>>16
Arch's developer-maintained repositories are up to date. The user-maintained repository is mainly for nightly builds, experimental alternatives, and niche programs. Popular packages move on to the main repositories.
There is a problem though, you have to copy some files manually if you want to build user packages. (There is a tool for this, but it has a complicated name I cannot remember, but at least it follows the Linux program guidelines -- bang your head on the keyboard)