So I suppose this is loaded question posting it in a Slackware forum but: im a Linux noob (running Ubuntu 9.10) and not even an advanced Win. user. However, my switch to Linux was for simplicity, stability, fewer crashes,and the open-source software philosophy. However, Ubuntu hasn't been what im hoping for.
While Scientific Linux and Vector seem like good second choices, they don't seem to have the community/enthusiasm that Slackware has. However everything I read is all about "dependency management" w/r/t Slackware. Is this really a big problem? As a newbie, how will I deal with it? Im willing to learn but realize that im starting from scratch. Thoughts?
Thanks!

If you're concerned about dependencies, start with a full install, 'til you know what you can go without. Use slackbuilds.org for additional software, and be sure to read the descriptions- they'll tell you what you need to have installed first.

Slackware is not impossible for a noob, but there is a learning curve. I have been using slack for sometime now and love it, but you need to be familiar with basic linux commands. Give the Slackware book a read through for sure and keep in touch here. You'll be fine

I would say with the slackbuilds.org and the easy of understanding slackware configuration, Slackware is the perfect choice for people starting out with linux. Assuming one is not afraid of reading or the command line. As long as you arn't looking to install something too obscure, slackbuilds.org will have 90% of what most users need to install.

Also, you have to have the ability to not care if you horribly screw your self. Just remember not to format a partition during install if it contains valuable data.

I agree with lumak - I have no problem recommending Slackware to anyone and everyone, noob, self-professed windows experts, and real windows experts. I *push* and install Slackware by default everywhere I can, and I won't shut up about it to anyone who will listen.

It simply sucks way less than everything else.

cheers,

I say go ahead and install Slackware, it sounds like you want to try it anyway.

Anyway, dependencies aren't that big of a deal. Slackware comes with a lot of popular desktop programs already and you can get most anything else you want from slackbuilds.org. If a program has a dependency or two it will say so on slackbuilds and you'll just have to install the dependencies first.

If there's some programs you can't live without, go ahead and check out http://packages.slackverse.org/ to see if it's already included in Slackware or check http://www.slackbuilds.org to see if it'll be easy enough to install if not.

I had always thought 'dependency hell' was a problem that the other distros had, not Slackware.

But anyway, Slackware doesn't really need automatic dependency resolution.
A full install comes with a rather complete set of software and libraries so usually most/all of the dependencies are already satisfied for the software you want to install.

I agree with piratesmack.
Distros that”handle” deps for you can quite often screw up other stuff.
It's better to handle your own deps and if you break something you can always fix it by going back to what you did last..
Trying to fix something that a package manager borked is “dependency hell”.

I looked this up earlier and it made me think no OS is free of dependency hell. It just takes different forms depending on automated or manual installations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dependency_hell

For Slackware these 2 forms hit home for me.

And if you want anything from slackbuilds.org that has a few/lot of dependencies, there's sbopkg with queuefiles to help. So easy you'll think you're using Ubuntu.

http://www.sbopkg.org/

The hair on my arms just stood up a tiny bit there. Please don't do that to me again.

cheers,

Sorry about that (not really ).

Ubuntu is the point why I am still (happily) stuck in slackware. My last try was for kubuntu-9.10 which worked well until I changed something manually.

I think it is not a big problem to handle the dependencies. Don't know how it is with the slackware-13.0 which I use at the moment but if I remember right in slackware-12.x you have no gnome support. So application dependencies to the gnome libraries are my private hell with the dependencies.

But all others are no big problem. Needs a bit training.

When I first installed Slack 64 and got it working with the Nvidia driver and a few tweaks the first thing I did was clone it onto another partition,so I have two,if I screw it up I can copy files folders or the whole thing and get it back to where it was,I can copy the whole thing back in fifteen minutes... takes the stress out of it and makes it that much more fun... LOL

Not everything else. There is also Arch Linux and Crux. Especially when mixed with software from the Suckless Project.

This is about the only thing I object to with Slackware. I don't want to install everything and the kitchen sink just to avoid manually hunting down dependencies.