I don't know how or why it went down that way in arch (and don't really care). But I do know how and why it went down in Debian. Re-posting these links for those who have missed them. Pehaps they will answer some of your questions:

OT: Open letter to the Linux World
Date: Tue Aug 12 2014 - 15:35:49 EST
https://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/ker … 02496.html

Systemd: The Biggest Fallacies by Jude C. Nelson
https://sysdfree.wordpress.com/2018/03/26/186/

General Resolution: init system coupling
https://www.debian.org/vote/2014/vote_003

Combatting revisionist history
2015-02-25 20:23
https://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=120652

I used it to get root privileges in thunar to change fstab entries to UUIDs etc. back in jessie days. Isn't that what you asked for? However, it probably doesn't work anymore. There are likely new ways of doing it today.  I never mess with that stuff after it's set up so can't remember specifics . . .

It used to be easy with gksu thunar but gksu was removed/deprecated years ago. Search and there might be current alternatives.

@alexkemp . . . finally got around to putting some of the "Powered-by" icons in git:

https://git.devuan.org/devuan/documenta … a45e4936f3
https://git.devuan.org/devuan/documenta … narrow.png
https://git.devuan.org/devuan/documenta … narrow.png

This info is in the commit:
Powered by Devuan icons courtesy of alexkemp. Thank you!
See: https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?pid=43713#p43713

Thanks again!

Why? I never could figure out the gnome3 desktop. That's when I stopped using it a very long time ago. So sorry, can't help except to mention the Mate desktop which uses gnome2.

I will drop here a link from over 10 years ago for your reading pleasure :
GNOME (et al): Rotting In Threes

Installation of packages is handled by apt either via the command line or the synaptic package manager. Have you read this page?

https://www.devuan.org/os/packages

Welcome to Devuan! While I appreciate your contribution, I am puzzled by the title.  I have no idea how to pronounce it, can't remember how to spell it so not in my memory bank and "Vende" as in the French verb "Vendre" which means "to sell" has me confused as to your intentions. Please enlighten me. Thanks!

Well . . . your English is better than my Ukrainian and we can understand what you are trying to say. Thing is that if information related to your installation is misspelled, our search engine won't be able to find solutions to any problems you might solve. Just a bit more attention would be really appreciated. Thanks.

@deepforest . . . There is no "Deadalus" at Devuan (or anyplace else afaik).

PLEASE stop posting erroneous technical information on this forum and correct your previous spelling errors that might confuse other users. I am tired of cleaning up your mess.

Then . . . learn how to spell DAEDALUS correctly so our search engine will find the actual Devuan distribution to which you are referring.

Thanks for helping to make this forum a more accurate resource for other users.

Thanks for doing that! Why didn't you put them in Devuan's git? Pulling out the two I prefer and adding them to the git art section is still on my list . . .

First sentence of the third paragraph on:
https://www.devuan.org/os/documentation … o-daedalus
Note that skipping releases is not supported.

You think?

Oh well . . . maybe someone else will wake up to the idea of becoming part of the solution . . .