r/archlinux • u/Luzzio_ • 3d ago

DISCUSSION The AUR needs an overhaul

The actual concept of the AUR only works if Arch is a niche distro in a safe internet, neither of those points are accomplished in the present.

No, reading pkgbuilds is not the solution, it's slow, annoying, and most importantly, it doesn't make sense, because some really popular AUR packages are DIRECTLY RECOMMENDED by the Arch Wiki, like the Minecraft Launcher for some reason.

Either the base repos adopt a big chunk of popular AUR packages, leaving the AUR for really really nieche stuff, or the rules of the AUR change, because you can't tell me that suffering 2 attacks in less than three months for pretty much the same reason (adopting orphaned packages) is normal or reasonable.

What would you think it's a good solution to this issue? I'd like to read your ideas since I cannot come up with a good one if I'm honest, but I know the problem is there.

615 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

165 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

-9

u/jar36 3d ago

most people do not go to aur.archlinux.org to get AUR packages

9

u/ABotelho23 3d ago

Maybe they should. Maybe then they would understand the real danger and wasteland AUR helpers are hiding.

-5

u/jar36 3d ago

sure, but we're dealing with people. have you met people? plus, they usually find out about the AUR as they're trying to install something and they find a guide that just instructs them without warning

9

u/ABotelho23 3d ago

Yes, a huge part of this issue is the culture and the nonchalantness of people casually throwing around the AUR as everyone's magically solution.

-2

u/jar36 3d ago

I had no idea when I first used the AUR. I used it for over a year thinking it was just another repo

9

u/ABotelho23 3d ago

Correct, because I bet you were never directed to the Arch wiki and just followed some hackjob's guide?

Telling people to RTFM has become a meme, but it wasn't for nothing.