(Wizard appears in a puff of smoke, gets hosed down by anti-smoking lobbyists)
Yeah thanks, Paul … I know where you live
@Novice welcome to linux.org.
KDE-Plasma – I have maybe 8 to 10 of my 70 or so Linux Distros running with Plasma, but I have not yet had a reason to try to de-populate them with regard to making them “less frills”.
So I would defer to
@nuna in that regard.
I have yet to use Arch itself, but maybe soon.
Rather, I use “Arch-based” Distros such as Manjaro, Manjaro Strit (because it comes with Timeshift installed), Bluestar Linux, and currently, Netrunner Arch-based (based on Manjaro).
The Netrunner distro looks promising (I have used a fork of theirs called Maui before) – they have a Debian-based and an Arch-based product on offer.
If you are interested, you could try it from here
https://www.netrunner.com/download/
A screenshot of my desktop is below
Being Arch-based, it comes with Pacman, and access to yaourt for use with the AUR (Arch User Repository) so it may not be too much of an adjustment for you.
The icon related to Steam is simply a result of my searching under Steam, and the installer appears, looks user-friendly but I am not a Gamer so will not likely install.
Calling up “All Applications” on it reveals less than the usual KDE, but I do not know if it will satisfy you. You could try it Live?
Good luck, and enjoy your Linux, and if I can be of assistance, just cast a fifty dollar bill into a pond, click your heels 3 times, and say “Take me home, country road”.
But not before next Thursday if you want a quick response. (see my profile)
(Wizard exits, turning lobbyists into rainbow-coloured newts)
Wizard