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Arch Linux is well known for being one of the more complicated distributions on the market. Although not on the level of Gentoo’s difficulty, Arch does pose many a challenge for those new to the world of Linux.
However, several developers in the Linux community saw what the combination of Arch and a user-friendly experience could deliver. Since that moment, there have been plenty of Arch spinoffs aimed at making the distribution accessible to more and more users.
One of those spinoffs is called Bluestar Linux and makes Arch Linux very simple and beautiful to use. The goal of Bluestar Linux is to create an operating system that provides a wide range of functionality and ease of use, without sacrificing aesthetics. There are three different “flavors” of Bluestar Linux:
- Desktop: For basic desktop use
- Deskpro: For more advanced desktop use
- Developer: Tailored for developer usage
Also: How to choose the right Linux desktop distribution
Bluestar Linux uses the KDE desktop environment and, depending on the flavor you choose, will be a basic KDE desktop or a more advanced version. For example, on the Deskpro installation I tested, the KDE desktop includes a live desktop dashboard (a Konky) showing system usage, as well as a weather gadget, desktop icons for specific folders, a desktop pager, and a Pantheon-like dock at the bottom of the screen.
The Bluestar Linux auto-hidden top dock contains the Application Menu.
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What is it with the dark themes?
Something I’ve never quite understood is the whole dark theme trend. Yes, it’s all a matter of taste, so my penchant for lighter themes does not mean it’s the best opinion. But the Bluestar Linux dark theme is jarring. When you see that pillar of white against the nearly all-black system theme, it makes it hard to work. Discerning toolbar icons can be a bit tricky as well.
