Logging in at the console and then typing startx in slack should start up kde

Personally, I prefer Debian over Slackware....But I was thinking of moving my server from a cli only debian to slackware....just been too lazy

Hi Norin311!

Most likely, it was my fault to end up with a broken system using "apt-get upgrade". It was a long time since I last used Debian, but I think that I've mixed some packages from Sarge and Sid or something similar.

I also got a broken system when using Redhat 9.0 and apt-get upgrade. It brake some packages from my pygame and there was no way to fix it but reinstalling the system. Then again, there could be another way, but I was to new to Linux to find another way...

Well, I probably don't have the right to comment because I've just used one distro , but...

I absolutely love Slackware. I built my own computer from scratch a month or two ago, wanted to have Linux on it, and decided, heck, I might as well go hardcore .

So, I got Slackware 10.0. Yeah, it's sometimes difficult or noncooperative or downright enraging. But it's been a fun and awesome learning experience. It's more than possible for a newbie, with a little effort, to figure stuff out, even if he's been babied by Windows all his life. In fact, I think in the long term it's actually quite easy because you actually learn how to fix and configure settings and files at the barest level. And then, even when you can't figure it out on your own, there's the community you get with the package, which is extremely knowledgable and helpful. Slack just rocks.

*happily joins the Slackware fanboy club*

Hardcore = Linux From Scratch

I'd vote for Slack any day of the week
The best distro since 1993, it's the way a linux should be. It got experience, large fanbase, and it has it's files where a linux should have it's files! Nothing more frustrating to a when he reads in XY-HOWTO: This file is here.... and it's not because it's some mandrake or suse. If you want a GUI try ncurses. It's (kinda) graphical, however I don't see why ppl would prefer mice over the power of the keyboard... Must be the influence of some weirdo OS that's built for 4 year olds and grandmas...

Ok enough ranting. Have a nice day.

Now, those peoples also need to use a computer right? Children to play games and grandmas to avoid long waiting lines to pay bills. Or would you want them to know how to start a service and type the name of a web browser in a terminal...

Mandrake and SuSe has just done the best they could to make it easier for other peoples too. Not only geeks has the right to use a computer you know .

Lol, not everyone is as smart as you Deimios666, and, no offence to the Slackware users in here, but Slackware is the exact opposite of what 95% of the computer users in the world want. People want their hands held when using computers, and they want all the work done for them. If this wasn't the case, Microsoft wouldn't have the market share they have. Now my 35 year old aunt has trouble doing some things in Windows, do you think I'd be able to sit her in front of a computer running Slackware and expect her to learn it right away? While Slackware is a good distro, it isn't the only good distro. Linux is about choice.

Plus, I don't use Slackware and I have never had a problem between things being extremely different between the Slack file system and SUSE's file system.

ok some disscussion between debian and slack here... seems they are the more popular distros to be mention the last couple of pages [BTW i had no idea this post would grow this much] so as far as i can gather.

Debian:
good. solid. stable. i like the sound of that

Slack:
more of a command-line base. decent distro for newbs. a little more of a pain to get things just right.

then there is LFS. this has intrigued me. not only in this post but also in the distro reviews about LFS. i am not sure if i know that much about Linux to tackle something as big as that. but when i get my own place and actually get a small home network going i plan to use my test computer [see the specs below] and try my hand at some other distros.

but again i thank you for the input and i would like to say keep it coming.

-SPECS-
[SUB System]

2GB HDD
1.44MB floppy
Win2k Pro
32 Nvidia Graphics
Intel Celeron <300MHz [not sure exactly]
128 MB RAM
52x32x52x CDROM
[the whole system not bad for 40 bucks... i would say. just something to play with so i don't break the beast that i am running now. see those specs if you haven't already done so below.] see more in my profile.

you'll learn the command line is pretty powerful. i use the command line for a lot of stuff, but i still browse the web and use gaim in x. but anyways, when i first started using slackware, i barely had to use the command line. it probably would've got me somewhere faster if i did, but i edited files and such in KDE with no problem.

so basically if you want to, you can use the command line in any distro. but i don't think slack really forces you into it that much. maybe a little more than others though.

if you want to do LFS, make sure you've got a lot of free time....

In my opinion slackware is no where near the best. It has a crappy installer, causes problems during the install, and has the least potential for maintaining it after the install. I use FC1 and Suse 9.1 pro and have tried mandrake, slackware, debian, gentoo, and a slew of others and am not impressed with slackware in the least.

The command line is no more powerful than the willingness of those to use it. People's lives are far more geared toward getting things done than they are learning switches to command line programs. Command line is an ok feature but it really has no place in computers today except for a few select things, and even then those are questionable. If you like the command line you are one of those few who are missing what's really happening in a GUI and computing, and you probably would be so much more competent over time if you just adapted to the GUI instead.

The interesting thing is that computers were designed to do the repetitive tasks. That means they were designed to take control over those tasks that are not conducive to getting the job done without alot of repetition--which happens to be just about every task one would perform using computers.

In the end, when the repetition of those initial tasks are reduced, then the natural progression is to remove the repetiton from the less obvious computing tasks. To continue to promote users doing the repetitive tasks (especially when the command line is not faster in any way, except for the simplest of things) is contrary to the reason computers were created to begin with. Unfortunately we have sort of stagnated due to a lack of powerful computers to perform the things like recognition tasks (handwriting, voice, facial, smart agents, AI) which is where the computer should have headed 10 years ago. We can thank the likes of those wishing to profit the most from their cash cows rather than innovate.

well i know that command line is a powerful tool to know. but i am, saddened to say, accustomed to the GUI. as for now. i will use GUI and when installing some things or uploading applications i will slowly move into the knowledge base of commandline. and yes jimbo99 you do have some very valid concepts in there and i would agree. but on one note tho. everyone has their preferences.

i guess its the fact that i play around with old computers a lot that turns me off to the gui. i don't like waiting around for 30-60 seconds for KDE to load on a PII. i can accomplish the same tasks via command-line just as easily. i find that in the gui, running certain applications and tasks gets complex - at the command line, there's only one way to run something: with a command, and usually a one word command. it just makes it easier and more straight-forward. no, i don't use a text browser on the web, i'm not that weird. of course the gui is useful for many things.

i've adapted to the gui before - i was a windows user for many years and a redhat/fedora user through kde for about a year. but for some reason, i'm just more productive at the command line. i'm not saying everything should be done at the command-line, and no user should be required to know any commands at the command line. but if you're already familiar with it, then there's no reason to use a gui for simple tasks.

I'm going to agree with Sether on this one, I have gotten fairly good at the command line and prefer it over the gui when applicable. Linux is about choice, if you don't like the command line, there is always Xandros and Linspire (preferable Xandros ). There are some thigns I do in Windows that I wish I was in a command line so that I can just get things done quickly.

yes sether you are absolutely right abotu that. i mean in winblow$ i did actually acomplish a lot more with DOS. and hey i even used the Graphical WebBrowser for DOS! [yep that's right, back when i was on 56k (cable now, never go back to dial-up) i was on google one day searching for some free web browsers, as an alternative to AOL (you understand) and i came acros this one (sorry i forget the name.) and it was a web browser built for DOS. and to my amazement it was really well designed and the pics came in well, not too much faster than AOL 4.0 but it was decent on speed. but then again on AOL 4.0 i always connected at 58K on 56K Modem. don't ask me.] but ne ways enuff about the browser. for more info do up a google.. for all them KDE users, just type:

gg: free DOS web browsers

into the addy bar in konquerer or whatever you use firefox mozilla opera. whatever your flavor.

and RM yes i also agree... there are some things that you can do in linux that would have made Winblow$ better.

and if you wouldn't mind could you post a bit about Xandros and Linspire. not just for me but for the others that may read this post as well... i mean this is what the post is about. is finding what people think about different Linux distros. like i said before not limited to those in the poll. and who ever said it best, slack is definately taking the polls. but SuSE not far behind...

Well Xandros and Linspire are pretty much distros of Linux with the look and feel of Windows. There is no command line involved, and you can install programs with the click of a mouse. I used Linspire for a short time (I found it boring not being able to tinker with things as much) and didn't have to use the command line once. You can download Xandros for free, but it comes with almost no software on the CD and you have access to very little software. You can also pay for both of them and you get access to a large number of programs. I personally think Xandros is better as it has more stability than Linspire, although Linspire is cheaper I believe.

www.linspire.com
www.xandros.com

Lycoris is also one I have heard is very easy to use, although it is not as popular as Linspire.

thanks for the post RM will look into both of those links... i may not actually download them but i will check them out and see what they have to offer... thank you.. and keep the info pouring in.