[MathMonkeyMan]

It exemplifies how complicated a "combine software to make your own user space" system is.

I've been running Ubuntu this or that since 2007. Desktops, laptops, work computers, personal computers, servers. There has been some BS to deal with, but frankly with common hardware it's exactly the same as any other system. Desktop runtime with web browser support. Except that you can do whatever you want, if you choose.

The idea of Arch was that it's supposed to be hard mode, if that's even true anymore. Any non-tech person I've showed my computer is like "oo, what is that?" I say "it's a desktop environment, here's the web browser." And that's all there is to it.

[miladyincontrol]

The idea of arch was never that its "supposed to be hard mode", its meant to hit what many of it's users consider the sweet spot of not being too opinionated but not leaving every single factor up to the user either. For many people that balance makes it in fact easymodo.

Calling it hard mode is putting it on a pedestal, a weird one that ignores much less opinionated linux distros and setups like Gentoo.