How did I end up here?
My history with Linux is quite common. Although I knew it existed, I had no real interest in it, nor did I understand its implications. During a course, I was forced to use Ubuntu, which was my first contact with this world. After completing several tasks and familiarizing myself with some basic commands, I started to get the hang of it, but without understanding the history, the possibilities, or the global magnitude of Linux.
Over time, my curiosity about IT led me to start receiving related content: articles, videos, and memes. Little by little, the idea of “Linux” settled in my head. Once I finished that module in class, I stopped touching a terminal—except for IntelliJ IDEA—or anything related to this system. However, when summer arrived, the idea of trying Linux on my own came back with a vengeance. After researching, I categorized my options:
- Linux Mint: The “windows-friendly” option. Perfect for those who don’t want to leave their comfort zone right away.
- Ubuntu: The industry standard. It’s not as intuitive as Mint, but it’s rock-solid.
- Fedora: Sold in certain circles as Ubuntu’s customizable sibling.
- Debian: A robust and serious system. Not for the impatient, but extremely reliable.
- Arch: The “love it or hate it” choice. Flexible to the point of being unthinkable, but demanding and with a vertical learning curve.
I decided to start with Mint. It was the logical path after years of Windows. Mint is an incredible distribution—I mean no disrespect—but after a week, in my search for something more “powerful” and “customizable,” I decided to wipe it. I jumped to Fedora, where I suffered a nightmare of failed installations and boot errors. After two days of frustration trying to get it to work, and with some healthy envy (which I tried to hide) for the rices I saw on r/unixporn, I decided to take the direct path: Arch Linux.
Installing Arch…
Although I walked on eggshells—fearing the fame Arch has for breaking the system if you don’t know what you’re doing—I couldn’t avoid wiping my Windows installation. Yes, I decided to set up a dual boot from the very beginning “just in case,” but I ended up reinstalling Windows three times. To this day, I still don’t know how I managed to mess it up so badly.
I must admit—and I know for many users this is a capital sin—that on the last two occasions, I used the archinstall script. It is a fantastic tool that enormously facilitates the process for novice users. Once the installation was overcome, I already had my eye on my window manager: Hyprland. This project, developed and maintained by Vaxry, caught my attention from the very first minute.
The Rabbit Hole: Rice
During the first few weeks, my main goal was to learn: understand the official package manager (pacman), navigate the AUR with yay, and familiarize myself with the Linux ecosystem. I didn’t apply any customization. Although I was dying to have something aesthetically unique, I preferred to consolidate my basic knowledge first.
When I finally felt prepared for my first rice, I discovered that reality was a bit beyond my current technical reach. I tried to create something basic, but the result didn’t convince me. I decided to swallow my pride and look for external inspiration. That was when, at the right time, Caelestia was published on r/unixporn. I was fascinated by its use of quickshell. I decided to adopt it, and to this day, it remains my base. I have made my own tweaks, but its structure remains intact. I know that one day I will set out to create my own rice from scratch, but I also know that when I do, I will obsess over every last pixel, and that is something that, for now, requires time I don’t have.
My opinion, tips, and resources
SOON!