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References: <5297f63e-53ba-4591-837b-aac9436cb4d9@camelia.dev> <OWnxUBI--F-9@keemail.me>
In-Reply-To: <OWnxUBI--F-9@keemail.me>
From: Prabu Anand Kalivaradhan <kprabuanand@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2025 16:52:01 +0530
Message-ID: <CAAt6f0YxxRyaHbBjtAmT=XFRPPLMWOaQ+0zfM2g+mkt_5L4Z7w@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Thinking about using Alpine edge on my desktop, how stable is it?
To: spoon@keemail.me
Cc: Camelia Lavender <cam@camelia.dev>, 
	"~alpine/users@lists.alpinelinux.org" <~alpine/users@lists.alpinelinux.org>
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Since you have already used Alpine in a VPS, i believe you should be
quite familiar with core ideas behind Alpine Linux.

With that in mind, testing repository is needed only if the package
needed by you is not available in community/main. Since you're
planning to use "edge" software version conflicts are also a
non-issue. Packages in testing does not usually cause extra downtime.
Alpine edge is recommended, if you plan to develop/contribute to
Alpine Linux.

For new desktop users  go with stable release initially. Upgrading to
Edge is one command away. With stable release, using "Testing"
repository requires extra care.

I have been using Alpine Linux stable release as a desktop OS for an
year without any issues and i used Arch earlier.  Do note that
proprietary binary-only hardware driver will remain a blocker, if you
have one.


On Mon, 4 Aug 2025 at 12:53, <spoon@keemail.me> wrote:
>
> Alpine is not a desktop distro. It's only practical use is in containers =
and servers. You are gonna have a hard time doing anything productive if yo=
u use it for desktop. Better stick to Arch or Fedora for desktop.
>
>
>
> Aug 4, 2025, 06:23 by cam@camelia.dev:
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> First of all, I want to thank all the people who make Alpine possible, it=
 is a really awesome distribution! Much love to you <3
>
> I've been using Alpine Linux on my VPS since several months and I am lovi=
ng it so much that I'm considering switching to it on my desktop as well. I=
 am thinking about using the rolling release (edge) for my desktop, and I w=
as wondering whether some people in here in have been running it for some t=
ime.
>
> More specifically, my questions are the following:
>
> - In your experience, with proper maintenance (regular system upgrades, u=
pdating configuration files, etc.), did Alpine edge (*without* the testing =
repository enabled) often break in the past?
> - Same question but *with* the testing repository enabled?
>
> Of course, I know that this question doesn't give any guarantee and I als=
o understand that by enabling the testing repository my system will be more=
 prone to errors. I guess I just want to hear from people who have more exp=
erience with Alpine than I currently do.
> --
> Sincerely,
>
> Camelia Lavender (she/they)
> PGP: 0xDBCC70EFBC360E97
>
>