SlackwareThis Forum is for the discussion of Slackware Linux.
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Slackware Hype? I never heard that Slackware had any hype around it but it's an amusing idea. To me, the main attraction to slackware is simplicity. The underlying system is very simple. Slackware seems to avoid complex configurations:
1. Slack uses inetd instead of the convoluted xinetd
2. pam is not used.
3. There is no complex "console-helper" symlink circus to play with for setuid programs.
4. Package management and creation is extremely easy due to the simple nature of Slackware packages.
5. Most (if not all) packages are not modified from the original developer's code other than compiler switches and ./configure options.
A Slackware system is very stable and secure if it hasn't been misconfigured. Slackware also manages this stability while providing a very "current" system (unlike debian stable).
The down side of slackware (at least to many people) is that it does not provide an aboundance of hand-holding. The installer has an undeserved reputation for being difficult. With versions 9.0 and 9.1 most of the hardware detection is done automatically with the hotplug program. Mandrake and others do provide a very easy, no knowledge necessary, installation. If you require configuration changes that the "easy" installer is not able to accomodate then you've got a more difficult job ahead of you than you would with a Slackware installation. Making changes to a Slackware system only requires that you read a little and learn how to use a text editor. Neither hurts much. Honest.
It *does* include a tool to repartition for you - two, even!
whoops.. should have rephrased what i said. your right, cfdisk and fdisk are included on the cd. i didnt quite say what i meant.. it doesnt repartition for you as in MDK and RH and others. but im sure you knew that
Yeah, I was just messing with ya. Actually, there's at least three - I know sfdisk is on there but I'm not sure if it's accessible during the install - not presented as an option, anyway.
I guess it depends on what sort of messing you're planning on. But for general tinkering (recompiling) no, absolutely not. A knowledge of C couldn't hurt, but also not necessary.
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