This is the worst screenshot I have ever seen in my life

I switched from LaTeX to Typst this year, and while I didn't do it for this reason, it's a nice side benefit

https://typst.app/

This is why you should do a manual texlive install... unless you really need bleeding edge LaTeX features

I just use the texlive docker image instead. It is also huge, but at least it is decoupled from system updates

I just ran my routine update script. For the fourth time today. And I’m hit with 2029 updated packages.

I mean, that's kinda what you sign up for if you're using a rolling release Linux distro, and I'm assuming, given the name, that tumbleweed is a rolling release?

searches

Yes:

https://en.opensuse.org/Portal:Tumbleweed

The Tumbleweed distribution is a pure rolling release version of openSUSE containing the latest "stable" versions of all software instead of relying on rigid periodic release cycles. The project does this for users who want the newest stable software.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenSUSE

openSUSE[5] ( /ˌoʊpənˈsuːzə/) is a free and open-source Linux distribution developed by the openSUSE Project. It is offered in two main variations: Tumbleweed, an upstream rolling release distribution, and Leap, a stable release distribution which is sourced from SUSE Linux Enterprise.[6]

I mean, sounds like they've got a non-rolling-release distro too, and that won't hit you with all the updates.

EDIT:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_release

Rolling release, also known as rolling update or continuous delivery, is a concept in software development of frequently delivering updates to applications.[1][2][3] This is in contrast to a standard or point release development model which uses software versions which replace the previous version.

A rolling release model is different from a staged or "staggered" rollout, in which an update is gradually made available to an increasing percentage of users for testing or bandwidth reasons.[4][5]

An example of a rolling release would be Arch Linux, where new packages and updates roll in constantly, and significant changes to the distribution may occur at any time by the developers. This is in contrast to Ubuntu Linux, which has biannual releases, with the only major changes after a release being security updates or significant bug fixes.

i also use opensuse tumbleweed

i dont have texlive installed

for me, updates in which plasma is updated are often 2000 packages

holy shit how many subpackages/libraries of texlive did you have?