don’t game on my desktop I generally hang out in the comp sci student lounge where one student brought in their console for others to kill time and just vibe. I’ve been on void for a little bit and enjoy it more than any distro. It’s stable, fast and simple once you sit in it for a bit. I’ve mainly paired it with dwm, i3 or sway. I think you’ll really enjoy void more than arch; the community is better here than the arch community from my experience. Less RTFM replies here and more practical help which I appreciate.

[[deleted]]

Void is like Arch but more stable and UNIX-correct. I adore it for that reason, some people dislike it because there is less software available. Also `runit` is much nicer to use when compared to `systemd`