14 DAY TRIAL // I recently had to reinstall my laptop, and since I only use Linux on my laptop, I could not afford to spend half a day customizing the operating system, installing hundreds of updates, and setting up my favorite apps.
I usually go with Arch Linux, but because installing it is not the easiest of tasks and I have to spend a lot of time making it the way I like, such as installing my favorite desktop environment, enabling AUR (Arch User Repository), installing various apps I need for work and everything else I do on my laptop, I decided to use a different distro.
Of course, I could always go with an Arch Linux-based distro, such as Antergos, Manjaro, or Chakra GNU/Linux, but I'm not a fan of distributions based on another, not to mention that many of them are built around a certain desktop environment and I don't like mixing packages and end up with a bloated system.
I mean, if I can use Arch Linux and I have the time to install it and fully configure it, why would I choose an OS that is using the Arch Linux repositories/packages when I can use the "real thing." Anyway, I was looking at Solus and openSUSE Tumbleweed because, right now, they are some of the most popular ones.
While OpenSuSE Tumbleweed is a good distro that always receives the latest software versions and quickly moves to a new Linux kernel branch, I can't say that RPM-based distros are my thing. I don't know why, but I always preferred a DEB-based OS back in the days, until I discovered Arch Linux, of course.
Surely, openSUSE Tumbleweed is easy to install and configure, but I decided to give Solus a try on my laptop since it now offers ISO snapshots, so you won't have to download hundreds of updates after installing it, and comes pre-installed with most of the applications I use on a daily basis.
Solus is extremely easy to install and includes most of the apps I need
Solus also offers the latest apps, encrypted installations, and it's extremely easy to install. It works out of the box on my laptop and the Budgie desktop environment can be bent to your liking. What I like the most in Solus is that I can always upgrade the applications I use whenever I want, just like on Arch Linux.
Right now Solus' community is not as big as Arch Linux's, but in time, it will grow, especially if you can help by contributing with new or updated packages. Bottom line, whenever I want to reinstall my laptop, I can always rely on a Solus Live USB stick I have on hand.
I'd like to know which of the three would you use on a daily basis, especially if you find yourself in a situation where you have to quickly reinstall your laptop. Yes, I know, there are many other distros out there that offer a fast installation process, such as Ubuntu, which is loved by many, but which rolling distro is your favorite, and why?