I have been using Slackware since 1996 (Linux Unleashed), and have had other versions of Linux to try but preferred Slackware because I have choices.

I would prefer that Slackware come on 8 CD and include Sunsite again.
My success with installing a package from the Slackware disk set is about 100%.
My success with any package from the internet is about 20%. I am littered with internet downloads that I have tried but will not compile for some reason or another. Some internet downloads I have fixed, sometimes really stupid things, but others I just must give up on.

I started my installation of Slackware around July 6, 2010, and still have not got enough running to switch systems.

My current system is Slackware 10.2 Linux 2.4.31 which is very stable and presents few problems, and those are mostly with KDE, and downloaded packages that will not compile on 2.4. I use it 10 hours a day, and for business. All this debugging is painful.

I always do a custom install with a custom kernel and custom loading of programs.

I have solved problems with
* many /etc files changed
(Existing /etc files left as current by install do not work very\
well on new system, and they all had to be tracked down by hand.
At least you have them next to each other and can find them easily,
once you figure which directories to look in
(** don't actually know that I found them all yet **).
On the other hand, trying to install to a bare partition does not
work well because I still have to copy over every old setting by hand,
and for months afterwards must rediscover settings that had been
customized in the old system.)
* USB ports missing
* Changing to everything-is-a-SCSI is causing problems.
I have one disk mount point that is a transient, for guest drives,
and my USB ports keep moving.
* tmpfs not mounting because of kernel compile error
* device-mapper missing (Lilo error not fixed, just going to ignore it)
Others remaining
* KDE programs that crash due to missing libraries.
* KDE change to another user, does not work.
* Tools that do now work (like rgrep, which is just ignores all
switches).
* Unknown number of custom programs from old system to port over to
new system.
* more undiscovered, and those I not remembering right now.


Anyone who wants to post comments on this, please do not. This is not a chat line, and I am not inviting correspondence.

Tried it out, personally wasn't overly impressed. But then, I'm not a slackware kinda person. I prefer Debian or Arch, simply because they default to having automatic dependency resolution and ease of automated installation. I know you can add that in Slack, but those default to it, so I just use those.

Hi,

Then why post in this manner if you don't expect a response? Generally most would provide detail information to support an argument or problem. Another pair of eyes can sometimes point out a problem that is often overlooked.

Upgrade or fresh: if you follow things properly a good install can be had. I've rarely had problems with either. Usually minor tweaks. Not to say you haven't but since there's no background information it would be hard to comment on your problems. Hope you get things straightened out. Post the problems with support information in a new thread and see if we can assist you.

I finally upgraded Slackware on my Pentium III IBM laptop. It runs great! KDE is fast (for that computer) and very usable. I even left Strigi, Nepomuk, and Akonadi running and I'm not having any problems with them.

I had a small problem with Wicd, but an adjustment on my router has solved things. The whole installation and post-install configuration took a couple of hours.

I've still got to make a HAL rule to get my Thinkpad scroll button working (a matter of minutes), and load some software (Frozen Bubble!).

I think I'm going to stick with Koffice for a bit and not load Open Office. I'll see how well it works.

My next task will be updating my desktop computer from Slackware64 13 to 13.1. I'll probably tackle that this weekend.

Regards,

My first impression is the title for the thread but I'd have to recall running Slack 11 to do that.
I just got back to figuring out why I couldn't boot to a gui in 13.1 stable last week.
After I figured it out I decided to switch to the XFCE desktop.
Fooled with it a few days and decided it was to minimal for my needs so I installed Gnome.
I must say I'm rather pleased with the result.
Especially the part where I don't have to track the dependencies down to make hplip work for my printer/scanner.
Big thx on that guys cuz I couldn't say that on 12.2.
I have the gui I depend upon as well as the responsiveness I'm looking for.
I also have exactly the tools I need and nothing more.
With all that I have installed some would label my system bloated.
It can't be bloated if I use every single tool/package I installed.

Missed one important problem from previous:

GIMP: First thing I did was to check GIMP help to see if they had finished the missing sections and if some problems with my existing GIMP has been fixed. Surprise, there is no GIMP help, just a redirection to a web site. Web site help is USELESS on a computer without wide-band internet.

I use Slackware for several reasons:
1. I have unusual hardware, and I customize the kernel and the package installation to fit my needs. I do not think a precompiled package would work well.
2. I do not have wide-bandwidth internet, and this Linux computer is not on the internet at all (and is very safe and secure for that).
I order CD sets in order to get all the packages.
3. I am doing research, not copy-catting other peoples programs and setups.

What ticks me off:
Package developers that assume; because they and their closest friends have a particular setup (like wide-band internet access 24 hours a day) that they can assume that "everyone" has a setup like theirs. There are several packages now that assume that they can skip shipping docs by pointing at a web site instead.

Other assumptions that I have encountered recently (that I remember):
* Assume the device-mapper is present in every kernel.
* Assume that everyone has latest GCC (most packages go to great lengths to work with GCC 3.x for example, but some are nasty about it.)

I use Slackware because it gives me the widest control over my own machine and to make adjustments to suit it. I do not care to hear at all about the 80% that are considered to be "normal", nor to hear how I should be more like them, or to hear how by being different I take my own chances. I could go on but it duplicates every argument about any fringe group and excluding them from what support "normal" people get.

Up until 2 years ago, I still had a spdcd drive (old weird IDE).
I prefer that support for such things not be deleted, especially just because some developer has not heard of anyone using one for ages now
(well so now you have heard, I still have it).

I write this to bring remind that there are wide differences out there among the users, and to remind them not to assume everyone is alike.

Again, as before, this is my comment, and it does not invite any responses. Those who feel they must respond really need to stifle it, and let other people have their say.

0 members found this post helpful.

You're unique. Just like everyone else.
Too bad you have no control over the internet.

You don't participate in an open forum thread and then tell other people not to participate. That's silly.

You can disable comments on your LQ blog, though, if that's what you want.

I finally installed 13.1 yesterday (32-bit. For some reason, 64-bit 13.0 didn't install properly, or kept freezing, so I've not tried with this version). I also got around to writing a shell script that automates some post-install tasks for me (like creating my user and putting my configs back). So far, things are mostly ok, but I have had 2 issues.

Firstly, when I disabled device hotplugging via HAL for X, I found that my keyboard didn't work. I had my keyboard layout as "uk" in xorg.conf, which was fine for previous releases, but now it has to be "gb".

The second problem was with PolicyKit. I was editing my KDE settings and wanted to change the time zone. So, I had to give my root password, but I mistyped it a few times. After that, when I tried to apply my changes again, I wasn't given a dialog in which to put my root password. Instead. I just got a D-Bus error message about authentication. The KDE notifications thing in the tray also gave messages about PolicyKit. I know I can run systemsettings with kdesu, but I'd like to know if PolicyKit is required for KDE now? I haven't done a detailed search of the forum yet, but I shall.

Nylex,

You probably ought to start a new thread on those problems. They seem interesting enough to warrant individual attention.

Regards,

I will try to install 13.1 with my eeepc 900 tonight to see if this netbook can really handle the new version.