6 days ago
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Arch Linux has a reputation for being too complicated, unstable, and not for everyone. For those reasons, several distributions have emerged that attempt to bring Arch to the masses. Many of them (such as Manjaro and EndeavorOS) succeed quite well. However, not all of those forks of Arch are created equal.
Take, for example, Liya Linux. This distribution was created and maintained by an individual to be an Arch-based Linux distribution that's simple to install but still caters to users of all types (from those new to Linux to those who've been around the open-source block a few hundred times). Liya Linux is built for developers, students, and tinkerers. Is Liya Linux a distribution for those who've never used Linux? That's debatable, as Arch Linux isn't exactly a distribution for the masses. However, Liya Linux does use the Calamares installer, so installing this operating system is as easy as it gets.
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Liya defaults to the Cinnamon desktop (the same desktop used on Linux Mint), so the UI is familiar enough for anyone to use. If you don't like Cinnamon, there's always Mate. Of course, in my opinion, Cinnamon and Mate are about as similar as you can get (without actually being the same). Sure, there are subtle differences, but on the surface, Cinnamon and Mate may as well be siblings, cut from the same cloth.
One of the most appealing aspects of Liya Linux is that it's optimized for both v2 and v3 microarchitectures (think older and newer hardware). Additionally, Liya Linux does not collect or transmit any telemetry and runs a bare minimum of services to ensure it's both private and secure. But how is it in real-world testing? Let's chat.
First impressions
I'm not going to lie: I've always found the Cinnamon desktop to be rather boring. That's not to say it isn't effective. It is. Quite. But for my tastes, Cinnamon is too "Windows-like" to wind up on my desktop.
That being said, Cinnamon works very well on Liya Linux. The developer has configured the desktop to be a no-brainer to figure out. You have a desktop menu in the bottom-right corner, launchers on the panel, a system tray, and a single clickable icon that takes you to the Liya GNU/Linux forum. That forum isn't exactly the busiest I've ever experienced, but the Introduction post alone makes it worth visiting, as it contains plenty of information you might want to read before diving in.
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Liya Linux also defaults to the Brave browser, which I find to be the most obvious choice for a distribution that markets itself as private and secure. Another interesting choice is the option to go with OnlyOffice Desktop Editors instead of LibreOffice.
I'm quite fond of this office suite because it allows me to work both locally and via a cloud host. That means I can work with sensitive information on my local drive and less sensitive information on a cloud host (where I might want to easily share those documents with others). Even if you're unfamiliar with OnlyOffice Desktop Editors, it's very user-friendly and allows you to work with documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs. You can even integrate AI into the app (if you so choose).
ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors are a unique office suite that allows you to work both locally and with a cloud host.
You also get the GNOME Encfs Manager, which allows you to work with encrypted directories for even more security.
As I go through the desktop menu, it's clear that the developer has made every single choice with purpose and that purpose is to serve the user in a way that's in line with the goal of the operating system -- "A clean, fast, Arch-based distribution for those who build with purpose, not noise."
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And, of course, there's Timeshift, which is a system restore utility. Timeshift allows you to take snapshots of your working OS, so if something should go wrong, you can always roll it back to a working image. With Timeshift, you can set it up to create automatic snapshots on boot, hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly. With this app, you can be certain that you'll always have a working instance of your operating system.
Timeshift makes it easy to create restore points for your OS.
Should you try Liya Linux?
From my perspective, the only thing missing from Liya Linux is the ability to easily share folders across a network. I get why Samba isn't included (because the developer wants to keep the running services to a minimum), but I think Samba should be considered for addition, especially given this distribution is aimed at "tinkerers."
Even with that omission, Liya Linux is a take on Arch Linux that would appeal to those looking for a minimal desktop operating system that takes privacy and security seriously, thanks to the combination of GNOME Encfs, Brave, a minimum number of running services, and zero collection of telemetry and user data.
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If I've piqued your interest in Liya Linux, download an ISO, burn it to a USB drive, and install it on a spare computer to see what it's all about.
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