Well, Slackware is a company that sells an Operating System - Slackware Linux. Just like RedHat and Microsoft.
So "the most "UNIX-like" Linux distribution out there" shouldn't mean "a toy to tinker with in your spare time".
Most people expect a product fully capable of being in most production environments.


Cheers

That may be what many expect, but is it what Pat is striving for? Only he can answer that (but I feel like his software choices have already answered that).

Wow... just wow...

I get the reaction against systemd, or the FSF, or Microsoft, or SCO, or IBM, but attacking Slackware is very, very strange.

Why bother with facts, right? Slackware sells collectible media & gear, period. The OS is gratis. And most people certainly do not expect anything to work in most production environments. Most people do not even know what these other production environments are, being familiar with only 2 or 3, like net browsing, office, and/or high-level software development. And by the way, Slackware absolutely crushes in all 3.

ROFLMFAO! "Toy"? to "tinker with in your spare time"? Gee what does that make me, and quite a number of others here, who have used it as Sole OpSys or Main OpSys for decades? We're just "tinkering around" eh?

If this is your only criteria, then Slackware is extremely user-friendly.

Installation takes very little time (aside from waiting for the packages to install, but you could always eat a sandwich during that part) and for most uses no post-install configuration is necessary.

I was reading this thread hoping for some insights into why people consider Slackware to not be user-friendly, but what you say makes no sense.

3 members found this post helpful.

Ping wishwell - Since you seem to be mostly interested in an Enterprise environment and although many of those require some things like PAM that are not stock with Slackware, I wonder if you are aware of this since you apparently had difficulty getting Slackware running in order to feel it.

1) Some Enterprise situations require deep customization and Slackware offers a system that doesn't resist you or do things behind your back. Reduced hidden variables == Easy troubleshooting.

2) Not having systemd means all human-readable config files so it is possible to minimize the need for specific experts for non-critical work, reducing overhead while minimizing the possibility of breakage - a nice, configurable balance pleasant and productive for those manning workstations.

and, Most Importantly, since everything is a tradeoff TANSTAAFL

3) Considering a modest investment in setup time has a major dividend - Extremely low risk of breakage and even less "routine" maintenance. I've tested just shy of a hundred distros and none come close in offering the widest possibility of customization while remaining stable and relatively maintenance free... in fact more stable and less maintenance than any I've tried.

Perhaps you should try LiveSlack first so you can get to a finished product faster to see for yourself.

1 members found this post helpful.

Slackware, Inc. creates a Linux Operating System, and then makes it freely available to all, no strings attached. You can download the distro from many mirrors on the Internet.
You can order offline installation media (CDROM set or DVD) if you are unable to install Slackware over your Internet connection. Via that same Store, Slackware Inc. also sells books, t-shirts and assorted stuff to cover the cost of living.

That is obviously a bit different from how you perveive it. It is a company which is very different from Red Hat or Microsoft.

6 members found this post helpful.

Hm, an uninformed visitor to www.slackware.com sees:
"Slackware® is a registered trademark of Slackware Linux, Inc. All logos and graphics are copyrighted"
and a link to the store where one can order ......... Slackware Linux on DVD.

So instead of telling uninformed visitors to this forum that they are not the intended target of Patrick Volkerding (who's that guy), you can put a sticky thread that clears the perception and explains what Slackware Linux is, what Slackware Linux Inc is, and what they are not.



Cheers

From the "Get Slack" link on Slackware.com:

If from that you gather that Slackware must be ordered from the Slackware store on a DVD set, you need help with reading comprehension.

4 members found this post helpful.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Where are the desktop widgets? Using the default KDE theme? Puh - leeeeze.

Things that I have done with Slackware:

Transparency is your friend, and Slackware is as transparent as distros get. Nothing is hidden from the user.

If, on the other hand, you want to not use your brain, then there are distros that can handle everything for you. Just don't complain or even be surprised when you want to do something it wasn't designed for, and it fights you. Flexibility is also your friend, but it requires much thought.

Just my

2 members found this post helpful.

Wow! I can't believe that a troll has managed such a long thread!
Truly there is no point replying to this thread.

4 members found this post helpful.

Ironic post of the day...

2 members found this post helpful.