I switched from suse 9.0 to slackware 9.1. I would have just waited a few more weeks and got suse 9.1, but I wanted something faster.

And yes, slackware is faster...MUCH faster - that I love about it. But EVERY step, every new piece of hardware (since not much was setup from the initial install) takes SO much time.


I spent collectively 4 hours or so to get my scroll moue working and my dual head card working yesterday. I have been working for about 1 1/2 hours to get my Xerox laser printer to print. works fine some places, but not others.

I'm terrified of setting up my video capture card.

My creative SB Live pci card isn't detected or working.

I havn't even thought about burning a cd.

At this rate it will take me a week or more just to install the OS and configure my hardware, much less my applications.


----------------------------------

Seriously, is it really this hard for those of us who are not proficient at linux? Or am I missing something painfully easy? I am not one to be affraid of command lines (DOS 5 was my first OS) - nor am I affraid to read and learn - that is 1/2 of why I am doing this..... but I do have to make it usable for the rest of the family, not just me.

what am i missing ???

I do want to add - All the help I have gotten here in the slackware group is GREATLY appreciated.. You guys are great.. no doubt about that..

Now you know how to proceed.

It does get easier, honest !!

For your SB Live get the latest alsa source and when you get to the configure stage use:

./configure --with-cards=emu10k1

and perhaps --with-sequencer=yes but I'm not absolutely sure if it's supported on the SB Live! (For instance doomII (legacy) will not play music, but you can always play your mp3 collection instead.) You may also need to tell configure where the kernel source is....

There's several src packages for alsa, I only bother with alsa-driver, alsa-lib, and alsa-utils. Compile in that order. the utils gives you alsactl with which you can store and restore your mixer settings, and alsamixer with which to set the settings - just adjust the obvious channels ie master, pcm, cd, etc. I'll not repeat a certain message about mixer levels

--

I've noticed that mpg123 (or 321) on the console plays back everything crackly, ogg123 is fine, and xmms is fine.

Just a comment... I've been surfing only a few weeks here, and I use RedHat - it REALLY seems that especially you Slackware guys have heaps and heaps of problems that simply never happen in RedHat - take the SBLive issue for example. My Rh9 detected it right out of the box, and it worked first time - same for my CDRW - (Sony CRX175E2) and my graphics card (Nvidia GEForce 4 MX440 based).

Have you tried a RedHat distro? I don't know if it will be as fast as Slackware, but it might be easier to get set up...

The odd thing or to.

/Jens

Slackware is harder to use than the other distros available but the more you use it you will find that it becomes easier to use. The thing about Slackware is that it makes you learn how to use Linux and that it shows you the workings of a Linux system.


I use amp to play my mp3s when using the console and it works fine for me.

Thats the great thing about slackware.. its ahrd the first time. but its easy the next 15,000 times you have to do it. Besides, I have heard a saying that if you use suse, redhat or mandrake... you are learning how to use suse, redhat or mandrake. If you use slackware you learn how to use linux which applies in most form and fashion on all distros

All of you made some really good points...

And thanks for the tips on getting things working. Since I installed Slackware on an extra drive, I can always plug back in my suse drive and work.... until I get slack figured out through time. I am making notes and backups of files ... so I guess the next time won't be nearly as hard as trey85stang mentioned.

In reference to running redhat, i had the same thing with suse - automatic detection and configuration of devices... although it is super easy and time saving.... I am learning a hell of alot more about linux with my slackware install.

Well, I'll keep plugging away at slackware - once I get everything working it'll be grreat, but until then, suse it is.

I will reference this thread for the tips that were givin.... be back when I get stuck...

thanks a lot folks.. best regards - tw

Did you read the original post (oops, forgot. That's why people use RH based distros, to avoid doing that ;-) j/k (maybe)) ? The writer said that he just changed from SuSe to Slackware. So he is coming from an rpm based distro that automagically sets everything up for him. But he apparently wants to control his box rather than leaving it all up to the distro.
Also, all of these problems are why experienced Slackware people usually know a great deal more about Linux than the average user of other distros. Slackware makes you learn what modules are, how modprobe works or depmod. It makes you learn how to edit init scripts by hand and a host of other things. We don't want guis to set things up, we don't want unseen processes changing setting and conf files. If we did we would still be using winblows.
I agree with you in a way. Slackware is not for everyone. If you don't want to spend time setting up your box. Go RH or SuSe or Mandrake. Setting up a Slack box that has some difficult hardware can be a tough time consuming process with lots of frustration.

Redhat is hell for maintenance work, it is a hell for init script, its patched gcc is a hell...For gamers or web surfers maybe redhat is good choice but definitivly not for serious work

When I moved to linux from win98 I first tried RH7.2. I didn't like it cos it was sluggish and and as a complete linux newbie was struggling to find the information to get my hardware working. I gave up on linux for a month and then tried debian which I used up till the start of this month. I had to learn to use Debian otherwise I may aswell stuck with Windows and its secrative ways and continue not getting anything out of it.

Slackware has in common with Debian this process of learning to solve problems and gives the user a sense of satisfaction and achievment. When I tried Mandrake 10, everything was setup nice and it even got my Lexmark Z11 printer working which I'd been trying to do for ages. But it just was too easy ! No satisfaction, so off it went.

Right now I'm struggling to patch my bl***y kernel to give file monitoring (imon or dnotify) but I'm no expert on patching.....so I can continue compiling gnome2.6 sigh.....(patch seems to be doing nothing ie 0% cpu and just sits there idle until I ctrl-c it) (oops forgot the '<' character)

The benefit of those initial hurdles is that at the end of the day you have a kick ass fast and stable system that is a breeze to maintain and upgrade - and you know a lot more about linux than when you started.

If you did a full install of Slackware 9.1, ALSA packages should be installed. As root,
and hope your card is detected.

If you're still using a 2.4.x kernel (default in Slackware) then you'll need to add this to your /etc/lilo.conf (if you're NOT using a SCSI burner) if you want CD burning
where hdx is you burner (hdb, hdc, etc).
Now you'll need to redo the CD burner symlink. As root
Now search LQ for how to use cdrecord.

For the video-capture card somebody else will have to speak up; I don't have one

This is not an original quote, but: "If you want to learn how to use Redhat, install Redhat. If you want to learn how to use Linux, install Slack." Totally true, no ands, ifs, or buts. -- J.W.