Hmm.. Really hard to say. 3 days ago I wanted to test Fedora. It was installed for less than 24 hours. I wasn't even able to compile and use my own kernel. One of the problems was nouveau among others. It prevented me from installing the official nvidia driver. So I thought I don't have enough control of my system so I'll try another distribution.
I chose one of my favorite easy-to-use distribution openSUSE. I really like it. Also the Novell Suse is great. It worked better than Fedora for myself but there was something I missed: The control over my system. There was also one specific file missing in a package.

After all I was back at Slackware. Great things they do but I'm probably not the right user for it. I need control and that is something that these distribution do not really provide.

And Ubuntu, lets say, I will never ever use or try it again.

So, whats left? I'll probably switching back to Arch Linux because before Slackware I used it and I was really satisfied except of some packages that are too bleeding edge and they damage the system.

Same here. I chose Slackware because I wanted to use the cli and hand-edit config files.

Competitive Linux distributions have indeed become very good. Fedora v13-64 for example, after installing it, sound, along with all of the hardware I use in my office, printers, scanners, camera, etc, work, right out of the proverbial "box!" This did not happen with Slackware v13-64 and unlike Slackware v13-64, the GUI software with Fedora, while basic, is practical; a basic editor as well as Open Office for example.

Unlike the few of you in this forum who are so, almost insanely pro-Slackware/Volkerdink, among most others using this forum, I don't sleep with my computers. From 8 to 5 I want them working. If you're running a small business such as I, without fear of contridiction I can suggest to you self-styled Slackware "experts", as experienced here Slackware is an astounding waste of time and treasure. If in this day and age, if Mr. "Pat" Volkerdink isn't smart enough to include such basics as Open Office, something which just about every other Linux distribution does and has been doing since inception, to me this suggests a massive failure of basic market research, let alone a massive misunderstanding of the world of Linux as it is today, which is to say, todays Linux users are anything but the social loners or "geek/hobbiests" as has been mentioned.

It is not likely I am wrong when I suggest that most of us reading this forum know we are not God's gift to the world of Linux but one has to wonder, does Pat Volkerdink and his followers, those self-styled Linux "experts" understand this applies to them as well? I'm thinking of those Linux "experts" who often show up on these Linux forums (same people, using different names) understand that? I suggest to you that much like a abacus, while amusing at times, their time has come and gone. If they want to live in the past, that's their right and as such they and their beloved Slackware should be recognized for what it, for what they are; a "BC" Linux operating system for individuals who have nothing else to do with their time all day.

tyc

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tyc,

You started out okay, but then got nasty pretty quickly.

I've had no major, and only a few minor, troubles configuring Slackware since I stated using it a few years and versions ago. Open Office is a breeze to download and install.

I you like Fedora, then use it! It's a great OS. I've been playing with it in a VM for the past few weeks and there's really a lot to like with it.

But just because Fedora does things a certain way that you like, why should that compel Pat V. to make Slackware just like Fedora? After all, there already is a Fedora that works just fine.

Regards,

tyc, tell us how you REALLY feel!

Just because your ego suffered a bit when trying to use Slackware doesn't mean it's impossible to use for everyone else. I have the opposite problem when it comes to productivity. The sheer number of updates for software in other distros drives me up the wall. I do not like turning on my computer every single day to discover multiple packages that must be updated. Slackware fixes only security vulnerabilities and does not upgrade software for the sake of upgrading software. This means I do not have to waste time *every day* updating packages and hoping nothing breaks.

You are entitled to your opinion on Slackware, and I can certainly respect that Slackware is not right for many people. I like to set up my computers so that there is really no maintenance; once setup, it just works, with very few software upgrades to annoy me. I also find the CLI more efficient for many tasks (though others may not). I don't have a problem with your opinion of Slackware; however, you seem to think your opinion is Gospel, and it makes you look remarkably less intelligent than the 'time-wasters' who use Slackware in the first place.

That being said, you need no help to look foolish; it's Volkerding, not Volkerdink. Obviously not a typo but ignorance, since the error was repetitious. There is as much if not more to criticize about you based on your uninformed holier-than-thou posts in this forum as there is to criticize to all of us and the creator of the oldest surviving Linux distribution. I fear for your employer.

3 members found this post helpful.

Tyc - you appear to have had problems with your installation of Slackware. OK. Maybe it was your system, maybe it was you or maybe it was Slackware. Who knows? The reason, though, that Slackware has such a strong following on these forums is because an awful lot of people have been able to make it work - whether out of the box or after some work.

You clearly do not understand or appreciate that Linux (and, by extent, Slackware) is all about choice. If you don't have a good experience with a distro and do not wish to continue using it, move on to another one. That's it. No one on these boards should be bashing anyone else's distro choice. And not including OpenOffice is not even worth bothering about - grab it from Slackbuilds, get it via SBopkg or download and compile yourself; the choice is yours.

Many people are happy with Slackware, you are not. Accept it and move on. And cease the ad hominem attacks.

5 members found this post helpful.

Hi,

Competitive?

You are joking of course? Right?

If OO is so important then download the package and install. Apparently you just don't understand the Slackware philosophy.

Just baiting, right? You come to a Slackware forum and present these absurd viewpoints. Slander really shows how intelligent you actually are. Your poor opinions and experiences really show where you stand with a GNU/Linux distribution. If Fedora works for you then fine, use it.
When you develop a distribution and maintain for almost twenty years then come back to show the product. Slackware has a niche clientele world wide. Show me your distribution with OO and stable. Slackware is used widely in the server market not just the desktop.

Your attacks will get you no where here. Not even a viable argument with your viewpoints. Talk about not being aware of the vast uses for GNU/Linux. You will never be able to develop nor distribute a GNU/Linux in the same way as PV & Team.

You are wrong! I for one am very well versed and knowledgeable but far from the painted picture that you have painted with such a biased broad brush. My nic is for my personal protection nothing else.

As for your irate that is both unintelligent and without knowledge will never stand no matter how you attempt to spin. As for my fellow LQ Slackware forum members classifications or experiences with Slackware throughout their day while on the job utilizing the Oldest current stable GNU/Linux, I'll let their voices present themselves.

I really shouldn't be responding to a 'Troll'. But your biases and prejudices have placed a post that should be defended against. These points are a poor representation on your part in attempting to compose a invalid/weak prejudiced argument that does slander more than just Slackware.

So crawl back to where you came from.

1 members found this post helpful.

Slandering our glorius leader is an attack on the rest of us... !
I joined this forum to *learn* Linux and so far I have not been dissapointed... It looks like you joined to inflate your flawed personality... LOL

0 members found this post helpful.

The thing that TYC isn't getting, is that if Slackers wanted a computer that worked out of the box and then forever onward, according to someone else's idea of how that should be we'd all be running osX. The point of running Slackware is the expectation that the user knows best how the machine should work and that he/she is willing to make that so. Slackware is designed to make that as easy as possible, without getting in the way, with the simplest most reliable tools available. It's a very attractive proposition to a lot of people. To quote Alien Bob, "Slackware assumes you're smart."

I don't need to justify why I like Slackware to some deluded semi-literate troll. Enough said.

2 members found this post helpful.

Gentlemen,

I prefer to let XavierP deal with angry individuals; that person does not get under my skin. Remember, that person's post was crafted to deliberately elicit an emotional response.
Back on topic. I run a CentOS VM at work, it runs well enough (it ain't Slackware though).
I can't imagine the open source landscape without Slackware. I think if we all support Slackware we will ensure that Slackware will flourish in the years to come.
Slackware forever, baby.

1 members found this post helpful.

TYC, I am new to Slackware, I have been using Debian/Ubuntu for a long time, and thought the package manager/dependency checking was a great thing. Now that I am using Slackware, it is actually much easier to use in my opinion.

For instance, in Debian if I want to search for software, I either type 'apt-cache search [software]' and then 'apt-get install [software]' to install. Hundreds of dependencies are downloaded and installed, next thing I know my system is running like crap. In Slackware, I just go out to the web, download a package and install it.

Up to this point I have only had to download a couple of dependencies on Slackware. I was brainwashed into thinking before I came to Slackware that I would be downloading dependencies all day, when really it is the other distros that have a problem with that.

4 members found this post helpful.

I think deps is easy to taking care of.
If you compile your own package, ./configure and make will complain what's missing.
This way you know what's missing and learning on the way what's the missing stuff are for and meanwhile, think do you really really need the missing stuff ? Most cases, you can disable (the --without or --disable stuff) it if you don't need it. This means smaller memory footprint for the program (if it's coded in good way).

And, you only need to run the apps on console, and see what's missing. Remember, ldd is your friend.

But, this way usually is the way of linux enthusiasts. Most common users usually likes things available for them and don't quite like (or ready ?) following this road. That's why --install-all is a good alternative for them.

as for TYC, there are various sources for slackware packages. Here's some.
http://rlworkman.net/pkgs/
http://linuxpackages.net/

That is exactly why I run Slackware. I know how to manage my own dependencies manually and I prefer it that way. I don't need a package manager to do it for me. I like to have control over my system.

LFS, but customized to act like Slack!