Slack 12.2 + kde = how many cds?

houms · 01-16-2009, 04:24 PM

Good day slackers,
I have finally decided to try Slackware, by try I dont mean try I mean dedicate myself to stick with it. I have played around with it and several derivatives such as slax and xenwalk, but I really want to stick with slack so I can learn linux. I have been using Linux for about three years now and love every minute of it. Even when stuff doesnt work. Everyone, whether they use slack or not suggests using it, if you really want to learn about your system and have total control. I am really interested in learning as much as possible.

I have installed slack before using previous versions (9.0 and 11.0 I believe) but my quesion is in reference to 12.2.
I was under the impression that the first 2 cds would pretty much install all the software I would need for a standard workstation install. And that the rest of the cds are source cds. With that being said, I did the install using the first two cds. I choose all the package groups except kdei which i believe is just the internationalization components for kde. I choose full for the "prompt type", It went through first disc, then second disc. After which, I choose to end instal. it then went through the config questions but when it got to the desktop environment part, kde was not an option. Xfce was there, fluxbox, blackbox, and I think one or two more.... I chose xfce and went through the install and everything went fine. And let me just say WOW. I know its a virtual machine but Slackwares feels like Ubuntu on a case of RedBull. This thing is flying.. But I digress

My question is do I only need 2 cds if I want slack+kde desktop? If so, what did I do wrong the first time?
Any advice would be appreciated. I would like to put slack on my laptop with kde. Thanks in advance for your help.

onebuck · 01-16-2009, 04:37 PM

Hi,

Welcome to LQ!

Code:

from Slackware home torrent list;
  Slackware 12.2 Install ISO disc 1 (A/AP/D/E/L/N, bootable installer, kernels, Slackbook)
Slackware 12.2 Install ISO disc 2 (F/K/T/TCL/X/XAP/Y, L source)
Slackware 12.2 Install ISO disc 3 (KDE/KDEI)
Slackware 12.2 ISO disc 4 (A/AP/D/E/F/installer source, extra/, pasture/, old Berkeley DB packages)
Slackware 12.2 ISO disc 5 (K/KDE/KDEI source)
Slackware 12.2 ISO disc 6 (N/T/TCL/X/XAP/Y source, USB and PXE installers)


Slackware 12.2 DVD ISO (everything)

If you want kde/kdei then you will need cd3 along with cd1 & cd2.

hitest · 01-16-2009, 11:07 PM

Yes. A full install requires CDs 1-3. As you're new to Slackware a full install is the best option. With a full install you will have KDE, XFce and all of the software you will need.

houms · 01-17-2009, 09:25 AM

Thanks or the replies onebuck and hitest.

I did go thru the install on the laptop last night, and it went thru without issue. Who says slackware is hard to install? To me its really not that different than other text/ncurses installers.
Nonetheless, I am trying to feel my way out on Slackware, and one place I would like to get started is package management. For example, I want to install wicd since I have a wireless card, and kdes network manager sucks. Mainly because it doesnt support wpa. Anyway, I'm not so sure what the best way to go about this is. Now I know slack does have a lot o different "package managers" some of which do solve dependencies and some that dont.

Also, I can appreciate the full install for newbs, as it is easy to mess up, but I would like to just install a base kde install and build/install the packages I need from there. Currently having everything installed is overkill. I mean some of these menu's are ridicously big. They have pretty much the entire kitchen sync. Any suggestions on how I can get just kde? I presume that its just a matter of de-selecting the packages I dont want, but say I de-select a package but it is a dependency that some kde component needs. Will it be installed or not because I de-selected it. I guess what I'm trying to ask is when you pick packages or groups of packages during the install process. Is there any dependency resolution there? Or is it up to the user to choose which packages are needed? Sorry if the question is unclear.
Thanks again or your assistance.

SO i just downloaded wicd from http://packages.slackware.it/
moved it to /root and then issued
/etc/rc.d/rc.wicd start
Looks like its working, but is there a way to get the wicd system tray utility to show? Also is there a default location that is recommended for putting the tarball? or does it not matter?

hitest · 01-17-2009, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by houms

Is there any dependency resolution there? Or is it up to the user to choose which packages are needed? Sorry if the question is unclear.
Thanks again or your assistance.

That to me is the beauty of Slackware. You are in charge of selecting what goes onto your system. No. Slackware does not have dependency resolution, so if you select a paired down system you will be required to manually resolve dependency issues should they arise. This is why I recommend a full install for newcomers as your system will be functional.
Slackbuilds.org is an excellent site to visit for additional software. Also, Robby and Eric have exceptional sites.

http://www.slackbuilds.org/

http://rlworkman.net/pkgs/

http://slackware.com/~alien/

houms · 01-17-2009, 10:12 AM

Thanks Hitest for your response,
So in my example I just installed wicd here is the output

# installpkg /root/wicd-1.5.6-noarch-2.tgz
Installing package wicd-1.5.6-noarch-2...
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION:
wicd: wicd (network manager for linux)
wicd:
wicd: wicd is a wired and wireless network manager for Linux.
wicd: Some features include:
wicd: - Ability to connect to wired and wireless networks
wicd: - Profiles for each wireless network and wired network
wicd: - Many encryption schemes, some of which include WEP/WPA/WPA2
wicd: - Compatible with wireless-tools
wicd:
wicd: Homepage: http://wicd.sourceforge.net
wicd:
Executing install script for wicd-1.5.6-noarch-2...
Reloading system message bus configuration...

If I did not meet all the dependencies,which I must have since I have the kitchen sink installed, would it tell me what I was missing? Also is there a front-end, so-to-speak, to downloading these packages?

I understand the advantage of doing the full install over starting with a base, especially for newcomers, but I want to be able to build the system the way I want it. Not with a bunch of apps that do the same thing. I mean I don't need 4 email clients, 5 audio players, and 4 media players. How do I go about doing this? I mean I get the impression that the only way to effectively do that in slack is by learning what package depends on what? I mean I dont mind having to install dependencies manually if need be. But I do mind having packages I don't want on my system.

If I were to just install the first cd, can I just go from there. Meaning just install kde, xorg, and possibly kdm? Coming from Debian, and Arch mostly, this is the way I look at building my desktop normally. With Debian you do a base install and you go form there and with Arch a core install. I understand they have package managers, but I''m sure there is a way to do this, "The Slack way".

Again, I appreciate all your time and assistance.

onebuck · 01-17-2009, 03:58 PM

Hi,

You could look at 'Minimal System'. Which is the method as to what packages you should install to have a base system for Slackware. Then continue on to install the packages that you want. I suggest that you also look at 'Slackbuilds' which is a real good source for build scripts. Be sure to read the intro page.

These links and others are available from 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!