Hey Guys,

I've been using Linux for 2 years now, but only using RPM disto's..
RH 7.3, 8.0, 9.0
Mandrake 9.2
SuSE 8.2

I've been reading about slackware linux and I like the look of it.
BUT, it looks scary to install

Can I install from a bootable CD?
I found this mirror (http://public.ftp.planetmirror.com/p...kware-9.1-iso/)
Which looks like what I'm used to so far.

But also this one (the scary one)
(http://public.ftp.planetmirror.com/p...slackware-9.1/)

The software set's thing worries me, if I download the ISO's, won't ALL the software sets be included? Or do I have to download those later on.

Can I partition the partitions in Windows, and leave them unformatted, then format them during the installation? (I don't have any distro of linux on here right now as a recent project required a Windows OS and all my spare hard disk space.)

Please help guys, I wanna be a happy slacker!

Thanks,
Sergeant Roach.

I think you will love Slack!

I went with Slackware less than a full month ago, after about 3 years of primarily RPM distros also. I have learned more about the inner-workings of Linux in the last month than I ever did before. Slack totally rocks, and updating is a hell of a lot easier, IMHO, than the RPM "dependency hell" (even easier if you use an update application like Swaret).

1. Yes, you can install it all from the ISO's. Just make sure that you burne the CD as an image so is actually bootable.

2. Software sets will be on the CD's (about 2 GB's worth if I remember correctly). You can pick and choose to your liking during the installation routine.

3. Yes, you can just parition/resize the Windows space. As a matter of fact, I always recommend to JUST resize the Windows side and leave the rest of the space you want to use unformatted and unpartition. Then let the Linux installtion routine (whichever distro you choose, in this case Slack) do the partitioning/allocation of the "Linux stuff" on its own. (too many people use Partition Magic to partition and format ahead of time, and all it does is create more headaches the majority of the time....)

Hope that helps and Have fun!

Best regards...

Hey,

SailingGypsy,
thanks a lot for your reply, it straightend a lot of things out!

As you said, you learned more when using Slackware than any other distro and in a far shorter time period. Just what I'm looking for!

I'll start downloading the 9.1 ISO's right now and install when I buy a new CD writer this weekend.
(*coughs* CD writer didn't work with Windows XP, I lost my temper with the CD Writer, killed it in everyway possible; CD writer R.I.P).

I hope I enjoy said "happy slacking".

Any more tips from moving from RPM disto's to Slackware?

Thanks Guys,
Sergeant Roach.

Hi.
I don't think you should worry 'bout the slackware install... I haven't installed another distro in a LONG time, so I don't know exacly what those new installers do. Slackware's install isn't supposed to be hard, only simple.
Yes, the first CD is bootable. You can find lots of other mirrors in www.slackware.com (get slack link). If I were you, I would also take a look at the book, on the official page, even it being a little old, I think it helps for the first contacts.
The cds (2) include all the software sets slack makes available. CD 2 contains gnome and kde sets, and the rest is cd 1. Slackware, though, doesn't come with that many packages as RedHat and others come. I would say it carries more than the essential, but that's it. If you want anything extra, you'd have to compile yourself, or to download from www.linuxpackages.net. I prefer the first option. Actuly, compiling is in my opinion, the only way to keep in touch with everything in your distro, and realy learn how a unix system works. Being able to know exacly what is happening is what makes me stick to Slack... ;P
About the partitioning, as soon as you boot (with the first cd), you'll be taken to a terminal screen, where you can run fdisk before startin "setup" itself. Don't worry, formating will be taken care of inside setup. For the time being, just partitionate your system and create a swap. Then type setup and follow instructions. When in doubt about installing or not a package, I usualy go to terminal 2 and read the proper documentation on that package (that is in the cdrom, mounted on /cdrom, if I'm not mistaken). Play around, you'll have fun.
Just finishing, If you really get to know Slackware, I doubt you go back to another distro. You should really try it!

Marcelo

You only need to dl the cd1 and cd2 from your 1st link. The second ones are the Slackware's way of compartmentalized packages. the 1st link has them all too, but only in the iso image. the second link is useful when you are only interested in getting some of the stuff but not all. And you need the boot and root disks for the whole thing to work. So for you, the 1st link is the way to go. Enjoy!

BTW, here has a cleaner interface for your dl needs:

http://www.linuxiso.org/distro.php?distro=17

P.S

I'm a Java and Delphi developer, I use the Borland IDE's in Windows, are these IDE's avalable for Linux.
I'm also a Visual Basic .Net and Visual C#. Net developer but I won't ask in case you guys throw things at me.

Thanks Guys,
Sergeant Roach

Yes, remember that you are no longer looking for RPM packages when you are looking for apps!!! I have lost track how many times I have looked in the old RPM repositories for apps out of habit!

Other than that, I can't think of any actual suggestions other than remembering to enable SCSI emulation for any burner (same as in any distro), and make sure you know as much about your hardware and any netowrk as possible beforehand because since Slackware has less GUI-based configuration utilities, it could be a little bewildering the first couple of days or so while the "old brain matter" gets used to think config files instead of "click this-point that-there it is" when wanting to configure hardware or settings.



BTW, you might want to try to get a hold of Linux Format Magazine Issue 48 (Christmas). The DVD/CD that comes with it had Slackware 9.1 in it and it was bootable (that is actually where I got mine originally). Might be worth it since it would be much easier and faster than downloading and burning.

Best regards...

Which ones the recovery disk?

That would be DAMN useful!

recovery disk??

Hey man..... Your gonna be out of a job in about 10 years or so..... Mark my words.. Better learn some real languages as soon as possible.....

Can't seem to find the page the disk info was on. I'm 100% certain it said one of the disks is a recovery disk.

Don't get me wrong, I DO prefer Linux to Windows, but Windows won't disappear anytime soon, so neither will Visual Basis or C#. Espeically with the planned release of "Longhorn"...

P.S I'm 16, I've just started 6th form college, (2 years), and then I'm doing a degree in Software Engineering, to at least a Masters, (5 years).

So as far as out of a job goes, with a degree in software engineering, I'm sure I'll be fine for a job.

P.S I'll write for whichever OS has the £40 an hour contracts going, even if it is Windows, doesn't mean I like the OS though.

Thanks Guys,
SergeantRoach

AHA

This is from the official Slackware site.

"This 4-disc set includes:

Bootable installation disc
Bootable live disc, the Ultimate Linux rescue and demo disc!
ZipSlack, installation onto a Windows partition
Complete source code and handy Linux archives "

It's pity that you can't install dropline-gnome in slackware now.

borland has an IDE out for linux, there is an open version available for download on their website (any software you write can't be commercial though). If you wanna make money from your programs then you gotta pay. Its called Kylix, it has the C++ and the Delphi IDE on it.

Getting it to work on the later distro's is a pain in the ass, but you can do it, the first thing you'll need in addition to Kylix in compat-glibc (i think thats what its called).

If you run into any other problems let me know - normally the first time you'll realise there's a problem is when you try and compile your first program, it'll give you all sorts of errors coming up in standard libraries such as "time.h" .I've battled getting it up and running on a number of Linux boxes now and I think I've got the process pretty sorted

No idea about Java though

Damn!

Java is my best language. :'(