I wiped and reloaded my slackware install today... and I'm finding that I can't execute much as a normal user.

Here's the process of installation:
First, I rearranged (as in completely redid) my partition table. This should have no effect, because every linux partition was reformatted.

Then, I went through the install (non-newbie, exact same selections I always make for each install)

Installed the 2.6.7 kernel

I then, as root, copied my /home backups from my USB backup drive over to the current /home.

Added user "will" (my main user), and chowned everything in /home/will to the new user, just like I've always done on a reload. Added a new group, logreaders, chgrp'd /var/log to "logreaders", added will to the group.

Started up X (badwm), and started trying to do things. xmkmf -a for building root-tail, but the first time I tried it gave me permission errors. Tried various other things, like starting firefox, but no go. I deleted the user and re-added, and then magically I was able to do xmkmf -a. Still no FF though.

I checked permissions for a few things, and everything SEEMS to be right.. I dunno though.

Problem solved.

chown -R will .* (run from the home dir, as root)