At first, I spent almost one hour fiercely typing a whole carpet of text. After I proofread it, I realized it may look like a rant or just yet another non-constructive "plz release 15.0 ASAP" thread, so I deleted everything.

So I changed the thread name and I'm willing to learn tricks from others while we're all waiting for the next stable release.

How do you deal with limitations of 14.2? This includes third party software provided by SBo, that locked updates to prepare for 15.0 I think a couple of months ago already, no?

Let's exclude the option of switching to -current, because it doesn't suit me.

What do I do currently:

- to use newer versions of software, I look for AppImages (shame on me + this increases maintenance time)
- I give up on using new software (new as in I did not use it before) that doesn't work in 14.2 and I postpone to try it after 15.0 is released
- I give up on using software that doesn't compile anymore in 14.2 (hello YouCompleteMe, I think it's been almost one year since I can't use you anymore)
- I give up on using third party software from SBo because I can't get it anymore (download links expired because those versions are too old). I don't mean ancient abandonware that has its sources mirrored by Slackware volunteers on their server. I mean living software that doesn't provide anymore the versions used by SBo scripts for 14.2

What else can I do to make my life easier while I still have to use 14.2? I also plan to keep using it for a while after 15.0 gets released, watch the forum to see what problems other people have (this is to minimize the transition time when I will finally make the switch).

I replaced a lot of software shipped in 14.2 by newer versions and added others. Result. Documentation. Repository.

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I know this probably isn't what you're looking for--I have no special tricks to share--but I have yet to experience any limitations to what I want to do using 14.2. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I rarely feel compelled to "upgrade" any software built with SBo scripts, unless it stops working.

LibreOffice 6.2.8.2 has never failed me, so I'm content to keep running that version. Same for Audacity 2.3.2 and Evince 3.28.5 and VirtualBox 6.1, etc.

In fact, the only 3rd party software that I update on a regular basis is my web browser (Palemoon.) Its SBo script failed starting only a couple months ago, and this was due to changes implemented upstream. (An updated SlackBuild was just posted here yesterday.)

The only thing that ever went truly sideways on me was the proprietary nVidia kernel module. Again, though, this was due to upstream changes--in the linux kernel. (Due to a security issue, some 4.6 kernel code was back-ported to 4.4, starting at 4.4.168.) This change made the nvidia build fail. It didn't slow me down for long, however. After tracking down the info about the change, I merely added a 'sed' line to the script to make it compile again. (Later, I developed a patch to fix it in the source tree before building--obviating the need for in-line sed commands.)

In a nutshell, I get around the "limitations" merely by being content with what I already have.

Have to? I don't think so. You are choosing to continue with 14.2, as evidenced by your very next sentence:
As long as 14.2 is part of your plan, then you'll have to either roll up your sleeves and patch things like I did nVidia, or learn to be content with the "old" versions as posted on SBo.

Other than that, I can only second what Didier said above: you could try replacing individual pieces of the distro yourself, as needed, to make your chosen 3rd party stuff work.

1 members found this post helpful.

Just FTR many SBO compiles are fairly easily upgraded simply by using a newer, more available version, and noting that difference (if needed) in the Slackbuild script.

For a time I had problems with networking in 14.2 stemming from rsync'ing to a new Z490 box that has 10GB/sec ethernet and wifi6. Upgrading kernel firmware partly solved that and upgrading the kernel finished the process. My greatest limitations these days are that I don't know how to upgrade all the development packages. Added to that is lack of motivation since despite it's label, 15.0-RC1, it is as solid as any Official Release has been in 20+ years and more solid than a few. "A rose by any other name...."

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this looks like pls release 15.0 sorry.

Agreed. I mentioned VirtuaBox 6.1 above. SBo provides 5.0.40, and that worked fine until I tried to install -current in a VM. Once I found out that I needed a newer VBox to handle 5.10+ kernels, I was able to build VBox 6.1 using the same SBo script.

Once again, I must concur. Most everyone seems to agree that RC1 works just fine. Thus, if the only "unstable" thing about it is the frequency of updates, people could simply install 15.0-RC1 as it exists, and just be more discriminating as to which updates to apply.

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14.2 has no limitations. It is your patience that is limited. Work on that.

So max.b, after a number of your threads and posts lhat felt like negative trolling, and saying you were leaving the Slackware sub-section, have you actually installed Slackware now? If so congratulations. You have my sincere wish you find the experience stimulating and rewarding.

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I didn't cope, I just went with -current. That was a long time ago, before 14.2 was released.

I was never trolling. I was here out of morbid curiosity/procrastination. If you came across Branch Davidians, wouldn't you want to talk to them? But I'll be moving on.

And close the door behind you, please!

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I don't. An OS should not be something I need to cope or deal with.

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If you use 14.2 and it is as comfortable as it was before SBo locked submissions to prepare for 15.0, you might be the exception rather than the rule.

I still mainly use 14.2. The main drawback has been using Firefox, since a quite a few websites I use to pay bills do not appear to work properly when I attempt to log in.
VirtualBox works fine though and I have a VM that runs slackware-current. The firefox on current works fine with those websites so I get by for now.

Totally respect your decision.

That being said, I cope with the limitations by running -current.

Been doing this for almost a year. Not perfect - I'm holding off on a lot of customization until 15 drops, but I'm feeling very optimistic that we will see something before the end of the year. If that turns out to be the case, then getting your feet wet with -current now may be an option to consider depending on your needs.

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