Why I Switched From Ubuntu to Manjaro Linux

Manjaro office background.

For more than a decade, Ubuntu was my Linux distribution of choice. But, for the first time in a long time, I've distro-hopped. I'm running now Manjaro and could not be happier. It's just that good!

Ubuntu is still great!

I always like very Ubuntu and I have a lot of respect for Canonical. In the world of business, no one approaches success Red Hat had to promote Linux as a serious enterprise infrastructure tool. You could argue the same argument for Canonical and its success by making Linux accessible to newcomers on the Linux desktop.

Many people who are using Linux for the first time are excited about it with Ubuntu. Once they have found their marks and gained some experience, some people switch to other distributions. I've heard the same story many times, in person and online. People tell me that they are part of a particular distribution – Fedora, Debian, that's what I say, I heard it – but they started using Ubuntu. If their current distribution had been their first foray into Linux, they doubted to stick to it. This is an extremely important role for Ubuntu.

No business or business is perfect. Over the years, Canonical has taken ill-considered measures, including transferring the Unity workstation, designed to maximize the available space on netbooks, on all other computers. But, in a revealing and reassuring way, he listened to his user base and canceled some of those decisions. the Amazon default search results, which have been deleted, are a good example. Overall, I still consider that Canonical is a beneficial force in the field of Linux. My decision to move had nothing to do with the organization behind Ubuntu.

So why did I move to Manjaro, and is that good for you?

Manjaro surpasses Ubuntu in speed

Manjaro GNOME Office.

For research and for other purposes, I keep a lot of VirtualBox images from different Linux distributions. It was hard not to notice that Manjaro in a virtual machine was almost as fast as Ubuntu running on my hardware.

This was a compelling factor because I often needed to compile large code bases. The faster my computer can accomplish this task, the faster I can move on to the next one.

Manjaro is faster to load applications, exchange them, move them to other workspaces, as well as for startup and shutdown. And all this adds up.

Newly installed operating systems are always fast at first, is this a fair comparison? I think so. He replaced Disco Dingo 19.04, which was a new facility in late April of this year. Ubuntu should not have slowed significantly in such a short time. I used GNOME on Ubuntu and I use GNOME in Manjaro, although Manjaro also offers Xfce, KDE and command line installations.

So, what can explain the benefits of speed? For example, consider the number of services and daemons run by default. They consume each of the system resources, such as a little memory and time in the kernel. You can check the services and enabled daemons by typing the following command in a terminal window:

systemctl list-unit-files –state = enabled –no-pager

The result on Ubuntu:

List of demons in Ubuntu in a terminal window.

The result on Manjaro:

List of Manjaro demons in a terminal window.

These are two new installations. As you can see, Manjaro has 24 activated daemons and Ubuntu has 90. This type of overload can only have an impact.

Your mileage may vary, but for me, speed was a big advantage for Manjaro.

Manjaro is a lean Linux machine

Ubuntu has a multitude of applications. Manjaro is based on Arch Linux and adopting many of its principles and philosophies, it adopts a different approach.

Disco DIngo header.

Compared to Ubuntu, Manjaro might seem undernourished. You get a simplified installation, which means a quick installation time, then you choose the applications of your choice. It comes with an email client, a web browser, an office suite and some of the other staples, but apart from that, you decide what apps you want and install them.

Manjaro has the impression of driving a kart you built yourself. Ubuntu looks like a large, comfortable and well-stocked RV. There is something to be said for both approaches. It may seem more logical for you to start light and load only what you want. If you prefer the "everything and the kitchen sink" approach, it's an advantage for Ubuntu.

Manjaro application menu.

Manjaro does not take his minimalism as far as Arch Linux. With Arch, you really start with a blank slate and adjust the settings manually. You edit a file to specify the layout of your keyboard and another to set the fonts for your terminal. Once the default Arch installation is complete, you have a Linux instance running on the command line. Do you want a graphical desktop environment? Go ahead, you have a choice. Choose one, install it and set it up.

If Manjaro looks like a homemade kart, Arch wants to melt his own iron ore to make the materials needed to make the kart. But it's Arch's glory: nothing is preordained.

If you are not a purist, or if you do not need this degree of accuracy, Manjaro is probably as close to pure Linux as you want. Compared to Ubuntu, it's a pretty different experience. He feels pure, neat and responsive.

If you have ever used an official Google smartphone, such as a Nexus or a Pixel, and experienced Android naked, you will appreciate the difference. With Google smartphones, you do not have another manufacturer's "improvement" levels between you, the operating system, and the tools.

That's what Manjaro feels, that's another point from me.

Relaxation of the bleeding edge

Ubuntu has two regular releases each year: one in April and another in October. This is what is called the fixed version or punctual release system. Applications and features are developed and tested. When they are ready, they are submitted to be included in the next release. When the publication date arrives, the entire updated distribution is made available.

With a rolling release, the applications are updated in the repositories once they have passed the developer tests and possibly acceptance tests. They are then ready for download. It's a constant thread of updates. You do not get that big "next-hop" jump from the entire cast. There are advantages and disadvantages at the same time.

With a soft-launch model, you do not need to upgrade the system twice a year. You get the new features, kernels, and apps as they are ready. But the price you pay can be stability. You are on what is called "the vanguard" because things here can be cut off.

Manjaro package manager.

Manjaro eliminates most of the risks of the evolutionary model by delaying the publication of new applications and features of several weeks. Once tested and proven safe, they are made available, but things can slip through the net.

Of course, if something will appear, it is easier to locate because you know the last thing you have updated. This makes it much easier to go back. That is, as long as you notice the problem or that the problem becomes known soon after the upgrade or installation, and you connect it to the latest update.

I lost almost two days trying to figure out where my Ethernet connection had gone. It was as if it did not exist physically. There was no trace in the command line tools or GUI. In the end, he was identified as a self-inflicted injury. I had built a version of VirtualBox from incompatible software modules. My fault!

Likewise, all too often after publishing a Ubuntu ad, an app I use all the time has been removed, or something I'm counting on will not work. Why did I have to change the settings of my Samba SMB mount entries in fstab every time I upgraded?

Manjaro has a simple and discreet way to keep you informed of your news. I like it because you can choose how far from the edge you want to be – close enough so you can see it from here, or you can stand on it.

Of course, many people who use Linux do not want to be close to them. Period. the Long-term support their stability and stability, with long gaps of two years between upgrades.

The slippery distribution model has conquered me. Another point in Manjaro.

Best third-party software repositories

Ubuntu's apt-get package manager and Ubuntu software applications work perfectly. They are a bit long in the tooth and awkward in places, but they work. And as Ubuntu is so popular, many applications that are not part of the main distribution, such as Soft-Realize a ".deb" file to facilitate the installation.

What does not work so well is the management of Personal Package Archives (PPAs). A PPA is a repository for one or more applications, usually an independent developer. To use a PPA, you add it to your system in a terminal window and then run sudo apt-get update. You can then install the software using sudo apt-get.

This process does not take much time, but downstream PPM management becomes complicated. They must be purged at maturity. You must restore them if you reinstall Ubuntu. They can become abandoned and orphaned without notice.

For many people, Ubuntu upgrades are done transparently, but for others, they do not work. For those in the unlucky camp, a reinstallation is needed to upgrade to the new version. Reinstalling all PPAs after reinstalling the system quickly becomes tedious.

Manjaro package manager.

The Manjaro repository is a vast collection of software. It is controlled and managed by volunteers from the community. Packet management in Manjaro is well managed – there are several choices in the command line and in the GUI.

If you use Manjaro, you also have access to Arch User Repository (AUR). The AUR is probably the largest repository serving any distribution. It is certainly garnished with the freshest products.

Again, there is yin and yang to be about to bleed. But if you want or need something that has not been transferred to the Manjaro repository yet, it is likely to be available on the AUR.

As always with Linux, it's a matter of choice. You do not have to use the AUR if you do not want it. And in fact, the security lock is enabled by default – you must choose to use the AUR.

The AUR support setting has been disabled (default setting).

Parcel management in Manjaro is like a breath of fresh air. You have the standard repository and thrill seekers can play with the AUR. Compared to a multitude of CAEs, it's simplicity itself.

Point to Manjaro.

Think before acting

Of course, before installing a new distribution, it's a good idea to try it beforehand. If you have any spare equipment, you may want to use it and make sure that the distribution meets your expectations before launching the blitz on your main computer.

You can also start from a Manjaro Live CD, so you can watch Manjaro and kick the tires. Performance will be poor because of the bottleneck bottleneck of the CD-ROM drive. Live USB is also an option, but again, the performance depends on the USB drive. You do not have the same experience with any of these options as if you had it installed on your hardware.

If you use VirtualBox or QEMUyou can launch the new distribution on a virtual machine.

You can also check out the great resource on DistroTest. You can launch a virtual machine from one of hundreds of Linux distributions that it supports. You can test most distributions with a selection of desktop environments. There are more than 700 variants that you can test.

Below, everything is Linux

So, my main reasons are:

Speed. No bloating.
Rolling release model.
Simple package management.

Everything is subjective, of course, but maybe some of them are equally important to you.

Knowing which applications you need and which you already know will be available when you switch from one distribution to another is one of the benefits of Linux. You can change houses and feel very quickly at home.

There is always a bit of research to do, but it's a good thing: never stop learning!


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