[levifig]

So glad to see this on the front-page of HN! Arch is a great distro but, like Linux in general, is struggling for support and promotion.

Now, I'm no believer in "Linux on the Desktop" any time soon (will it finally be 2015? :P), but I'm a firm believer in Linux as a multi-purpose tool that any hacker worth his/her salt should not only have in their toolbox, but also be proficient on. And not just for server usage, which is a bit more common, but on the desktop. I learned a LOT about computers from running distros like Gentoo and Arch, where you have to make decisions and learn the process and components that make things tick.

I highly recommend Arch. It's a super flexible and clean distro, that requires a bit more upfront investment to get installed, but I find it easier to maintain, with the biggest and friendliest support community, and very customizable.