If Slackware disappeared tomorrow, what would you run?
 

So, what would it be?

I've been experimenting with the new Ubuntu (10.04) on a VM, and I must say that I am really impressed. I will be suggesting it to all of my Windows-running friends, and I've never been one of "those" Linux users who suggested conversion to those who didn't first seek it out themselves. It seems to achieve its ease-of-use goal like previous versions have not.

Nonetheless, I would never choose such a system for myself . . . It's kindof the "anti-Slackware." I was able to completely configure my Ubuntu machine and get all of the software I needed or wanted working perfectly with NO CLI at all. By contrast, I can set up a new Slackware install exactly as I want it, including all of the GUI elements, completely in the CLI, without a single point or click.

Of course, I prefer the latter, since I am a control freak and just need to know everything about everything that is going on. I suppose that's what makes me a slacker.

The whole thing just got me thinking, what would I run if I couldn't run Slackware?

slackware 13.1 ^_^

Probably Arch or Gentoo.

Arch or Debian

Just for the record, It'd be FreeBSD for me all the way.

ARCH

I would finally break down and learn LFS. The only reason I haven't yet is pure laziness.

Oh, a poll! I love polls!
Heres what i voted the previous time http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...4/#post3686662

I had forgotten that poll! Voted LFS back then also. See how lazy I am! :)

Hmmm ... hard to see, maybe netbsd ...

I could not see a choice for "The last version of Slackware", so I will write in:

The last version of Slackware I had before it disappeared - 13.1 at this time.

I'd probably use a live distro, like Puppy or Knoppix.
And maybe Fedora on my hard drive.

Probably a BSD system or a LFS.

OpenSUSE.

FreeBSD

Slackware wouldn't disappear, it is open source so someone smarter and less lazy than me would become the maintainer by forking it. The only thing they would have to do is negotiate for the name with PV or rename it to something else like alienware or robbieware or goblinware or piterpunkware.

SalixOS or FreeBSD

samac

FreeBSD :-)

Minix 3 .... already am.

BTW, 2010 will likely be the year of the micro kernel. I suspect support will only continue to grow albeit slowly at first.

My main gripe historically with Minix 3 deals with the tendency for development to slow significantly when the funding disappears. However, I do believe Minix 3 is on the verge of a major increase in popularity (~ a couple of years) as important elements are added to the operating system, e.g. ELF compatibility. Minix 3's increased popularity will drive development regardless of the funding model.

I'd be interested in FreeBSD, but the lack of DVB support is still a blocking point.
So I would use the last Slackware release as long as it's reasonable.

There's always Gentoo but Gentoo's more dynamic than static and its approach is different to Slack. So for something that is like Slackware I'll go for LFS.

Probably something with bsd init scripts... arch?

Arch

I would first try Arch, and if not then maybe FreeBSD or other BSD.

LFS and Gentoo are also options, although after the first two.

Slakwair
 

The distro that Pat,Eric and Robby Etc are working on ... ! :D

Debian stable + Arch + *BSD + LFS/BLFS quadruple-boot.

Arch or BSD

Maybe Debian, but do you think that Slackware will disappear? Many people says that this is one man show and will die...

Arch or BSD

I really don't know. I've been using Slackware since version 3.3 came out in 1997. I tried Linux from scratch but found it very time consuming to build and maintain, although I might give it another shot.

FreeBSD, maybe Debian.

FreeBSD, I think. I've used other Linux distros, and I always come back to Slack. I'm not sure I could be happy running a Linux, knowing it wasn't Slack (although it might be an interesting, if somewhat painful, experience, to try to make an Ubuntu box that looks and feels as much like a Slackware default install as possible). FreeBSD is not Linux, but it is allegedly Slack-like enough that maybe I'd feel at "home." (OK, for the record, this poll will probably cause me nightmares: a world without Slack?!? Nooooo!!!)

I voted for Arch. I've tried FreeBSD and it's not my thing really. I wouldn't mind getting some more experience with it in the future, but after using it and reading about it for just a short time I decided it's not what I wanted.

I would still run Slackware 13.1. Aren't these polls kinda silly? However, *if* Slackware would disappear I would open a bottle of whisky and say: Here's to you Patrick... and remember the fun times I had with Slackware.

Who are these "many people?"

No, I do not think that Slackware will disappear any time soon.

For the record, if Pat chose to stop putting out the slack for whatever reason, and the "Slackware team" didn't take up the mantle, I'm sure you'd see lots of forks. Heck, if nobody else did it, or didn't do it well, I'd gather up some others and do a fork.

I would still go on using the latest stable slackware; I am sure it would be the safest and the most stable OS for a long way.

If slackware disappeared, I still have my -current, otherwise Cygwin on WinXP :D

Arch or Debian Sid--50/50 chance of either.

I posted this elsewhere today, but it's appropriate here too. One of these days I'm going to get around to building and maintaining my own GNU/Linux system -- mostly so I can learn what goes on. So I'd go with DIY Linux or Linux From Scratch. I like the idea of using Slackware's package tools, so I'd probably do that with my build (like Jong did with Jaguar Linux) but I'm intrigued by the idea of using users and groups to manage packages as explained in this LFS hint. I also like the idea of using BSD init scripts, like Slackware. LFS has a hint for that too.

In short, I'd basically recreate Slackware from scratch. :)

Arch

I find Arch interesting and sometime will probably play with it. It looks to have a very intrepid community which appeals to me also. When I find a little more time, I would like to continue my LFS system through BLFS.

I think there are enough folk around to make sure that the distro won't just disappear. It's a fun and interesting poll though, so yeah I voted freebsd. I haven't really tried Arch yet though, so seeing how the poll is going I might have to do that soon. I quite like CentOS when I played with it (cli only though). So long as I find something with the simplicity and straightforward design of slack I would be happy. And I guess availability of apps is also useful ;)

On my server's I would go with freebsd. On my desktop I would break down and finally buy a macbook pro or just stick with mint.

I think that a lot of slackers fail to understand FreeBSD.
Freebie takes a minimalist approach. Unlike Slackware, which aims for an initial install to be both a usable desktop and a formidable server, FreeBSD aims only for the later. Outside of this, the two are quite close in design.

This is an excellent guide on setting up freebie as a desktop:
http://rhyous.com/2009/12/18/how-to-...-xorg-and-kde/

Slackers who have not bitten down and dug in to a FreeBSD system will be shocked just how scary close it is to the Linux disto that we all know and love. In fact, a system set up like this article suggests would probably be more comfortable and "homey" to an experienced Slackware user than a Debian or RHEL system.

I would also help out. But, I doubt it will disappear.

Also that quote is a good example of proper use of weasel words.

I've been a FreeBSD user since 5.x. I recently quit using FreeBSD at 8.0. I'm not sure what you mean here. FreeBSD can be both a desktop and a server. It is quite simple to use sysinstall in FreeBSD to set-up a working desktop with pkg_add using the FreeBSD 8.0 DVD. Sysinstall does not compell you to opt for a server install.
I'm not defending FreeBSD mind you as I don't particularly like the BSDs anymore. Hence my choice of Arch or Debian in this poll.

My first thought was that I would use Zenwalk or Salix. However, since these distros are based on Slackware they would likely disappear as well. Or perhaps their developers would pick up where Slackware was left before it
(HORROR OF HORRORS!!!) died ...

If there was no more Slackware, Zenwalk, or Salix, I would either go with Arch or Debian-testing.
I would probably still keep Ubuntu around as well.

My first thought is that I would not go with ubuntu, it's just so far from slackware you could go I think. And then I think I'd wanna try arch, I think it's lightweight and it has other goodness so that's what I'd try anyway.

I wouldn't go with Ubuntu either. It's not that I hate the easy to use distros - I like both OpenSUSE and PCLinuxOS. I just think that Ubuntu goes about things in a cock-eyed way and the other easy to use distros do things better.

If I wasn't running Slackware, then I'd most likely be running OpenSUSE or Fedora. Arch is a non-starter for me because of the lack of signed packages.

Slackware of course. The fact that it is not maintained anymore will not mean that the software is broken!

And, by the way, Alien Bob lives round the corner so he will do his duty and come up with his Alienix.

Another Linux not listed here.
But I really wouldn't know which one...