Nah, maybe 10 years ago or so. Now you install it with a script and it just works.
Installing packages on Arch is way, way easier than doing it on Ubuntu, the OS that for some reason people keep recommending for newcommers.
And since installing packages is about the only thing that you do with your OS as a beginner, that’s a big deal

I really don’t like how “consumer-friendly” means “GUI that resembles Windows” in the minds of so many people.

That’s the official numbers. They mean nothing in the real world. In the real world purchasing power of ruble got halved, at least.

My huge corporation banned us from ever using it ever. They were iffy on it before, so previously we were only allowed to use it if we don’t handle any sensitive data, but now we aren’t allowed even have it be installed, they don’t trust any of it

None has enough functionality.

“Can’t you just ignore the ads?” Not if they specifically, psychologically, using the most advanced technology, tailored and made specifically so you personally can’t ignore them, using the data they gathered. And then you just have to hope that it’s an ad making you buy shit you don’t need, and not a psyop compaign made for you to change religion, worldview, voting decisions.

The most important of decisions

Elongated Muskrat has very little to do with the inner works of the company now. Even in the heights of his involvement, by his own account, his input was tangential at best, like “we make expensive car now, use this money to make cheaper car” and “we call it x because x is the best name ever”