Hi guys! I know I ended up asking a questions on how to get things working as opposed to first introducing myself. (How rude of me) However I am sure many others have done the same as well. I just wanted to talk about my experience with Slackware.

I first started slack way back in 1997 or so. This is back when Linux was underground. Back then I was in Turkey and not even speaking the language English Fluently. I was somehow able to setup my first slackware in started slacking away. I had tried Redhat but to me Slackware was the S***. Especially at the age of 15 as the hacker wanabe I used to be with nothing better to do in life but enjoy computers. Some how at age 17 I was able to escape the country I was living in and went through some great hardships in Miami USA which lead me to avoiding computers for a while and focus on other aspects of life. Plenty of ups and downs. From unknown illnesses, to a life of crime and all sorts of unimaginable hardships... Until I got into Spirituality, Occultism and Alchemy which transformed much of my Negatives into Positives. I now seem to finally been able to balance my life at age 29 moved to Washington DC Area and found stability for the most part (except for the unknown health problems that still plague me till today). So finally finding some stability I have all the time in the world to hack away at my computer and re-enter the Slackware world and my true passion. So I am left Aged, with a arrest record and health problems in a pessimistic and collapsing world. But through positive thinking I still have the desire to pursue my life and do what is best. I am now back into Linux and the Internet Architecture on not only a simple passion but a spiritual and emotional level as well (which is what brings true success). Alchemicaly speaking computers help mankind evolve by forcing them to think and use their Logical Common sense can dramatically increase your IQ. Which is probably why Slackers are usually very intelligent people. Hence my new nickname Mercury (the Alchemic Planetary God of Logic, Common Sense and Thinking). Now after my long life story back to Slackware:

Why I chose Slackware amongs so many other Distros?

1- Its simplicity. Without understanding the basics and roots of a system it is impossible to understand the complexities that shoot from it as well. So I find Slackware a perfect place to start Linux as opposed to a dumbed down distro like Ubuntu.
2- A user centric BSD model as opposed to Sys V (system centric) like most other Linux distros which gives the power to the User as opposed to the Operating System itself.
3- its Vanilla and untweeked packages.
4- Its tendency not to force the user to be a Pro-GNU activist like Debian or other GNU Linux Distros.
5- Its an intelligent and thinking community full of Geniuses
6- Its close to UNIX Standards
7- No dependency Hell
8- Rock solid Stability
... and probably much more which I havent listed.

The only Linux Distro I can compare Slackware to as of now is Redhat with its strong support, stability and getting the job done right. But unlike Slackware, Redhat has a wrong foundation to start with. Slackware was built on Correct Principles and the only reason that Redhat is so far ahead now is because of it being motivated by $ at a time where almost every human being is motivated by $.

But as humans evolve and switch to something that is LOGICAL and SIMPLE as opposed to COMMERCIALIZED, MARKETED WELL and SUPPORTED... They will no longer support such a cause. I believe in time more and more people will turn away from distros like Redhat, Ubuntu... and package wrapped to look pretty items as opposed to things that really work and work right. We are entering an Age of of Aquarius as we are in a long transition. I would avoid big things that are "too big to fail" as opposed to small things that are able to sustain themselves due to having strong roots and principles.

For all those in the IT Field: We have a hard time ahead with much competition in the Tech industry as we will compete with so much more people overseas with dropping wages for developers and admins alike... So if you are in this for the money... You are in the wrong place go for Redhat or even Ubuntu. I am in it because I enjoy it and I believe the Money will follow if I am good at something. Money is not what motivates me to choose Slackware Linux. But money will come because I have a strong desire to learn and advance in Computer Science (yes, even at age 29 with health problems). IMHO Slackware is the perfect tool for understanding real Computer Science and how an Operating System works and how to control it as the Power User.

So my Recommendations?

Dont chase Money! Chase Life! Enjoy your life and Enjoy using Slackware. Slackware is not dead... and won't be any time soon imho. So keep your head up and keep slacking. Pleasure to meet you all!

Welcome to LQ and welcome back to Slackware.
Looks like you had a tough time in past, but hey!!, you overcame all that & 29 is just a number. You'll get better with time.
In here, we call the guys in 20s -just boys, real men-hood starts with 30's.

Good luck and best of regards.
-- Prince

Welcome to LQ and the Slackware forum! This recent interview with Pat Volkerding is also interesting to read:

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...9/#post4697880

thanks guys great interview. Patrick is the man! But I am currently still downloading the SLack13.37 64 to reinstall on my other computer to replace the 32 bit. Can't wait for the slack14 so I can install it on my n2600 as well and have both laptops running slack. Here is a great video I bumped into on a KDE slack desktop environment it got me pretty pumped on slackware. Its a developers dream OS.
http://youtu.be/kRSgB5CuH1Q

I'm new to the forum as well. (I registered a while back, but only recently have I been getting "active")

For english being your second language, that was a pretty interesting introduction you gave.

I raise my glass to you, may your future look brighter, and you have plenty of time for "slacking".

d

Not sure who the audience is for your post but I agree! At least for end users. For businesses and corporate interests though, Slackware isn't a feasible option. You can't run a business where your interests depend on the good will of a few volunteers. Red Hat is absolutely the way to go for business.

If money is your main focus and is the main focus of many people. Which is quite understandable in this age we live in and Presently speaking I would go with Redhat. However, if learning and wanting to be able to do more out of your OS then Slack is the answer especially for a personal computer if you are a developer. Big does not always mean better. Who would have thought Linux would get so big in early 90's? I believe as time goes by people will aim towards simplicity and a solid base as opposed to commercial package managers and support. Because a system with a solid and simple base does not need so many employees as Redhat has to keep up with patches, fixes, stability etc. I prefer the file structure of Slackware and I believe in time more and more people will turn towards it because of its simplicity to manage. As long as you know how to manage a BSD UNIX system Slackware will be easy to manage. Slackware also has the advantage over FreeBSD since it uses a Linux Kernel that supports hardware better and is more flexible then t BSD Kernel. So if Slackware goes down which I don't believe will happen anytime soon... I will switch to FreeBSD. But imho I believe Slackware still will continue to grow as more people overtime will be attracted to its style and model to develop for it. BTW those "few people" you talk about are highly intelligent that are able to make an OS work more Stable then for example Ubuntu which has many many more developers.

Absolutely. I can't argue with you at all on these points. The simplicity of the /etc/rc.d structure among other things really make Slackware stand out and as a server I absolutely love it. I was just making the point that Slackware depends entirely on a few key individual volunteers to exist at all. Without those dedicated people there are no patches, there is no slackbuilds.org, and there is no AlienBob repository. Because of these single points of failure businesses cannot (and should not) invest in Slackware, which is totally ok. That business market is where Red Hat belongs (and thrives).

You are of course entitled to your opinion. Bigger does not necessarily mean better. I will continue to advocate and support Slackware. Just curious, do you run Slackware?

Yup. Through a Business standpoint "the present" is what is most important. Right now you can't beat Redhat stability + Support. They have fixes out very soon for any security issues due to the number of people working. Also it is like an industry standard linux distro for servers. BTW businesses are not people. So a Business has the luxury to replace an admin and a distro without such a big problem. However the Admin himself will go through more pain trying to learn a new OS/distro. So if you have an admin who is used to Slackware and force him to use Redhat would not be as good as an Admin who is already versed in Redhat and comfortable with it. So it all depends on what you plan to do as a career. Do you want to be a server admin working for corporate interests? I would stick to Redhat. Do you want to be a freelance developer and into the inner workings of a Linux system focused on writing system software and being a power user? Then Slackware. Do you want to run your own home based server? That is debatable to many options. Also if you just want to do desktop but enjoy a Linux environment you have Ubuntu. Me personally I find Slackware to suit me best for me. But I guess this changes based on what you want from your OS which is the Beauty of Linux and the choices available. I definitely hope Slackware will continue... I am sure many others feel the same way as well. I also have an inner confidence that it will not go down anytime soon... So while it is still up and running I will continue to go for Slack because although it may be ruff around the edges it suits me best for my personal interests. Hope I am not wrong.

Who said anything about better? I never said that. I was merely making the point (not an opinion) that the reason slackware is not in the business market is because businesses cannot justify the inherent risk associated with deploying an Operating System entirely dependent on a few dedicated volunteers.

Yes, I run Slackware64 13.37 on my private SAMBA and Apache servers. I will also continue to support and run Slackware, but I'm not a zealot about it.

Simplicity is key. So here is a SIMPLE way to put my opinion on why I chose slackware over Redhat.

By choosing Redhat I would be investing my TIME into Redhat and its way of doing things to make more $ in the "present".

But when I chose Slackware I chose to invest in MYSELF instead of a shortterm present financial gain. Now I will understand Linux much better and work with it to be a true power user.

So even if I had to switch to Redhat later I would be able to have intutionally understand the system better.

So which is the better investment? Time for Money? Or Time for Self? I let you decide...

Slackware is a Selfish distro. Its all about you. You are in control not the system. Slackware is there to serve you based on the commands you throw at her.

But when it comes to Redhat, you have to be dependent on the system to a certain degree (for example the init scripts). It requires less craftsmanship and less skill to get the job done.

Redhat leaves you a Dependant on Redhat and its Software Developers. Slackware makes you Independent Linux user.

That is why I choose Slack

1 members found this post helpful.

But why make that statement at all in the official Slackware forum? There is no denying that Red Hat is a juggernaut, a billion dollar baby. Red Hat was one of my first distros. I wish them well and I am happy that they are so very successful.

Your comment makes about as much sense as me posting in the LQ Suse (Novell) forums and informing them that any venture capitalist or sysadmin worth their salt would never waste time and money by deploying Suse or Novell in a business environment. That is, all savvy businesses should deploy Red Hat Linux. I would not do that as it is patronizing and insulting, and it would inflame people. Bad form, old boy. If it makes you feel better by labeling me a zealot then knock yourself out.

I don't see how being an exceptional hobbyist Linux distribution diminishes its quality or respect in any way. Just because Red Hat has the business market isn't insulting to Slackware, it's contributors, it's developers, or its users. It just means that Slackware has a different focus. I love Slackware. Was just trying to comment on the original posters remarks that Slackware is great but it isn't ever going to rule the world, and that is a good thing.

I hate to see a flame war start over distros as personal fixed Emotions is what clouds our judgement. Lets think rationally. No need to fight each other. We are here to conversate and express our thoughts for knowledge which is the inner drive of all "real Slackware/BSD" users. We must argue without personal attacks on what we feel is right through a rational perspective. I believe thunderstruck had a rational argument about Redhat/Slackware and I did not find him condescending. It is true for a Business perspective not to depend on "a few people's benevolently done work" for your entire business. In a business sense of view. However I personally think a Business is wrong to hire a "Redhat Admin" as opposed to hiring "A Good Admin". I personally believe Slackware community has better and more capable admins. But this is my biased opinion. To me if I ran a large corporation I would simply hire a really good Admin and let him decide what he wants to run on the servers. I would delegate my authority to the professional instead of dictatorially prescribing Redhat when I myself know nothing about System Administration. So a good Enterprise Class Server is run by Good Admins imho. The Admin should decide what is best for the server.

By the way hitest was not being a Zealot when he gave his opinion either.