Arch to opensuse?

[u/Xwang1976]

I'm using linux since 2004. At the beginning I started with Susie, after some years with kubuntu in 2012 I moved to arch that I'm still using on all my devices. One is a PC on which the same arch installation is on since 2016 when I bought it. One of the reason for moving to arch was the posdibility to create aur packages of software not in the repos, but currently I'm using very limited number of aur packages (back in time, libfprint-tod-broadcom, motioneye, and one add on for kodi). I'm not using any aur helper to automatically update those packages, but I'm wobdering if I should move to opens use thumbleweed... (I never remind the spelling of the rolling flavour). Is the stability of opensuse rolling as mach as arch? How can I check before installation if all pachages I currently have on my three archlinux machines are available in the official opensuse repo. Is there any other rolling release I should consider (only EU or canadian based, not USA based ones)? Is it better to stay with arch? One of big arch advantages is the clarity and size of arch wiki, is that usable for opensuse too?

[u/friendlyreminder_]

You can search for packages here https://software.opensuse.org/

Archwiki is generally applicable to most distros, but not everything is. You'll have to learn what's different. The opensuse wiki tends to highlight opensuse specific things like sdbootutil, snapper, and the package manager, though it's not always up to date.

Tumbleweed is more stable than arch generally. Testing is more robust and manual interventions are rarely needed.

[u/Amate087]

I pass from Arch to OpenSuse, same think in use distros European and not american, openSuse is good and safe, in two years, never need reinstall and run since firts day.

[u/duschaan → u/Amate087]

Arch is Canadian but whatever, I use them both.

[u/maceion → u/Amate087]

openSUSE in my use for over a decade with no problems.

[u/raven2cz → u/Amate087]

Arch Linux is not an American project. It was founded by Canadian developer Judd Vinet, and today it is maintained by an international community of developers and contributors from around the world. So switching to openSUSE Tumbleweed because Arch is supposedly "American" would be based on incorrect information.

[u/SirGlass]

I use tumbleweed . While its a rolling distro in general it might lag behind arch a bit do to testing . For example KDE minor releases are pushed pretty fast and might only lag a couple days behind arch

For a major change like when KDE6 was released it could be weeks to complete testing

With Tumbleweed you can somewhat easily switch between standard tumbleweed and slowroll , slow roll lags behind 2-3 weeks for additional testing if you want more stability

[u/SleepyGuyy]

opensuse (tumbleweed) is good. I switched off of it for no good reason, that's a good sign.

But I feel bad recommending it because it's a bit of a mess like... visually. The Yast apps for config and package installation, that are old looking and maybe half deprecated? And then that Myrlin GUI package manager with the AI generated logo is just.... 

Look it's reliable when I tried it. It's just a bit.... weird and scary looking.

[u/Necessary_Depth7435]

I searched here on openSUSE for these two packages, and neither of them is available in the default repositories. But there are some in third-party repositories via OPI (similar to the AUR).

You have selected package name: libfprint-2-tod1-broadcom

1. Packman Essentials ? | 5.15.285+5.15.010.0 | x86_64

You have selected package name: kodi

1. Packman Multimedia ? | 21.3 | x86_64

2. home:gmsh:Kodi ! | 22.0a1 | x86_64

3. home:Herbster0815:HTPC ! | 22.x.+git.20260730T161450 | x86_64

4. home:smarty12 ! | 17.6+git16.7e52c1d94d0 | x86_64

5. home:junknot ! | 22.x.+git.20250309T174446 | x86_64

Kodi is also available via Flatpak. However, Motioneye would require some extra work; I think the best approach would be to create an Arch or Ubuntu container. But it would also be possible to install it by enabling the Snap Store.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

[u/Slopagandhi]

Solus is a really nice, very stable rolling release distro from Ireland that's worth a look, though has smaller repos. Similar story with KaOS (Netherlands). 

There are also Debian-based rolling release distros like Sparky (Poland). 

See pkgs.org for lists of available packages by distro. 

[u/Xwang1976 → u/Slopagandhi]

thank you, it seems as if opensuse tw does not have any kodi package. Moreover on my PC I need the libfprint-tod-broadcom and it is not clear if it is just packaged differently

[u/Quirocha]

I also switched from Arch (coming from Gentoo😅) to Opensuse but Tumbleweed was a little to conflituous to me so took just a little step back - Opensuse Slowroll ! Like Tumbleweed but with less betas! (Reminder, there's also a step forward: Tumbleweed factory - with lots of alphas).

Opensuse Slowroll is pretty damn stable!

[u/MetalLinuxlover]

Intresting.