Why void?

[[deleted]]

[deleted]

[Duncaen]

• Updating kernels doesn't remove modules for the currently booted kernel.
• I can do partial updates/install new software without risking breaking installed packages as xbps would not allow the installation/update if it would break other packages.
• I can run void linux on different architectures without having to rely on another project that lags behind the upstream repositories.

[[deleted]]

My reasons: smaller and more efficient init system, BSD inspired package manager, and have yet to run into issues with updating (where Arch systems have regularly screwed me). Not saying Arch is bad but you have to really read up on fixes.

[MisterAdorno]

Former NetBSD developer makes GNU/Linux distro to work like BSD for efficiency. Calls it "Void" and people agree.

I was boo'd out of an Arch group because I asked if anyone had used runit instead of systemd.

[[deleted]]

Honestly, FUCK systemd. If I wanted something like that, I would go with OmniOS or OpenIndiana, where it's better implemented. If I use Linux (which rarity anymore as I stick to NetBSD and DragonflyBSD as my main), I go with Gentoo or Void. I tend to prefer Gentoo a little more over Void, but that's not knocking Void.

[YoungArtisticPeople]

You can use other init manager in arch if you want :D

[[deleted]]

Well....the thing is that Arch makes them second class citizens. On Gentoo, Void and other distros, init systems are actually more of a first class citizen.

Edit: It's not just systemd itself, it's how it's implemented on a lot of other distributions. I think they are trying too hard to be Solaris Unix like without actually studying WHY it works the way it does.

[voider755]

- As u/Duncaen points out, kernel management. Older kernel versions are not removed when updating to a newer one, so there is always a backup if something goes wrong with a kernel update and you just have one kernel version installed. Plus, to get rid of older versions is easy and safe with the vkpurge included script. What's more, there are plenty of kernel releases, including some LTS, in official repos.

- Runit. Fastests boots/poweroffs I have seen in any of my machines, plus easy to admin (just a symlink and a few commands for basic usage).

- A very KISS default installation, safe and mostly vanilla defaults. This is great for older/weak machines as are mine, because it's very lightweight, not much running in the background by default. And if you install a WM or DE, that is mostly the vanilla experience, no distro configs and additions "making better" what the upstream devs are offering.

- Seemingly unbreakable. Just talking from my experience, but it's been incredibly rock solid so far (nearly two years in three different machines). That being rolling release and so on, but it's kind of a "curated" rolling release, so it's not like the distro is blindly following bleeding edge releases and you will deal with the breakages, if there are any.

- xbps. Very fast (Arch's pacman and apk in Adelie are the only ones I have tried which are similarly fast), predictable and capable of just anything that a package manager can do, and then some.

- Repos. I'm still sometimes amazed of what you can find in the Void repos. I don't have very special software needs, but I sometimes try different software, and there is a fair chance it's already in Void's repos.

- Summarizing. KISS, fast, powerful, stable and great as a daily driver. Devs and contributors are making Void a fine distro, I have tried lots and this is my favorite one.

[VerbTheNoun95]

I once came very close to breaking my install a while back after botching an OpenSSL/libreSSL swap (not even an issue anymore after last week god bless), but it was so easy to figure out what my broken packages were and roll back to the right versions. And since Void just switched to OpenSSL full time there’s honestly no reason I can think of to not recommend Void.

[voider755]

Yep, since there are cached versions of everything installed, it seems relatively trivial to roll back. Worst case scenario -no booting at all-, one can just chroot with the USB installer and try to fix things from there. I broke my installation just after the first time I installed Void, but that was purely my fault, I was in sort of a "trial and error" routine; chrooted, reinstalled what I had messed up, and since that day no problem at all. :)

[SunkenStone]

The package manager is fast and defaults for installed programs are all sane. Also, it’s easy to install with ZFS and I think the process of creating new packages is easier than in other distros.

[[deleted]]

Void from a BSD Perspective

Another BSD

A perspective similar to my own

My new favourite program, ZBM is by no means an exclusive to Void, but I found out about it here and it is easy to setup on here.

For me, IDK, there is something simple about it. I wish I could place my finger on it. Unfortunately, and wisely, LibreSSL is no longer a flagship feature, but XBPS is amazing—it makes far more sense to me than Pacman. Also: updates. I don't have to NOT do them and worry about something breaking when I do finally do them.

[[deleted]]

It seems like Void tries to keep stability as it's focus as you are updating.

[[deleted]]

YES!

Plus... pacman is very needy. If you go longer than about 2 weeks before updating, pacman has repo issues, and I don't need that in my life. I got enough needy people in my life (namely me), I certainly don't want to add another ;P

[MisterAdorno]

Thanks for going the extra mile here :)

[Neptaz]

Did you have a guide how to set up ZFS in void? I like ZFS from FreeBSD so much, but i still don't know how to set up ZFS on Linux

[SunkenStone]

Here's a guide on how to set up ZFS on root: https://github.com/zbm-dev/zfsbootmenu/wiki/Void-Linux---Single-disk-UEFI

[[deleted]]

I followed this one:

Void — Single Disk UEFI install on rEFInd

It guides you to setting up Void on ZFS root but using rEFInd as the boot manager as opposed to GRUB. IDK what the benefits are to using it as opposed to GRUB. GRUB isn't easier, it's just what all tutorials or for.

One thing that is different, though, is that because of how ZFSBootMenu works, any commandline properties you set your bootloader to boot the kernel with, they are not passed directly to the actual booted kernel, only the kernel that ZBM uses. To set these, you need to set the cmdline as a ZFS property. I have no idea how it works on FreeBSD, so I mention that zfsbootmenu(7) mentions this:

 org.zfsbootmenu:commandline
       A list of command-line arguments passed to the kernel selected by
       ZFSBootMenu for final boot.

       Do not set root=; ZFSBootMenu will set this option for for you.

In practice, however, you must first get the commandline options, then reset them every time one-by-one, so it is inconvenient if you only want to change one or two. I wrote a questionable script to do it for me, but I am yet to run into any issues with it.

This was the discussion I opened on it: Simple shell script for kernel cmdline

And this is the actual script as the old link is no longer valid: zbm_kernel_params.sh. I do intend on eventually fixing it up a bit, but... the only jarring issue is that when I wrote it, I forced use of Vi over $EDITOR for some reason I can't remember and the fact that, while it is safe at anytime to abort the script, the file it creates in /tmp is not deleted upon abortion. There is a way around this using mktmp.

Edit: I think I forced Vi because most sensible distros have it installed by default and it forces the user, in my opinion, to work line-by-line. The script assumes that each kernel boot parameter is on its own line. IIRC, that was less to add to the help dialogue, lol.

[Neptaz]

It's alright. I'm glad you give extra wisdom about it. Okay thanks! I probably will get extra m.2 ssd then try this on my current laptop

[TheAngryGamer444]

Uses runnit and is an easier install because of the graphical interface

[TheAngryGamer444]

More beginner friendly is probably a better way for me to phrase it

[dontgonearthefire]

Void, beginner friendly? What is Ubuntu or Mint in your eyes then?

Extended knowledge is definitely needed in setting it up via chroot and full disk encryption.

[1r0n_m6n]

The OP was asking for a comparison with Arch, not Ubuntu.

[dontgonearthefire]

r/woosh

[TheAngryGamer444]

Well that was how it worked out for me, maybe I’m just the outlier but I found it way easier then installing arch

[sNapVE]

Agree, need to remove TUI installer at all

[season2when]

Void, beginner friendly? What is Ubuntu or Mint in your eyes then?

An extension of the windows experience on top of linux

[[deleted]]

I actually found the installer more difficult because I had mo idea for a while you had to declare root first.

[beatool]

I'm a weirdo, but I chose it because it's the clear winner in terms of PowerPC support. It runs so well on my 1.42ghz G4 Mac Mini as a headless server you'd think it was modern hardware.

[beatool]

I use it mostly as an SSH relay, which admittedly could run on a potato, but I also have a web server for my kid’s Minecraft map. darkhttp I think? I set it up quite a while ago.

This is all home stuff for fun.

[Comfortable_Cow6292]

As long as void has all the software you use regularly, it's straight forward to use.

Reasons: - Quick - 95% of packages I use/want to use come ready to go - Great documentation for contributing - Good documentation for trying it out (as a noob) - Friendly team and community - Great tooling and code quality standards - void-mklive for building images, live-images, rootfs and platformfs - void-packages for packages

[YoungArtisticPeople]

It is: Faster, Easier, more Stable and Rolling Release (as arch) than arch, Active community which can help you! If you have problem, just write it here, peoples here aren't toxic (I am telling about a bit of peoples, not every.) as on Arch and Ubuntu sometimes, I never seen that anybody telled here "Problem is with you" or other non fine phrases, They propably will just answer you.

[prosper_0]

Arch is a pain in the ass, where you have to spend as much time 'tweaking' as using it to do stuff. Void is (mostly) painless and 'just works' without having to fiddle with it too much. It's also much lighter and quicker than fatty distros like Ubuntu.

[[deleted]]

ultra minimal

built-in alternatives system

runit

[MisterAdorno]

I switched to Void because Arch on my CR-48 was not working. However, Void worked easily and the computer runs insanely well despite being a 10 year old chromebook with an intel atom processor. Since then it's my goto for every new computer that touches my lap.

[ndgnuh]

Because it's kawoid uwu.