Thinking about slackware, advice

ThirtySixBelow · 12-22-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leopard

If you want to construct your distribution piece-by-piece with no assumptions, bare bones or however you decide, but yet want an awesome package manager, then doing a Debian Net Install is perfect for you.

And yes, *buntu is Debian based, but thats only the base. They add several of their own things. Debian is far less assuming and simple, it thinks of its users as "they know what they are doing."

A Debian Net Install literally places the entire Debian system and all the repositories you enable in front of you, and you fully customize your system to have whatever you want. If you don't want ANY packages, you can install the Oh So basic system.

You can even configure Debian to have experimental, bleeding-edge repositories, so you have the most up to date system available.

This sounds like it would be the best for me. It looks to give me exactly what I want without throwing me into the trenches of complete unfamiliarity just yet. I'm not very concerned with a bleeding-edge repo as long as the software in the standard one works to my liking.

Thanks for the help everyone. I know the 'what distro should I use' questions probably gets a little old around here.

lupusarcanus · 12-22-2009, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Thanks for the help everyone. I know the 'what distro should I use' questions probably gets a little old around here.

Your welcome

Old? Not really. I, as a member, and we, as a community, strive to help people find their niche in Linux.

So, at least, for me, you could post another thread on the same topic, and I will reply.

~ leopard

MTK358 · 12-22-2009, 09:09 PM

You mensioned that Slackware has no GUI tools, I actually don't use them even in distros that have them!

lupusarcanus · 12-22-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

You mensioned that Slackware has no GUI tools, I actually don't use them even in distros that have them!

HaHa. Well, hey, that's all right

~sHyLoCk~ · 12-22-2009, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leopard

HaHa. Well, hey, that's all right

He was responding to me.

Anyways, that's a god way of learning. But most people won't do so unless they are forced to. If you use a distro like Slackware,arch or gentoo then you have no other options but using the CLI. You automatically look up commands, google , read man pages and learn about using CLI. If your distro comes with a GUI package manager, I doubt as a newbie you will lookup and type commands instead.

lupusarcanus · 12-22-2009, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~sHyLoCk~

He was responding to me.

Anyways, that's a god way of learning. But most people won't do so unless they are forced to. If you use a distro like Slackware,arch or gentoo then you have no other options but using the CLI. You automatically look up commands, google , read man pages and learn about using CLI. If your distro comes with a GUI package manager, I doubt as a newbie you will lookup and type commands instead.

Oops! @ ~shy : Agreed. Well, almost

ThirtySixBelow · 12-22-2009, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~sHyLoCk~

He was responding to me.

Anyways, that's a god way of learning. But most people won't do so unless they are forced to. If you use a distro like Slackware,arch or gentoo then you have no other options but using the CLI. You automatically look up commands, google , read man pages and learn about using CLI. If your distro comes with a GUI package manager, I doubt as a newbie you will lookup and type commands instead.

The CLI was what converted me from a Windows user to a Linux user. The first few times I used various Linux distros I tried to use them like Windows only with access to free software and maybe some GUI configuration in Gnome. I would occasionally have to do something in the command line and it felt so stripped down and awkward. Then I started doing some software development in the CLI and things changed very quickly. The CLI went from being this awkward and 'useless' thing to something I realized was so incredibly powerful. Now I do everything in the CLI and find myself feeling very constrained on my Windows computer. If all you ever do is use it as a textual representation of window navigation then it will seem worthless, but once you start to learn the power of certain commands it changes everything.

lupusarcanus · 12-22-2009, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThirtySixBelow

The CLI was what converted me from a Windows user to a Linux user. The first few times I used various Linux distros I tried to use them like Windows only with access to free software and maybe some GUI configuration in Gnome. I would occasionally have to do something in the command line and it felt so stripped down and awkward. Then I started doing some software development in the CLI and things changed very quickly. The CLI went from being this awkward and 'useless' thing to something I realized was so incredibly powerful. Now I do everything in the CLI and find myself feeling very constrained on my Windows computer. If all you ever do is use it as a textual representation of window navigation then it will seem worthless, but once you start to learn the power of certain commands it changes everything.

The CLI is a beautiful but intricate and powerful interface. Windows?! HaHa. I don't call it a "command prompt," anymore. I call it "useless."

smeezekitty · 12-23-2009, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTK358

it did not have a dependency-handling package manager.

I might try it then

The dependency handling always messes my system up.

@the OP
I think slackware maybe alittle to high up for a newbie.

mudangel · 12-23-2009, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smeezekitty

I think slackware maybe alittle to high up for a newbie.

Nah, it's perfect for a newbie, if said newbie wants to learn to do more than just point|click|hope nothing breaks 8^)