Variants of Slackware (ex: -Current)
 

i noticed this on one of the blog posts of the guys over at slackblogs, and i didn't know what it meant. Could someone explain?

i recently installed 13.1 on my eeePC as a lightweight web server. How does this relate to -Current?

Thanks for helping the n00b! :Pengy:

Have a look at this. I't a cached copy of a file CURRENT.WARNING that used to be included on the slackware-current mirrors but seems to have been withdrawn. It should give you a good idea what current is all about.

The simple answer is that Slackware is being developed all the time. All new changes go into the version called "slackware-current" which changes all of the time. When it's time to release a stable version of Slackware, slackware-current development is stopped and it's snapshotted for a release.

At the moment slackware-current is about to be snapshotted to create slackware-13.37, but there are still final tweaks and updates being made before it's ready. Soon after slackware-13.37 is released, work will start again on developing slackware-current which will evolve to become the next stable release.

Generally, how stable is -Current?

I am not using it for very long now, but from what I have seen till now I would consider it at least as stable as Debian Testing (as a former Debian Sid user I can compare).

It can be very stable, but it's not generally recommended to run it on a production box.

Problems come up from time to time and those of running it try to help by reporting bugs and possible fixes.

I might try it out one day then, but I think that I'll stick with 13.37 for awhile first to get used to Slackware and to see if I even really need to run -Current.

Umm, right now 13.37 is -current.

I realize that, however it seems that it is close to release, and I planned to try it out then. I'm actually thinking about just installing 13.1 tonight because I'm bored.

We are in the final RC stages of -current. Functionality wise there will be very little difference between -current and the final release of 13.37.

I'd actually suggest you install -current instead of 13.1 and help test out the installer etc...

You can use AlienBob's most awesome mirror script (linked below) to build yourself a CD/DVD or some other install process.

http://www.slackware.com/~alien/tool...are-current.sh

physeetcosmo --

I have been running slackware on my personal servers since version Slackware version 4 and on my laptops
since I owned my first laptop (<G> don't recall when I bought kjhlt1 anymore <G>)

It seems over the years, for each of the five laptops I have owned, that I would install the production
version of Slackware and the following week, -current would go live :)

This new laptop has some hardware that needed 'the latest and greatest' software to run so I took the
plunge and instaled -current.

This is the first time I have ever installed -current and I have to ask myself 'what took so long ?'

I will say it's been a little scary running -current on the tool that I use to make a living but I have treated
each of the Kernel Updates since January as an UPGRADE ( see UPGRADE.TXT as bgeddy recommended )
and not as a simple `upgradepkg` session and so far I have had no issues at all.

Kudo's to Pat and the crew !

-- kjh

p.s. I am a long-time subscriber to the slackware CDs (since version 7) and I ask everyone who can
afford to subscribe or to buy to the Official CDs / DVDs please do so !

It's a good thing for everyone, even people running other distros because Pat and the crew do submit
useful feedback to the 'upstream devs' and most of all because IMNSHO, Slackware is the among the
last of the distros that has stayed on track with the original UNIX KISS Principles.

Well-said. I plan to buy 13.37 when it is released. I also think we should support Mr. Volkerding in his efforts. Slackware 13.37 is coming. :)

zordrak,

Ok, it's the "current" state of Slackware between stable releases. Makes sense, almost like a "continual" alpha release of a software repository.

Thanks! :study:

bgeddy,

Great thanks! i love things to read, best way i learn. :study:

Thanks everyone for your responses, i appreciate all info.

i recently jumped from Ubuntu on my Server (why i would use it, i am not sure) and so the Slackware package install/upgrade process is a little "fuzzy" for me right now.

(This post might need to go to a new thread): i know that Slackware uses a package manager of sorts, but it doesn't seem to be the same "type" as a Ubuntu Aptitude or an OpenSUSE Yast.

How does the -Current release of Slackware vary from a stable version (like my 13.1) as far as package management? If you tell me "one must always build from source" or "one must track thy own packages for updates manually" either is cool and either i am comfortable with :).

Also does Slackware have it's own repository? (linuxpackages.net?) And does this vary between -Current and the stable release?

Also, as i love supporting Linux, would these questions have answers in the Slackware book sold on the Slackware storefront? That'd be fine with me, geek literature is great! :study: