I'm installing Slackware 11 and would appreciate some advice from you seasoned veterans. I'm building a system for my wife, hoping to convert her and my teenagers to Linux and wave bye-bye to Microsoft. I want good security, very nice desktop, and good performance. I need to run a couple of windows apps for eBay. I'm installing on a P4C800e motherboard (Pentium 4, 512MB RAM).

A few specific questions:
1. I would like to auto-mount usb flash drives and/or my digital camera and have an icon come up on the desktop.
2. AIGLX, XGL. I want a really exciting desktop but don't want to bog down performance. Are these the solution or should I look elsewhere?
3. Security - do I need something like AppArmor or SELinux or is Slackware sufficiently secure already?
4. Other features to make the family more receptive to a new OS. The kids are, of course, really into IM, iPods, MySpace, video games (esp. Sims). My wife currently uses Incredimail and wants a really friendly e-mail client along those lines.

I believe it's time for Linux to leap into prominence. Help me convince my family that I'm right.

1) Are you gonna use KDE ? I think it does that automatically. If not, then 'autofs' will do it, regardless of window manager.

2) What video card does the machine have ? That's important to know for this one.

3) Slackware is VERY secure. Once you get it installed, remember to write or generate an rc.firewall script. I like to use Alien Bob's EFG.

4) You can run many games through wine, others like Quake, Doom, UT natively. There are plenty of chat clients and Ipod interfaces. I've seen plenty, just look around for programs and interfaces. I remember that many recommend gtkpod for Ipod interface.

1. I would like to auto-mount usb flash drives and/or my digital camera and have an icon come up on the desktop.

With the stock KDE it requires a bit of additional work but it can be done. If you install and use Gnome, specifically Dropline it's covered.

2. AIGLX, XGL. I want a really exciting desktop but don't want to bog down performance. Are these the solution or should I look elsewhere?

See my post about Beryl. I included the URLs to the packages and How-To.

3. Security - do I need something like AppArmor or SELinux or is Slackware sufficiently secure already?

Yes, it's secure.

4. Other features to make the family more receptive to a new OS. The kids are, of course, really into IM, iPods, MySpace, video games (esp. Sims). My wife currently uses Incredimail and wants a really friendly e-mail client along those lines.

Thunderbird is a very user friendly email client, and there are many others. GAIM covers most IM clients. Games are problematic in Linux as most are written for Windows.

My video card is a GeForce 6500XT.

KDE? No preference.

I'm new to Linux. I've had (several years ago) experience with HP-UX and SCO, and I've been watching the Linux situation over the years but this is my first effort at bringing it into my household. I'm just tired of the Microsoft monopoly and really tired of dealing with viruses, etc. I know they exist in the Linux world, but are much less prevalent.

I don't want to be the bubble buster here, but, I'd be prepared for some headaches. I'm sure you already knew that. No transition will ever be smooth. Especially when it comes to the "average" windows user. If your wife and kids haven't been exposed to Linux, they'll probably put up a fuss, regardless if things go smooth or not... It won't be what they are used to, therefore you'll probably have discontention...

If that's not a problem or is worked through, then you still have hurdles to overcome. I'd say your best bet would be to wait for Slackware 12, but that's just my opinion. Slackware is in the process of updating itself to compositing, adding dbus and just generally going thru an overhaul. Some of the features you are seeking will be more readily available 'out-of-the-box' with 12.0.... Otherwise, if you opt for 11.0, be prepared to roll up the sleeves and do lots of reading and tinkering.

I've never had an issue with security really on Linux. As long as you are behind a router with a firewall, I wouldn't even bother with installing a software firewall. I haven't even been running antivirus or a firewall on windows for years behind my router. No viril or anything. Ofcourse, I don't hit myspace, IM and other things where viril may be more prone to exist.. A good hardware firewall can't be stressed enough when it comes to security on any OS...

Your video card is fairly good. Should be able to handle compositing just fine. Again, unless you wait for 12.0, you might have a rough time getting the flashy effects you want. Be thankful you have an Nvidia card. ATI sucks under linux..

You might want to install Dropline Gnome along with KDE that comes with Slackware and let each user decide what to use. Having a different Desktop Environment for each user is not a problem. I like Gnome but hate KDE. Just depends on what floats your boat.

I'm still not sure if KDE is going to automount things like you want it to without HAL support. I still haven't seen a HAL addition to the changelogs. Maybe a KDE user here can help you with automounting but it works out of the box with Dropline. You should be aware that Dropline replaces many packages on Slackware with it's own versions along with adding PAM. It's fairly intrusive IMO so that will be something you'll want to look into or be prepared to deal with.

Games.... Man. Still lacking in Linux big time. You can fork over $5 a month to get cedega and that works fairly well with a lot of titles. You could cancel your subscription after you download it, but if cedega works for you, then I encourage you to keep supporting them. That way, you can also keep getting updates. You can also post in their forums and get help from transgaming staff if any problems arise with XYZ game.
http://cedega.com/

You can check out the Game Database to see what games will run with it and how well.
http://cedega.com/gamesdb/

There are many IM clients for linux. Again, they won't look exactally like or maybe even remotely like they do in Windows but they still work. Another one of those "getting used to" things. Same goes for the iPod interfaces. There are a few I believe. How well they work compared to itunes, I'm not sure. I don't own an iPod...

Thunderbird is the email client I prefer. Their is also Seamonkey, Netscape, Evolution (Gnome based) and others.

It'll be work and some of the family may start kicking but it's doable for sure... It's all a matter of "getting used to"...

That's a great card, and you'll get 3D accel with the proprietary nvidia drivers (even tho I hate them).

For viruses in Linux, they have to get in first to cause their damage, which they won't.

I really hate M$, I'm never going back. NEVER !!!

When is Slackware 12 due to be released? I don't want to wait long, but if it's soon it'll save me some grief... other than the usual new release bugs and issues. I enjoy some tinkering, but I don't want to end up with something that can't be easily upgraded to the next version - which is what concerns me about GNOME. If it replaces parts of Slackware, what is the impact on upgrading to the next release of Slackware?

With respect to games and other Windows apps, how well does WINE work? My preference is to make a clean break from Windows, but my wife insists she must have eBays 'Turbo Lister' which is a Windows-only app. From what I read on the WINE website, this application does not run at all. One person reported that he thought he had it working (http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-336264.html) but it requires installing (under WINE) Microsoft Internet Explorer! Doesn't that make the system vulnerable to IE problems?

I searched for comparable Linux applications, but came up empty. My wife is receptive to Linux, but rather intimidated. I want her experience to be as comfortable as possible.

In the final analysis, if the kids want to play games, they can use one windows box - but it'll never be upgraded past the current XP OS. And they'll have to learn to fix the viruses themselves... maybe that will make them more receptive to Linux.

Well, unfortunately, I've found wine not to work too well. But check out the app listings, some things, like Counter Strike and WoW, run very well, while others don't run at all. Indeed installing IE on Linux may pose some security threat.

Hi rodweston

The previous authors who have replied to you request are in my opinion Linux Gurus, their views on this subject is subjective.

As a Slackware newcomer i can admit this is one of the hardest Operating Systems out there. The lack of wizards even makes it harder compared to Windows XP. Be prepared to edit configuration files by hand and believe me to upgrade you Slackware system you will need something more than visiting the relevant Slackware website which handles the upgrade process at full.

But i would definately suggest you to give a try and see for your self. The outstanding 'real time' support from this forum will be a unique experience for a Windows user.

Slackware can be a user friendly OS and serve you well as long as you put real effort to understand and adapt its philoshophy.



props

Games: Be prepared to compile and configure stuff if you want to run games on Slackware. You will also need to get 3d acceleration working (a lot easier with NVidea, at least). You will need to install or compile a 2.6 series kernel if you want to run a recent version of Wine.

The Unreal Tournament series, Quake series, Doom series, Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and Neverwinter Nights 1 are well-known commercial games with Linux versions. There are others but they can be hard to find.

There are also many good free games, such as Frozen Bubble, Freeciv, PlanetPenguin Racer, Eternal Lands (a MMORPG) and Vega Strike (a SF Elite-style game) to name but a few. A good directory of Linux games is the Linux Game Tome.

PS: Apparently The Sims and Sims 2 do not run well under Wine or Cedega

Other Goodies: there are a myriad of IM programs such as GAIM and Kopete which connect with the popular windows ones. Skype is the exception here, while they provide a Linux client it can be difficult to set up and unstable.

Gtkpod is probably the safest bet with iPods.

I can't recommend an e-mail client. I am not a fan of Thunderbird, purely personal taste.

Bells And Whistles: I would wait until I had more experience before trying AIGLX and company. You can get an impressive looking desktop with Enlightenment or fluxbox and some creative customisation (no spinning cubes, though), but it will be extemely unwindows-like .

Also, one more thing ... there is no benefit to cedega over wine. I mean, really. Cedega is more unstable, proprietary, and it runs only a few more games than wine does because it has better support for directx, although this might change soon. Of course, you can try it, but I think it's a scam.

And once you get to understand Linux and Slackware, it will be way easier than Window$. I agree, it might be challenging at first, but I think it is worth it. Is freedom not worth it ?

You have to enjoy the tinkering. Slackware 12 is not on the horizon yet and even after a schedule is proposed, it will slip. Gnome will break whenever the parts it uses change and will be broken until whichever distribution you use catches up with the changes. The latency is significant.

Again a tinkerer's paradise but the latest new thing will be missing as it goes with IE 7X.

Scanned my nephew's laptop for viruses and spyware and got 500M in the quarantine file. The bad guys seem to be quite adept at making the latest kid fad a honey pot for their poison.

Here is a pretty good program for windows programs and it installs internet explorer 6, however you have to install DCOM98 first then Internet Explorer, it takes a bit of getting used to. Or you can go with wine, since it is free, but it is completely up to you.

I had a cousin, His windows xp install got hijacked and came to me on how to fix it. I gave him a short answer, Slackware. I told him he may have to type a few extra commands, but nothing will ever make your system do what it is now.. desktop hijacked, IE hijacked, disconnects from internet. I don't know what he did, but it was the worst I'd ever seen. Anyway, he agreed, under the terms if I don't like it, you have to put windows back. Ok Great! Slackware 10.2 at the time and a fresh install of Dropline Gnome. For months he never complained! In his words, "as long as I can browse the web, listen to music, and play Enemy Territory I dont care what I'm using". So, what I'm getting at is this, the transition to Linux may not be so hard if your wife and children as long as they get to do what they want to do. To them it's adding files to the IPod, updating myspace, and chatting. It's not so much, this is linux? AHH!! If you can get those set up to work properly, which is easy IMO, then they will have no trouble adapting. As for you, the root, the admin, be prepared to adjust to linux. If you get satisfaction out of completing something yourself, or even enjoy challenging yourself Slackware is for you. If you prefer point and click, Next Next Next, Finish, Reboot, then Windows is were you belong.

The other advice is to wait until Slackware 12. At this point in time, it should not be to long for an official release. But considering the number of changes and the idea of stability that creator Pat has, it may be under testing for an extended period of time. Either way, don't be afraid to get your feet wet with it. If its not for you or the family, the windows disc is always right under the ... well, I don't have mine anymore, but you know where yours is! Best of Luck

I would not bet on that... would already be nice if a release happens before 2008! And it could just as well be released as 11.1, one never knows.

Eric