Its based on Arch packages (that are extremely out of date) and that doesn't make it anything like arch. An arch package feels exactly the same as software packed by any other maintainer. What makes arch arch is that you start from a minimal install and choose your software. Another thing that makes arch arch is that you get the latest software updates on a rolling release. Another thing that makes arch arch is that you are responsible for your system and making sure it doesnt break.

None of those things remotely apply to SteamOS. A distro based on another distro doesnt mean they are they same. We dont think mint is ubuntu, we dont think ubuntu is debian, we dont think manjaro is arch.

I only push back on your comment because people echoing SteamOS is Arch causes so many issues in linux help discords with new users thinking their steamdeck is arch linux and fucking up their system and thinking that linux doesnt work because they followed an arch guide.

[–] GTG3000@programming.dev 1 points 22 hours ago

You can make it mutable really easy, too, if you need to for some reason. Most stuff you need is available off flathub, but some applications you may want have to be installed the old-fashioned way.