SlackwareThis Forum is for the discussion of Slackware Linux.
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However "try" reminds me of user-friendly distros, which can be installed and used straightforward without any background - indeed this word suits them. To try advanced distros one is expected to put some more efforts to make things clear - and I want to be sure that such efforts will be rewarded.
Don't get me wrong, but this sounds a bit circular. You cannot be sure that your efforts will be rewarded, unless you try the distribution yourself. What we can provide here is our personal experience with Slackware, help when it comes to specific issues, and links to relevant documentation. What we cannot do is put ourselves in your place and make decisions for you, simply because we are not "you".
That said, there's nothing wrong with dual-booting differents systems in order to meet your needs. Nowadays I only boot Slackware, because it allows me to do everything I need, but your needs might be different, and change over time. However, you won't know if Slackware actually fits your needs, unless you install it and run it on your machine.
get the 14.1 be it 32 or 64 bit - i would recommend 32 bit for a while:
1. wine seems to be only 32bit supported - most that won't run native on Linux/GNU will run wrapped by wine (MS office even(!)) and the rest simply must go under virtual-box...
2. You might stumble upon some issues with proprietary drivers in 14.1 but they should iron out over time - if using a HD radeon of 4000 series or older better try 14.0 first IMHO
3. I don't update Slackware until at least next release is out (anymore - I used to (silly me )) - let alone try -current - but i can just use my computers every time i sit down - no IT-nuisances any more. And i upgrade when i have time to spare. Window's (rolling?) updates looks so silly to me now...
4. Come back after two weeks and tell us what You found?
I still dual-boot Slackware and Windows on my personal system. When I selected Slackware years ago as my choice of Linux, I looked for quality, which the meta, project, and small brand distributions, rather than quantity the mainstream distributions seem to focus more on.
I mean seriously, bleeding edge, brand names, and big business are one thing, but boil all the huff and fluff away and what do you have at the core? Not much of anything special if the quality is lacking and the system isn't stable or reliable. I've used the store box brand distributions and after enough time, I was turned off. Too much complexity, too much bloat, and too little in the aspects of the fact you are the administrator, not just a user. Slackware boiled down reveals quality at the core, lots of care and consideration, time tested and well proven tools and configurations that let you be the administrator without fussing with the system like some abomination.
Slackware boiled down reveals quality at the core, lots of care and consideration, time tested and well proven tools and configurations that let you be the administrator without fussing with the system like some abomination.
Agreed. Slackware is and always will be my number one distribution.
I have found Slackware to be the most stable of all the different distros available for everyday use. I have also found that packages built from Slackbuilds are more reliable and stable than many from the precompiled repos of many of the other "mainstream" "user friendly" distributions.
Ive used Slackware since 2008 or 2009 as my main system although i have win 7 and 3 other Linux on my system in a multiboot setup. I use Windows for games only and haven't booted into the other Linux's since I don't know when.
Slackware is in my opinion the most perfectly executed distribution available and I recommend it for anyone who wants a stable syatem and doesn't mind learning to do some setup manually.
Good luck and I hope your experience with Slackware is as productive as mine has been.
I found the experience of setting up and running Slackware similar to doing a system build. Get all the parts, put them together, fire them up and when it works... Pure satisfaction!
After 20+ years, much dual booting and distro hopping, no other distro has been as Stable. For the others, either there is some glitch in the binary package (Debian, and derivatives), a glitch in the source packaging (Gentoo), or constant silly automatic updates that crash in strange ways (Ubuntu). I run a home hobby server with 32-bit Slackware 14.1 (NFS, software repo, WWW, Mumble...): it just works. My main Slackware64 system runs dual 24" LCD for games and work, even bastardized for WINE, Steam Client, etc. The only time I reboot is if X.Org freaks out (stupid games) or I update critical system files.
And don't even get me started on rolling releases (Arch...)
Code:
$ uname -a
Linux beorn 3.10.17-smp #1 SMP Wed Oct 23 17:04:08 CDT 2013 i686 Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.66GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux
$ uptime
13:52:29 up 21 days, 18:52, 1 user, load average: 0.00, 0.01, 0.05
Code:
$ uname -a
Linux gandalf 3.10.17 #1 SMP Fri Feb 14 16:39:21 CST 2014 x86_64 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5200+ AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux
$ uptime
13:00:14 up 5 days, 18:26, 3 users, load average: 0.04, 0.07, 0.07
Got older hardware? There is a Slackware version that will bring it back to life.
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2. Software:
Slackware ships with many fine CLI and GUI software packages. These may be all you need. If not, more software than you can shake a stick at via Slackbuilds.org http://www.slackbuilds.org/, Studioware.orghttp://www.studioware.org/
and many more Volunteers, hobbyist scattered around the globe that make their software available. Don't trust someone's weird binary? Don't. All Slackware packags can be easily built from source via simple shell scripts (Slackbuilds). You can even set up your very own private source and/or binary repository with sbopkg and slackpkg.
Hardware? Hell yeah. Some iDevices can be cranky (true for ANY Linux distro) but I have gotten some iPhones and iPod Nanos to work. Some printer brands area cranky (WinPrinters) as are some wifi shipsets. I usually stick with HP (usb, network scanning, printing, fax via HPLIP) and Atheros
Its a rare device that won't plug-and-play. And even if not, you can usually find the driver or firmware needed in any number of F/OSS projects. Sometimes all that's needed is a little adjustment to a plain text configuration files.
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3. No bullshit:
Set Slackware up the way you like, strip, add, subtact, fondle, customize. Plain text configuration. And much more, or less, depending on YOUR requirements. Slackware may not have the latest wiz-bang kernel or other latest system s/w (although you are perfectly free to update..), but it will always boot up or still be running when you get back from that coffee run.
In conclusion, am I a Slackware fan boy? Heck, yeah. When I need to get things done, Slackware and the Slackware community has never disappointed.
I understand that some distributions make development branches to test software before committing in full to updates and such, but I've never understood the rolling release model because of the fact that there's very little testing done to ensure stability.
Slackware-Current seems more like a steady stream of stable updates in packages that is similar to a rolling release, but with enough emergency stop gaps in place so if something goes wrong it's quickly fixed and pushed out.
What I'd like to see in Slackware is a support contract complete with SLAs.
I know Pat and the rest of the Slackware team aren't inclined to do something like that, but I spend 10-14 hours a day marooned in RHELtopia, staring at icons....
It's unnatural.
My employer (quasi government) would be very interested in implementing some of the Slackware instances I've developed, because they are significantly smaller and "harder" than the more generic RHEL equivalents (because I made them with loving care, but I don't recall that coming up in the project meeting...) however if I leave the organization... so do the images (to the rest of the team, Linux = RHEL) and all the work built on them so no support contract, no dice.
It's a catch 22.
Slackware-Current seems more like a steady stream of stable updates in packages that is similar to a rolling release, but with enough emergency stop gaps in place so if something goes wrong it's quickly fixed and pushed out.
Yup. I'm running Slackware64-current on two boxes and they are rock-like in their stability. Slackware all the way for me. Looking forward to 14.2.
Anybody else wondering if OP was just a "drive-by"?
Perhaps, but it did get us Slackers to do some "bonding" as well as expressing our appreciation for PV continuing efforts, the Slackware team and all the various volunteers.
Who knows; this thread may help someone decide in the future.
Thanks all for replies and sharing experience (especially on multi-boot)- I`ve successfully installed Slackware 14.1 on my old Samsung R20 (the only OS) using current Slackbook and Slackdocs guides.
Yes - I was "driving-by" because I`ve almost-nearly-on the verge-within an inch decided on Slackware. And decided now, yeah. I really enjoyed and was comfortable with installation procedure (felt myself like an old man in rocking chair and with yerba-filled pumpkin, well don`t care...)
And now, if you don`t mind, I `ll drive further as long road awaits me. If forums are silent- newbies RTFM, so farewell!
Thanks all for replies and sharing experience (especially on multi-boot)- I`ve successfully installed Slackware 14.1 on my old Samsung R20 (the only OS) using current Slackbook and Slackdocs guides.
Yes - I was "driving-by" because I`ve almost-nearly-on the verge-within an inch decided on Slackware. And decided now, yeah. I really enjoyed and was comfortable with installation procedure (felt myself like an old man in rocking chair and with yerba-filled pumpkin, well don`t care...)
And now, if you don`t mind, I `ll drive further as long road awaits me. If forums are silent- newbies RTFM, so farewell!
That is the fun part about helping someone. Rewards are both ways.
Please do not stay away to long.
Quote:
"It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life…that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Knowledge is of two kinds. We Know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information upon it."- Samuel Johnson
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