All right, after a few months of using Slackware 13, I've decided it's not that great
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@AGer: Thanks for your reply. While I don't entirely agree, I do see your point.
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There is a good reason why defaults in Linux are never right: all systems are different and nobody puts the "average user" needs above personal comfort and habits.
That's a tough one; how would you solve this issue?
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(1)...it was well explained why Slackware dropped GNOME. If Slackware decides to stop being a KDE distro, it can be achieved easily: move KDE to pasture...
(2)...if I do not install KDE what a GUI CD burner will I have?
There are XFCE goodies that are not included.
(1) I'd have no problem with that, though I am sure many would.
(2)Very good point. I used K3b previously- that's been my only use for the kdelibs/base packages for some time. With 13, I've been using xfburn; it's working quite well for me.
Someone above said that Slackware 13 shouldn't be judged by its inclusion of KDE4. I agree. The WM/DE is not the OS. There are choices. That's the one of the greatest things about GNU/Linux.
As far as needing a burner app when you're not running KDE... what's wrong with xfburn. I use it. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of K3b, but it's stable and efficient. Try it...
Distribution: Slackware64 14.2 and current, SlackwareARM current
Posts: 1,640
Rep:
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Originally Posted by allend
Originally posted by titopoquito:
mirror.pacific.net.au was down from 12/11/2009 for server upgrade/improvement and is now back on line and working just fine.
Nice to hear that - there can't be enough mirrors I think.
I clicked all of them some days ago just out of curiosity, at least some were apparently dead (like an offer "domain for sale" and the usual advertising).
I second other LQ members' opinions. KDE is not everything that slackware offers.
After using KDE 3.5 on 12.2 I had a brief encounter with KDE 4.2.4. Due to known issues with 4.2.4 I switched to XFCE and then fluxbox. Having used fluxbox for a while I decided to give KDE one more shot. This time it was kde 4.3 in slackware-current. It was noticeably more stable than 4.2.4, but it did have its shortcomings. Consequently, I returned to fluxbox. I configured LOTS of key shortcuts which makes operating it very quick and comfortable.
I'm not sure I buy the, don't judge Slackware by KDE's performance. The Slackware 'team' decided to put KDE in, so thus I feel fine judging them over this. 'They' decided not to include Gnome and go with KDE. 'They' decided to use KDE 4.x over KDE 3.5.x. If it was really felt that KDE 4.x wasn't ready they wouldn't have put it in.
All that being said... I've been a Slackware user since Slackware 10, and have hated every minute of using KDE when Gnome was taken out of the distro. I installed Slackware 13 the day it came out, and decided to try KDE4, and haven't looked back since. I've had some bumps in the road, but nothing like what I've seen on this board.
For a distro that doesn't include PAM for various reasons, you can't pass the buck on KDE.
Ok, I'm sure I'm going to get shot down in flames for saying this, but, after nearly 2 months of using Slackware 13 I'm disappointed, quite disappointed. I admit, most of the problems are due to using KDE 4.2.4. Amarok, Dolphin, Gxine, Xine crash a lot of the time. I honestly feel that (for me) as a average desktop user I am much less confident using Slackware 13.0 than Slackware 12.2.
For me I am sick to death of Dolphin crashing. Try holding the shift key to select a large number of multiple files in a directory for example. Instead of selecting all the files, all but the last 4 are selected and then I can't use the hold the Control key to select the last four.
Just ONE example of the problems I'm having.
Oh!, and how come the majority of the Slackware download mirrors never work???
Sorry for small rant... but...
Someone might have already said this but I don't wont to go through three pages to see... Anyway have you tried download a current ISO or upgrading to current? I have to finally say it aloud but I agree that KDE 4.2.4 is not that great, in fact I personally think it kind of sucks. That's why I switched to xfce. However 4.3.3 in current is quite nice and I have gone back. Might be worth a try for you.
Sadly, 4.2.4 really tainted my feelings toward KDE. I was a KDE user all along in my Slack installations all the way back to 10. I was so aggravated with the issues I was experiencing with KDE4(.2.4) in Slack64 that I just gave up. I went to Xfce and never turned back. Maybe I'll play around with KDE again when Slack 13.1 or .2 comes out.
That's a tough one; how would you solve this issue?
With the current state of user - distribution maintainers -upstream relationships, nothing can be done. I guess the way out is to agree that:
1. A free end user general purpose OS cannot exist.
2. There can be at most one general purpose end user OS build with FOSS.
3. Stop laughing at Ubuntu or choose another candidate for that OS.
4. Make it clear for everyone that any other distro is not a general purpose end user OS.
Before: I started KDE in Slackware and it was no good. I am disappointed with Slackware. It contains crap.
After: I started KDE in Slackware and it was no good. I admire Slackware. It is so easy to estimate the current state of the KDE with it.
Distribution: Slackware 13; Ubuntu Raspberry Pi OS
Posts: 255
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Both GNOME and KDE are bloated, have been for a long time. My slack installs are purely for servers and have no GUI functions even installed. Slack 13 is solid as a rock on multiple machines in my server farm.
If I had to pick a WM? Definitely fluxbox or possibly blackbox. Both are fast as lightning and configurable.
You're not the only one brian. I didn't have any significant issues with 4.2.4 either. Yes, there were a few bugs here and there, but nothing that seemed show stopping in any serious way. In fact prior to using KDE4 on slackware, I was a die hard WindowMaker user who hated KDE 3.5.
All I'm waiting for now is for someone to write a plasma widget that acts like the WindowMaker dock and I'm a happy KDE4 bunny.
@AGer: I'll start with 3: I very much dislike Ubuntu. This is a matter of personal preference, and I am well aware that there are many who use it happily. That's their choice; if it works for them, that's great, I don't have a problem with it.
1: contradicts the others.
2 & 4: Why only one? And(based on point 3) why does it have to be Ubuntu?
I still think it doesn't make sense to be disappointed with Slackware just because you don't like the version of KDE that shipped with it.
As several people have pointed out, some are using KDE4 with few or no problems; they seem to be happy enough with it.
I didn't have any problems when I briefly had KDE4 running; I just don't like KDE- that is, again, personal preference, and not meant to reflect on the software itself, or anyone who uses it. I use Fluxbox; I think it's great, and for me, it is. I have no doubt, however, that if Slackware used Fluxbox as it's only GUI, there would be a lot of unhappy users.
I had no problems with KDE 4.2.4 in 13.0 or with KDE 4.3.3 in -current. I prefer using XFce and Fluxbox because they do what I want without using a lot of system overhead. You have a variety of DEs/WMs in Slackware to choose from.
Slackware is all about choice.
Ditching Slackware because you don't like KDE is over kill in my opinion, but, each to his own. If you try out other distros I guarantee you'll be back. They always come back.
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