abyss * your_dotfiles_are_not_a_distrothoughtsyour_dotfiles_are_not_a_distroomarchy is not a distro
omarchy is DHH's latest infatuation - omarchy describes itself like so:

> Omarchy is a beautiful, modern & opinionated Linux distribution by DHH.

as a longtime frequenter of r/unixporn, it was immediately apparent to me that omarchy is not a linux distribution in any traditional sense -- in fact, the entire "omarchy distribution" amounts to little more than Arch linux + DHH's personal dotfiles.

the whole thing should probably just be a few gists.

ultimately i think that any interest Linux desktops is a good thing, but i take serious issue with omarchy's posturing -- _why_ is omarchy such a huge focus of DHH's?

and _why_ does it have a conference, sponsors, and merchandise?

especially when longstanding distros like Debian have struggled with funding and sponsorship for decades?

i think there are 3 things going on here:

1. the advent of LLMs has made unix ricing orders of magnitude easier & more broadly interesting
2. apple's hardware lead & overall design philosophy is falling apart
3. DHH realized this, and is cashing in on a wave of new, inexperienced users looking for a cool looking Linux distribution

a hyper-configured Linux install is, necessarily, hyper-personal. if you install omarchy, you are not installing a Linux distribution - you are installing Arch Linux plus a huge glut of DHH's personal preferences.

~~example time~~
omarchy includes a window manager called hyprland -- here are a few preconfigured keybinds that come from omarchy:

SUPER + SHIFT + ALT + A: opens "https://grok.com"
SUPER + SHIFT + C: opens "https://app.hey.com/calendar/weeks/"
SUPER + SHIFT + E: opens "https://app.hey.com"
SUPER + SHIFT + ALT + X: opens "https://x.com/compose/post"

default keybinds to open... grok? the X post dialogue? hey.com? reeeeeally?

and somehow, the pre-installed applications list is even worse. your default omarchy install will include a bunch of proprietary software, including:
* 1password
* claude-code
* spotify
* typora

and dozens of preloaded scripts to install such refuse as:
* brave browser
* dropbox
* nordvpn (lol)

...

what are we doing?? these are not the kinds of packages that any sane distro would "ship" to its users. and i am using the term "ship" generously here, because omarchy doesn't "ship" _any_ packages - it relies entirely on Arch and the AUR.

and one last thing that's personally offensive to me: a 37-line default ghostty config

shipping a default config for a terminal that's designed to be usable without any configuration...

* my eyes roll out of my head *

...

if you're new to Linux, skip omarchy and install a real distribution - not some guy's personal dotfiles.

if i wanted shitware, i'd just install Windows.

~ jes

The author fundamentally argues that omarchy is not a traditional Linux distribution but rather a combination of Arch Linux and the personal dotfiles of DHH. The text questions the significance of omarchy's focus on external endeavors such as conferences, sponsors, and merchandise, particularly in contrast to long-standing distributions like Debian that have faced funding challenges. The author posits that this phenomenon stems from three underlying factors: the advent of Large Language Models which have made Unixricing orders of magnitude easier and more engaging, the perceived decline in Apple's hardware leadership and design philosophy, and DHH capitalizing on a wave of inexperienced users seeking aesthetically pleasing Linux distributions.

The author contends that a hyper-configured Linux installation is inherently hyper-personal, meaning installing omarchy is less about installing a distribution and more about installing a specific set of personal preferences layered on top of Arch Linux. This hyper-personalization is demonstrated through numerous examples, including custom keybindings for window manager configurations like hyprland, which are often set to launch specific personal web services, and the inclusion of proprietary software such as 1password, claude-code, spotify, and typora in the default installation. Furthermore, omarchy relies entirely on Arch and the Arch User Repository for package management rather than shipping packages, which the author criticizes as an unconventional approach for a distribution.

The text also expresses strong reservations regarding the distribution of default settings, noting the inclusion of a lengthy default configuration file for the terminal, which the author finds unsatisfactory for a system purportedly designed to be usable without extensive configuration. Consequently, the author advises that newcomers to Linux should opt for a standard distribution rather than adopting omarchy, suggesting that if the goal is to install specific software, using Windows is a more direct alternative.