Considering Slackware, some questions
 

I'm considering trying out Slackware just because I want to try something new. I've used Ubuntu for a couple of years and Debian for nearly a year so I do have some Linux experience. I do have some questions before I begin though.

- I've read that all configuration is done through text files. Does this include things like changing resolution and keybindings?

- I've also read that Slackware lacks a package manager. So does this mean that I'll have to download what I want from the internet and keep it up to date myself? Is there no repository?

- How are packages installed in Slackware? Is it a fairly simple process?

- Is installing multimedia codecs and Microsoft's True Type Core Fonts a fairly simple procedure?

- What about dependencies? I've heard that it has no dependency checking. So would I have to look up a list of dependencies for every package that I wish to install?

- How is LILO? Does it work well dual booting with Windows?

- In Ubuntu and Debian as soon as I install the OS, I can immediately access the internet from my wired router. Would I have to jump through any hoops in Slackware or can I expect similar results?

That's all I can think of for now. Any optional information or tips you want to give out would be greatly appreciated.

the best suggestion I can give is to use the search function of the forum :)

1) The start up scripts are text based sys V, like BSD. But changing your resolution and such is can easily be done in KDE or whatever other window manager you choose to use.

2) Incorrect. Slackware does have a package manager, its called "pkgtools". The actual Slackware packages are just gzipped tarballs or lzma zipped. There are multiple 3rd party packages sites for slackware. The most notable is www.slackbuilds.org. When used in conjunction with the utility "sbopkg" installing packages in slackware is very easy. You can also get precompiled binaries from Alien Bob, rworkmans, personal sites, they're are part of the core slackware team,

3) packages are installed with "installpkg", for instance "installpkg whatever-package-x86_64-1.tgz" there is also removepkg and upgradepkg.

4) Yes, you can get codecs and webcore fonts at www.slackbuilds.org

5) Correct, there is no dependency tracking, however if you use www.slackbuilds.org they will tell you exactly what dependencies you need, and with sbopkg you can make queue files to automate multiple package installs that dependencies become a non-issue.

6) lilo can boot windows fine. However if you use Windows 7 I would install lilo the the root superblock and chainload it from windows using the EasyBCD boot editor. Its a very nice utility that keeps your Master Boot Record clean, but if you dont have Windows 7, lilo will do fine.

7) Depends, you can install wicd in /extra, that will give you a GUI front end to connect to wireless networks, you can also add your network info during boottime in the startup scripts. So it's not quite as straight forward as Ubuntu, but it should only take a few minutes to get it going.

Thanks for the quick reply. Don't worry Ponce, I typically use the search function first.

It seems like Slackware wouldn't be too hard or irritating. I'll certainly miss APT but I have read that there exists something similar to it in Slackware. I'll check it out if I really don't like the vanilla way of doing things. I'm not even exactly sure what you said in point six Daedra but that's okay, I'll look it up. I did find out that Grub can be installed though after installing the rest of the system so I may just do that.

One other question for now. How do system updates work? I'm used to APT informing me of them and just using it to download them all, I imagine Slackware is different.

setup a mirror in /etc/slackpkg/mirrors, then
there's no automatic notification of available updates, but you can check vbatts rss feeds (much useful, gotta say :) )

A different take on the answers.

If you do the recommended full install, normally there is nothing that will need to be configured. Having said that, Slackware by default starts with the CLI. If you want GUI, then you will have to make one edit.

Yes with a caveat, it's not like Debian so don't try to make comparisons. The stock Slackware install has tools to install, upgrade, remove Slackware packages. There is also a a tool called slackpkg that will aid in keeping your stock Slackware install updated (security updates mostly) from the Slackware tree. With third party, non-Slackware packages you are pretty much on your own.

Intro to Slackware Package Management | Linux.com
Guess it will depend on your prospective. If taken from the Debian prospective, I'd say more complex but not difficult.

Once you have a given package, installation is simple, just run (as root) 'installpkg pkgname' at the CLI and pkgname will be installed. It's similar in upgrading (upgradepkg) or removal (removepkg) of packages.

Getting that package is not that hard either, there is collection of Slackware applications on SlackBuilds.org, you basically build your own package from the provided build script. There is also a third party application that helps you keep your SlackBuild packages up to date (sbopkg : the slackbuilds.org package browser). There are other places to get already created packages that you simply download and install. Most notable is Alien BOB and Robby's Slackware Packages

You can also create packages from source using src2pkg, a real handy application if you can find a package or build script. This gem of a program does a lot of things.

Compiling and creating packages (by hand more or less) from source is not that hard either.

Yes and no. Codecs, If you install say VLC and use Alien BOB's packages, then yes. If you build from source, not so simple for those new to Slackware or those who have never rolled their own. I can really answer regarding MS True Type Core Fonts, never had a need to install them.

The direct answer is yes.

That said, the stock install of Slackware comes with a lot of dependencies already met. The are a lot of packages that can be installed without additional dependencies. Of course there are many packages the will need additional packages installed to meet dependency requirements. These are can normally be found at SlackBuilds.

LILO is fine. It works quite well. I no longer dual boot but it worked great with Windows when I did.

Same is in Ubuntu and Debian, you will have access to interet from your wired router without hoops. Of course there are always exceptions, same as in Ubuntu and Debian.

Read the text files located on the root of the CD, DVD. This is a good read too. http://www.slackbook.org/

The is a wealth of information right here on LinuxQuestions.org.
http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/Slackware

Try using Slackware starting with the default runlevel 3, using startx to start the GUI.

If not already get used to the CLI (Command Line Interface).

They are more or less the same text files that are on Debian, Ubuntu or any other Linux distro. The difference is that Slackware comes with fewer graphical tools to configure them.
As everyone will tell you, Slackware DOES have a package manager. It just happens to be a very simple one: install, remove, upgrade. Those are the only options. What Slackware doesn't have is a dependency checker. However, this is almost never an issue for a Slackware user. Two programs which will make your life a lot easier: slackpkg and sbopkg. Check them out.
The base install contains most things you will need. Extra packages can come from a third party or, more usually, from SlackBuilds. Once you get a package, it can be installed like this: .
Yes. See SlackBuilds.
Yes. But as I said, you'll likely never have a problem with this.
Fine. Yes.
I didn't have any hoops to jump for either wired or wireless. For the latter, the Slackware DVD comes with wicd (though it isn't installed by default) and it can make getting online easy.

Hi,

Welcome to LQ & Slackware!

Two good references Slackware® Essentials & Slackware® Basics.

Another useful resource would be 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

You will find the following tutorial useful;
If you want to go mulitib then Multilib Slackware for x86_64.

Few more Alien_Bob's links that you will find VERY useful;This post may seem as a potpourri but just culls from the Sticky, Threads & 'Slackware-Links'.

Happy Slacking!
:hattip:


EDIT: Temp link for tutorial http://genek.net/LinuxAdventures/index.html

FYI for those who might prefer GRUB over LILO. I've used GRUB legacy (0.97) on Slackware with no problem. I juggled the pieces myself, but Slackware wasn't making things difficult at all. If you want to do things different than usual, Slackware is a fine choice to start from, then change it however you like. I've even substituted all the init scripts with a set of my own written from scratch. Once I got my own bugs out, Slackware is fine with it.

BTW, I don't prefer GRUB over LILO. I just did it for the fun of doing it. My next project at that level is writing my own boot loader.

Hey ponce, thanks for the vbatts rss feeds....hadn't been aware of it before....really nice!

Riff_Raff,

Welcome to the official Slackware forum!
I am also a Debian user who has long since switched to Slackware. As you are a Debian user then you are comfortable with editing text files and navigating on the command line.
Preparation is key to a successful install of Slackware. I recommend that you do a full install of Slackware as that works out of the box. Read the support documentation that is on the Slackware CDs/DVD and read the slackbook linked in my signature.
I must warn you though.....once you Slack, you never go back. :)

I'm surprised by the amount of replies I've gotten. I thank you all. I've saved some recommended resources that I hadn't already bookmarked and I'll be testing Slackware out in a virtual machine pretty soon. I imagine things won't be too bad for me, my systems are pretty static after the initial configuration. I'll also have to get use to a new Desktop Environment. I'm used to Gnome but I really haven't tried others out, at least not extensively. I know that Gnome can be used in Slackware with some finangling but what the hell, I'll use this opportunity to try something new.

I played around with Slackware a bit in Virtual Box today. It was slow but I imagine that was because I was using it in a virtual box, with KDE, and only allowed the use of 1 of my 4 gigs of RAM. I imagine it'll be a lot faster if/when I install it on my actual machine. Having sbopkg build and install Chromium and its dependencies took like, 20 minutes, and it looked like it was going pretty fast in the terminal. Would that be another result of virtual machines being slow or does building and installing four packages really take that long? Also, after I installed video drivers and rebooted, the Desktop settings kept crashing when I tried to access it, though it didn't before I installed my drivers. Hopefully such a thing won't occur if I install Slackware. Sbopkg seems pretty useful though having to write down what dependencies I need and searching for them is a pain. It's not onerous, just annoying since it takes more time and work than other distros I've used. I thought about using slapt-get for that reason to see how it is. Other than those issues though Slackware is fine from my extremely limited exposure to it.

Have a look at queuefiles in Sbopkg. There are lots already built that you can download. They automatically build dependencies for SlackBuilds in Sbopkg and make large and complicated builds with lots of chained dependencies very easy whilst still giving total control to the user. Highly recommended.

Am I the only person confused by the fact that the OP first claims to have read Slackware lacks a package manager and then proceeds to ask how packages are installed and "what about dependency checking"?