SlackwareThis Forum is for the discussion of Slackware Linux.
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After a long absence from Linux I am considering turning back onto that road.
Currently running Win7 (which needs re-installing as it is badly clogged) on a Toshiba Satellite, CPu is i7, 500gb HDD with half of that partitioned. I hope to either dual boot or have a master / slave situ..My intention was to use Ubuntu Mint as the Master with Win7 & XP as slaves. When using a slave does one get a full screen or only a window? Does it slow down the system - would a dual boot or triple boot be more efficient? Finally Would Slackware be a better choice than Mint?
Having a dual/triple/multiple boot system is more convenient when you use those systems. If you just want to try something out, virtualisation is a more convenient option. There you can have one system acting as a host and the others will be installed as guests. Please bear in mind that it requires a lot of memory as it'll be shared between the host and guest(s).
When it comes to Slackware, it's an entirely different beast than Ubuntu or Mint. It doesn't hold your hands and requires you to do most of the configuration. There are virtually no fancy GUI configuration tools that you'd have in Ubuntu or Mint. It's a system for those who want to have almost total control over what's going on. While it's not usually recommended for beginners, Slackware, contrary to some opinions, is not MUCH more difficult to configure and use than so-called 'newbie distros' like Ubuntu or Mint.
Your best bet would be to try all three of them and see which one you feel most compfortable with.
If you are looking for simplicity, stability and configurability, slackware is imo far and away the superior choice. If you need graphical config and package management tools another choice might be better for you.
A good compromise might be vector linux. Vector is based on slackware and has many of its advantages plus included graphical config and package management tools.
Vector linux has just released its 64 bit 7.0 version if you want to try it and the support forum at forum.vectorlinux.com is perhaps the best i have seen.
Thanks for these quick answers sycamorex and fogpipe I take on board what you say and realise that slackware would be far above my ability, as I need (still) the GUI's to get me around. But I will have a look at Vector
Advantages of Slackware over Ubuntu are (in my opinion):
-Slackware doesn't try to replace every single commandline tool with a GUI.
-Slackware sticks with standards instead of replacing good software with junk software in every new release.
-Slackware has a package format that isn't causing confusions with dependencies.
-Slackware is avoiding superfancy tools that are looking good and behaving like crap.
-Slackware does not install thousands of unneeded packages by default.
-No Pulseaudio and no Grub by default! Seriously, that junk should be shot to the moon and never recovered.
-Slackware has a very stable development branch. I never experienced a stable rolling release like this in any other distribution I used.
-Slackware is much faster than Ubuntu. Ever used the package manager there? You can make a coffee while it's processing your updates. I guess all the fancy stuff they put into that OS causes it to behave really sluggish.
And the most important part: The userbase is very very friendly! There are a lot of ignorant guys on the Ubuntu forums who think that typing "sudo" into a terminal makes them pro's. There are often fights and an unfriendly mood - I never experienced anything like this here on LQ.
My intention was to use Ubuntu Mint as the Master with Win7 & XP as slaves. When using a slave does one get a full screen or only a window? Does it slow down the system - would a dual boot or triple boot be more efficient?
Master and slave? Do you mean using Mint as the primary OS, the default boot OS? Windows 7 and Windows XP would be optional boot options to select from on starting your laptop?
There is no master, slave relationship between systems when multi booting. At least I have never heard it termed that way before. You normally have one system to boot as default, the others are a selected. You can also set it up so nothing boots by default with selection required. In a multi-boot setup, once past the OS selection process, it is no different than booting to the laptop with just that OS installed. So it will be full screen, it does not affect speed at all.
Now you could mean master in boot to Mint as the host OS, with the others as slaves running in a virtual machine with Windows 7 and Windows XP running as guest. If you have a lot of memory and you only need Windows occasionally for specific programs this would be a good option. This is what I do using VirtualBox. You can choose to run each virtual machin in a window or full screen. Running a virtual machines can affect performance, it really depends on how you use your laptop. If you plan on playing games, I would suggest going with multiple boot. There are some games that don't like running on a virtual machine.
Quote:
Finally Would Slackware be a better choice than Mint?
It really depends on you. I am running Slackware on this machine, however, my kids computers do not have Slackware installed. Why? It's not because Slackware is hard to use, it not, is just as easy to use as Mint. Installation of additional software, updates requires a bit more work in Slackware than in Mint. It's as simple as point and click in Mint. My kids are lazy, the want point and click, so they have it.
If you want ease of use, point and click installation, updating, installation of software, then go with Mint.
Last edited by chrisretusn; 07-17-2012 at 06:02 PM.
And the most important part: The userbase is very very friendly! There are a lot of ignorant guys on the Ubuntu forums who think that typing "sudo" into a terminal makes them pro's. There are often fights and an unfriendly mood - I never experienced anything like this here on LQ.
The Ubuntu Forums has certainly changed over the years, it is a breath of fresh air here at the slackware corner of LQ .
I agree with Fogpipe that Vector Linux is a nice compromise between the stability and speed of Slackware and the user-friendliness of more Minty distros. My experience has been good with slackware, but I started with debian/Ubuntu distros and tweaked them till they broke again and again.
The first time I tried to run Slack I went at it all wrong, and failed to configure my system properly. Frustrated, I gave up and reinstalled Ubuntu. Another year of ubuntu and fedora (incredibly frustrating) and I was ready for something simple and stable that would do what i told it to do and ONLY what I told it to do. I read all the documentation on setting up slackware PROPERLY, and have been slacking happily ever since.
I run Slack 13.37 on my home server and 13.37 x86_64 on my main laptop, and Slackware -current on my older tinkering laptop. It takes a bit of work to set up your system properly, but once its set, it just works. Installing extra software in Slack is a bit more involved than in the mintbuntus, but I find that extra effort makes me more careful about what I choose to install, and I have a cleaner system as a result.
If you are willing to take the time to learn and set up your system properly, Slackware is great. If you want something that does all the work for you, Ubuntu and Mint are valid options. Vector Linux is somewhere in between, and has a small but strong community backing it up.
Thanks for these quick answers sycamorex and fogpipe I take on board what you say and realise that slackware would be far above my ability, as I need (still) the GUI's to get me around. But I will have a look at Vector
Thanks again
I'd strongly suggest you try Slackware. Nothing is more satisfying than learning what goes on behind the scenes instead of just hitting click, you'll have a much better understanding of what is going on with Linux which makes troubleshooting even easier. I can't compare to another distro as I started with Slackware 8.0 and have never installed anything else. Besides that, you should give it a whirl because you asked here! :-)
chrisretusn;4731062Now you could mean master in boot to Mint as the host OS, with the others as slaves running in a virtual machine with Windows 7 and Windows XP running as guest. If you have a lot of memory and you only need Windows occasionally for specific programs this would be a good option. This is what I do using VirtualBox. You can choose to run each virtual machin in a window or full screen. Running a virtual machines can affect performance, it really depends on how you use your laptop. If you plan on playing games, I would suggest going with multiple boot. There are some games that don't like running on a virtual machine.
Yes, I meant Host and guest (Master/slave comes from my old cash register fixing days where the Master sported 64KB - back in the 80's) I used VM on Win 7 so as I could run XP software, but as you say it is slow and jerky. I think I'll be better off with multiple boot.
If you want a Linux distribution that isn't overbloated with junk and has good managed software packaging, try Arch. Gentoo (LiveDVD release) is good also as it can offer a fairly custom system.
Arch is kinda like Slackware-Current with package management and dependency resolution built-in. I've tried it and liked it compared to other distributions out there outside the Slackware norms like Salix which is good also.
As far as PulseAudio and Grub.... There isn't a black hole in the universe I wouldn't jump at the chance to toss these into.
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