After using Slackware for a little while, I've noticed the offical "supported" packages are much less in number than the packages found in, say, Arch Linux's repositories. As a result, I sometimes have to resort to getting packages from the internet and doing a to get it on my system. What about updating? Is that something I have to worry about myself, checking the website periodically and downloading new versions as I notice them? Doesn't that seem like a load of garbage compared to updating with a command like: I've noticed many other Slackers do this as well, hence the demand for Rob and Eric's repositories. Do you guys connect them to slackpkg somehow or just update yourself. What really makes me wonder is what happens when a new Slackware release comes out. I guess I'm OK with sticking with one version of a package when I'm on the same release, but when it's time to update everything and I have to get all my dependencies in line, what happens? Do you guys write down a list of all the third party packages and where they're from or do you just reinstall Slackware altogether? This is probably a common question, but I'd really like to understand the Slackware way of doing things, especially since everyone in the community seems so content and proud to be here.

slackbuilds.org, sbopkg, src2pkg, slackpkg. Once you know what packages you want to use these tools will cover you. The only packages that I keep an "eye on" manually are NVIDIA drivers and Wine.

samac

I love slackpkg and sbopkg, but what about src2pkg? Going by the name, it sounds like a package builder, but doesn't that still require lots of watching for updates yourself? I know there is a level of manual maintenance in Slackware, and that's why we like it, but if it goes too far then it becomes more trouble than it's worth.

Also, is there any way to connect slackpkg to other repos like Eric's or Rob's? The man page seems to suggest that I'm limited to the one official mirror I choose

I am not a slaker, but I have used Linux for more than ten years. I use a notebook to record package installations and deletions (even those included in my distribution). I start a new notebook each time I switch or upgrade my distribution. I keep a list of 3rd party software I want to keep track of (flash player, java, Acrobat reader, etc.) on the inside front cover of the notebook, and I check the list for updates at the start of each month as a part of my system maintenance routine.

I could use a database for this, but a notebook will survive a system wipe or HD crash because it is done with pencil and paper. Another possibility would be to set up a database stored on a thumb drive, but I am so used to using my notebook system . . .

Very interesting system there, ernie. I might consider doing something like that myself for packages I install from outside of the Slackware "supported" zone. Checking each month seems like a good interval, too, since it's not so often that it bogs me down, but it's frequent enough to ensure a generally up-to-date system.

Still, I miss the days when "centralized location for all packages" was something I could flaunt about Linux. If it were so simple, I would just go back to Arch or give FreeBSD another go, but I love Slackware! It's like we've got a little island of coolness going on here!

Must... balance... priorities...

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ons...-733789/

I put a script at the above link, which forms a list of all the out-of-tree packages I have installed, as well as what in-tree packages I have, and what version compared to the current version on the server.

Others surely have similar ideas for keeping track of their out-of-tree (unofficial) packages.

NOTE: That script was made for Slack 11.0 if I remember correctly, and I haven't looked at it in a while, so it may be a bit rough around the edges, and *may not* yet work for Slack 13 because of the different package extensions (I can't remember if I updated that part) so have a good look at it before considering it "100% working" but it worked well for me.

You might like to have a look at it and make an idea for your own use, or modify that script as you see fit. I plan on revisiting that script soon and giving it an update, so if you're interested, stay tuned.

Sasha

GrapefruiTgirl, that script doesn't work with Slackware 13, or my system, or something. The files it produces don't have any package names; just NO REMOTE VERSION or REMOTE VERSION spammed through it. I wish I knew more about shell scripting because I really have no idea how to fix it. I followed the instructions in the preamble (or header, or whatever the top part of scripts is called), but no dice.

What I have found is that a slackpkg clean-system will show a dialog box of all the third party packages on the system. I either have to write them down myself with ernie's notebook system or figure out a way to cat that list to a file and refer to that every so often.

Thanks for all your help, everyone. It's really beneficial to know how the other slackers (and ernie) are getting along.


btw samac, I can't find src2pkg on my system, in slackpkg, or in sbopkg. There's no man page for it on my system, either. Is it something I download from an external source like sbopkg?

Allamgir,

thanks, I'll have a look soon (few days) at the script again and tune it up for Slack 13; thanks for the feedback

For src2pkg, it is not (yet ) included with Slack. You can get it from http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/...nload/src2pkg/ (or google it)

Sasha

Sorry -- wrong link the first time, that was the documentation for it. The download link is above.

Allamgir,

Back up a second. What do you want to update? When do you think you need to update?

Starting from scratch, here's what I do:

Keeping the Stock Slackware Up-to-date

1. Install a fresh Slackware from the iso.
2. use lftp with the mirror option to mirror the /slackware64-13.0/patches/packages/ directory from my favorite Slackware mirror.
   Code:

   lftp -c "open ftp://carroll.aset.psu.edu/pub/linux/distributions/slackware/slackware-13.0/patches/ ; mirror packages"

3. READ THE CHANGELOG! This is inportant even when using Slackpkg. There's important information in the changelog. For example, the latest kernel update had a reminder to rerun lilo.
4. Then cd into the local /patches/packages directory and run upgradepkg *.txz.

Now I've got an up-to-date stock Slackware installation. I subscribe to the security mailing list, so I get notices when there's an important update, and I read the changelog every week or so to look for new updates.

When there's a new update, I again use lftp with the mirror option to delete old files and download news ones --

-- syncing my local mirror with the one on the network. Then I run again. Upgradepkg does nothing to existing packages with versions that match, so only the ones that need to be updated are updated.

Installing New Software and Keeping it Up-to-Date

I use Sbopkg almost exclusively to help me manage packages not included with the stock Slackware. I install Sbopkg, and then install the packages that I want. These include Open Office, Frozen Bubble, Dosbox,Kaffein, and the associated libraries (like libdvdcss).

Sbopkg looks in var/log/packages and identifies the SBo packages and can even see if newer versions are available. It will also check and see if newer versions of itself are available.

Beyond that, there are a few applications where I build packages by myself using src2pkg or grab them from Robby's or Eric's repositories. QGIS is one I build myself. VLC player is one I grab from Eric. In those cases, I simply check to see if there is an update and either build it again, grab the update, or simply don't bother.

The last point is important, I think. Why and when people update their OS and applications is a personal decision, but I feel that most of the time, it isn't needed. And that's true for any operating system! There's very little need for most people to upgrade beyond MS Word 95!

I spent a good portion of my early career working professionally as technical writer/desktop publishing expert/web designer, and I still think that Photoshop 6 fulfills nearly all of my needs even today. That's not to say that the newer versions aren't nice, just that they often offer only incremental improvements that aren't worth the cost -- even just the cost in time.

Security updates, of course, are a different matter. It's a good idea to apply them as quickly as possible.

Regards,

Yup, me too!
IMO this is the "killer-app" feature of sbopkg. It is easy to use slackbuilds from slackbuilds.org to build the packages you want. But once you have a lot of 3rd party packages on your system that were compiled from slackbuilds.org, keeping track of the updates can be a chore, unless you regularly read the changelogs:
http://slackbuilds.org/ChangeLog.txt
Using sbopkg to check for updates is as simple and convenient as running "apt-get update" in Debian or Ubuntu; and you don't have to worry about what dependencies the APT package manager may decide that you need to install to update your system.