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by enoch_r 4067 days ago
I started with Arch too, and am still with it several years later (typing this comment on a Pixel 2 running Arch). I agree that Arch isn't for everyone, but I think a sufficiently curious and motivated beginner will be fine. Mostly because of Arch's incredible wiki.
2 comments

Oh, can you report what works and what doesn't on a Pixel 2 hardware-wise?
Sure! On install, a few things didn't work: trackpad, keyboard backlight, touchscreen, and I think screen brightness. However, https://github.com/tsowell/linux-samus solved all these problems. There are a few details to iron out (as described in the README) but at this point it's fully functional for me.
Great, thanks! If you monitor hardware using powertop, do all devices enter into sleep modes when appropriate? Does the Pixel overheat?
No problems with overheating, so far it's never even gotten uncomfortably warm. Battery life is good enough relative to my old laptop that I haven't bothered checking power usage carefully yet, but here's powertop's output:

https://jds.objects.dreamhost.com/powertop.html

Thanks, very valuable info!
Arch's wiki + the lack of accidental complexity in their tools. Everything is very very tiny. It forces you to know the basic tools (grub,...) , and a few concepts (chroot, etc...). That said it took me years, even after CS college to be at ease with most things.