I've decided to go the FreeBSD way of thinking and accept the challenge.

If you think about it, this makes sense. Slackware is based upon BSD scripts and are introducing clang instead of gcc.

Not to start a flame-war, but FreeBSD - and other BSD's - are UNIX aren't they?

Bless you all in the free world.

The BSDs are derived from Unix; here is a bit of history about the BSDs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkele...e_Distribution

FreeBSD is a solid OS. Another OS you might want to look at is OpenBSD which is proactively secure by default.

Have fun. I run FreeBSD and OpenBSD in VMs at the moment. Slackware is my OS.

I am running BSD for years now. Very solid from tip to tip. Once up and running, no headache, you can go uptime seems forever except on power outage. I have high respect to this kernel.

However I quit from learning it. I am too old to divide my time: I have made my choice to help FOSS by way of Gnu/Linux; Berkeley can go on, they have made that point already. BSD has the breed, as such, the rightful heir to the throne of Unix Kingdom. Here in Gnu/Linux there is no kingdom, but the Freedom Land -the kingdom come.

Slackware is my OS. Long live Pat V.!

Good luck.

In 2009 and 2010 I tested a few Unix-like systems including Arch Linux and FreeBSD. Using Slackware Linux I'm able to set everything exactly as I like. Using Arch Linux I was able to set everything in almost the right way. Using FreeBSD I encountered some unsolved problems. So the winners of my competition are:

1. Slackware Linux

2. Arch Linux

3. FreeBSD

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I am currently running NetBSD on an old computer of mine. It's stable, fast and easy to install. I'm very satisfied with it, respect for the developers. But in my opinion nothing beats the potential of Slackware.

/Troll mode on

Need challenge? Use Ubuntu with Unity.

*Troll mode off/

On a serious note, the above posters are right, BSD's are cool, especially on the server front.


Regards.

I think most Slackers have a lot of respect for the *BSDs so I don't think you need worry about being flamed over wanting to try one out. In fact, try several of them: it's all good experience.

Here's another idea for you, that will keep you in Slackware.

How abut creating a repository of programs a-la Debian et-al with the sort of things people tend to use on a daily basis, together with all dependencies, including circular ones and automagic resolution of same.

Or how about a nice graphical installer? I know it's not needed, but might get more non-techy people interested.

Of course, going with one of the *SDs is also a worthwhile pursuit

try CRUX

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I don't understand Slackware as a challenge at all. I would have much difficulties when I were forced to use Ubuntu or Mint. Slackware has the advantage to be rocksolid and it works when I need it as I need it.

I have once tried OpenBSD but it did not run very well on my laptop. My experience with other Linux-systems is mostly Arch and Gentoo. If one wants a challenge I would say that Gentoo is one, but for an experienced Slacker not really a problem.

Sooner or later you'll be back with Slackware.

Markus

Why not simply go to straight UNIX with no gui? Or maybe Plan9?

If you want a set-it-and-forget-it challenge there's always Gentoo. Sometime this weekend it will be ready to use and you can decide then if you want to keep experimenting!

Sorry, for the joke... I installed Gentoo the other day. It's actually pretty nice, just the defaults are a little ragged if you don't RTFM before you get rolling! The BSD's were interesting, but their particular strengths as I saw them were not particularly useful to me.

FreeBSD is a beast unto itself, but if you need a true challenge, try Linux From Scratch.

on a side/philosophycal note could one see slackware as the missing link between linux and unix/*bsd...?

Slackware is the most UNIX-like Linux distribution. It borrows a lot from FreeBSD too, so basically Slackware is really one of the purest UNIX-like Linux distributions.