Some Background
I started using linux in 6th/7th grade and now have about 5 years of using it under my belt. I started with ubuntu and distro hopped for a long time and eventually deemed Debian as unworthy for me. I tried Voidlinux, Gentoo and Archlinux. Void inspired me, Gentoo inspired me and Archlinux became my main stable, always can go back to distro. I love the boot speed of Voidlinux and the customization and perfection that I could do with Gentoo with openrc, but they never felt like the one.
The Bread and Butter of Linux
Customizing the kernel feels like the ultimate version of ricing a system to your exact needs and hardware. I tried customizing things on Gentoo, but I was very impatient with the performance as I was on an older laptop. Also the laptop was inconsistent on whether it was intel or amd so figuring out hardware was difficult. But now I am on a desktop with a much more powerful processor and double the ram.
I keep going back and forth between Windows and Arch because I hate kernel level anti cheat but love my games. And dual booting was bad because I just ended up removing the linux partition and going full windows for ease of use. I finally broke and reinstalled Arch and have started de-googling/de-microsofting my life. In the process I have tried making the perfect Linux system for my needs. That being peak performance, fast boot times, and compatibility with software.
The Dark Side of Linux
I say "The Dark Side"; however, it is just difficult and makes me mad but at the same time I love it. You learn a lot while trying to make a kernel that works only for your specific hardware. For instance the lsmod command is something you have to learn to understand and read. The use of AI makes it easier to understand all of the gibberish of the ncurses menu. Also how to even start to make a custom kernel on Archlinux. People like the Mental Outlaw are great because they make the ideas of a custom kernel possible. If you want to know where to start I would recommend Custom Kernel by mental outlaw.
Arch is great and is the perfect way to let out that customization itch without building from source for 3 days. If anyone has random tips about custom kernels that they would like to share, please give them. I would love to hear them!
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