Linux installation experience is fragile (Python 3.12+, distutils removal, no official Flatpak/AppImage)

[Ribengame]

Hello,

I would like to report issues with the current Meshroom installation experience on Linux,
especially on rolling-release distributions such as Arch / EndeavourOS.

I tested multiple installation methods (AUR build from source, manual install,
and AUR meshroom-bin). The current setup makes Meshroom unnecessarily difficult
to install and maintain.

PROBLEMS:

1. Python 3.12+ incompatibility
   Meshroom imports distutils, which was removed in Python 3.12.
   This causes immediate runtime failure:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'distutils'

Users are forced to downgrade Python, patch source code,
or use undocumented workarounds.

2. System Python restrictions (PEP 668)
   On Arch-based systems, system Python is externally managed.
   pip install fails unless users create a virtualenv
   or use --break-system-packages.
   This is confusing for non-advanced users and not documented.

3. Very heavy source builds
   Building AliceVision from source can take hours,
   is fragile on older CPUs,
   and often fails due to dependency or compiler issues.

4. No official Flatpak or AppImage
   There is no official Flatpak on Flathub
   and no officially maintained AppImage.
   This would greatly simplify installation and avoid Python/system issues.

WHAT WORKS BEST:
The community-maintained AUR meshroom-bin package works much better
because it ships prebuilt binaries.
However, this is not official and only benefits Arch users.

SUGGESTIONS:

• Remove or replace distutils usage to support Python >= 3.12
• Provide an official AppImage (bundled Python + dependencies)
• Or provide an official Flatpak
• Improve Linux installation documentation, especially for:
  • Python version compatibility
  • virtual environments
  • rolling-release distributions

WHY THIS MATTERS:
Meshroom is an excellent tool, but the current Linux installation experience
is a major barrier for new users.
Many users give up before launching the GUI.

ENVIRONMENT:
OS: EndeavourOS / Arch Linux
CPU: Intel i5-3470
GPU: RTX 3050 6GB
Python: ~3.14

Installation methods tested:

• AUR source build
• Manual install from GitHub release
• AUR meshroom-bin

Thank you for your work on Meshroom and AliceVision.
I am happy to help with testing, packaging, or documentation if needed.

[dkogan]

Just FYI, on Debian: apt install meshroom. That's it. Currently this is in sid (bleeding-edge) only, but will flow down to stable and Ubuntu and the others, as they are released.