Hey everyone,

This probably won't help anyone, but you never know.

When I started college in 2002, I bought myself a copy of Linux Format, and many since, with Slackware 8.1 on the bundled CD. I Googled around to find out why Slackware might be better than another distro, having used RedHat in college. The answer I found, and justify the use of Slackware with, was that because everything wasn't GUI managed you were forced to really learn Linux. I found this to be true.

The first couple times I tried upgrading, I ended up botching the system and having to install from scratch. Good thing this is what I expected to do and backed up all my important files to DVD first. Then came along 10.0. I upgraded to this from 9.1 and didn't have any problems. It went fairly smoothly. I found a few issues here and there and found solutions to them on forums and various place. When 10.1 came along I had some issues because of my previous upgrade and I resolved those. When 11 came long, I said screw it, my hard drive is full. I'll just back everything up and start from scratch.

Slackware 13.0, I don't know if it's a problem with X.0 releases with Slackware but I always have to fight with the system. Sometimes I don't have time to fight with my computer and need it to just friggin work! So, I have tried a few OSs. I got around most of my issues in the long run but now that 13.1 is out I have decided, this is enough Slackware as my main PC. I have 5 computers...don't ask.

So then I downloaded the torrent for Ubuntu Studio. I use my computer mainly for Web Development and more recently that has taken me into the direction of multimedia editing. The few things I didn't like about Slackware were the PLETHORA of packages I never used and my laziness to go through and select every package I wanted, I felt like I was buying a Dell...with all the extra bloatware. Another thing I didn't like about Slackware was the fighting to get everything installed. I got it all installed, but, it just takes way too long.

I recently lost a hard drive, thank god for backups, and had to reinstall. So I tried out Ubuntu Studio first. It was very nice. I liked how clean it was compared to Slackware. I also like the idea of GUI configuration, now that I've gotten used to it in Windows XP and Server 2008 at work. So I kept going back and forth between the two and now I've made up my mind. Slackware will remain at me roots, and I will install it on my servers. For my main desktop, however, I am switching to Ubuntu Studio. I never liked Ubuntu because it was very non-Slackware, but I've gotten used to it over the past few weeks.

I've always wanted to get into Linux development, either a distro or the kernel itself but I am very much inexperienced, maybe someday. I felt the need to give back to the community since I can't really afford to buy much, which is what turned me onto Linux in the first place. When that day comes, I may look back at my roots and see where Slackware is. Until then, I am going to be investing time in setting up my Ubuntu Studio system. I haven't tried installing my development tools yet, Eclipse and plugins mostly, but I'm sure they will work.

I know one thing I'm not going to like about Ubuntu is not having the source for everything installed off the bat, for when I need to compile some arbitrary software against some header source. You know it will happen...

[edit]
Anyway, so I was reminded how much I hate fighting with Slackware today when I tried to burn the ISO to a DVD. There is an issue, which is why they added the kde-compat folder in the extras. I threw in my Slackware 13.0 disc and the packages were corrupt. So I went to slackware.com to try and get them and all the Canadian mirrors aren't working, so I gave up, then I remembered Canada isn't the only country with mirrors I downloaded the packages, installed them and burnt my disc. Slackware: 17 Me: 493
[/edit]

And that's why cows AREN'T blue.

P.S. I haven't decided if I want to dual boot. There shouldn't be a need for it, I have multiple systems.

[edit2]
P.S.S. This probably should have gone in another thread but...it started out as a question...I do that a lot. Write a question, get an idea, fix something, and post something else.

If you don't like ubuntu there are some other distros to try. You might want to try Arch or Gentoo. They're like Slack in that you get your hands dirty a lot. With the added benefit that they do have a package manager that resolves dependencies for you.

Don't forget that with every distro, you get access to cli via terminals, so you can do as much from there as you like. The GUI approach is optional.

I think I'm just looking for not just the dependency resolving package manager, but, a perfection in dance between everything that is GNU/Linux and the software I want to use on it. Yeah, I know...I'm an optimist. LMFAO

It's not really that hard to resolve dependencies, just a little time consuming, which I find myself lacking lately.

Maybe you should to try learning a BSD. You can easily setup dual booting.
1) You will be forced to learn more.
2) That which you learn using a BSD system will help you better understand Linux.

Ok, so then I guess there is no question here just a statement that: Ubuntu > Slackware.

Ok, that's your opinion, I'm glad we got it straightened out. I happen to be of the opposite opinion. So what ? How will this help anyone ? Use whatever distro you like.

Moved to General.

I got master at grabbing tools that will work on my distro (slack 13) from the internet.

What's so hard about configuring your core services through cli? all the configurations are in /etc and all the run scripts are in /etc/rc.d. Not to mention you don't use the 'bloat ware' anyway. So then you are left with app configurations that actually use gconf or kde. Unless you are saying ubuntu developed gui configurations for apache, mysql, and other servers. You know... other than toggling them on and off. Maybe you are expecting a repository of packages with a gui install interface? well if you really want that, there is slapt-get and a few repositories with dependency tracking. I find that no mater what distro you choose, you will always have to fight with it. Slackware is like fighting with somebody you care about, you know it will always work out in the end and that it was always your fault for not knowing what you were doing.

Why aren't cows blue?

As far as I could read, it is probably because he couldn't upgrade the color without crashing the cow?

Unless only people who can run Slackware can breed blue cows. Most farmers run Ubuntu, that's why their cows are brown...perhaps? It's another mystery.

If cows would look like Ubuntu 10.4's theme, they would be dark gray with beige hooves and dull red eyes, and their heads and feet wouldn't be attached right.

Not to mention, their noses would be on the wrong end, so whenever you wanted to "take the bull by the horns" you would have to go down by the tail end.

Perhaps they're bipolar-disorder on the 'up' phase, Running around without a care in the world, going "UbuntMoooooo!" to their hearts delight.

It won't last though. I expect they'll soon be surrounded by a Fed-up-aura again.


(Hey!.. Two distro name jokes in one post! Thankyou, thankyou, I'm here all week!)