Next release of Slackware - when?
 

Hello,


With the risk of being run out of town ... Do anybody have any idea if
a new version of Slackware will be released soon?

Full story: a month ago I went from Slackware 12 to Ubuntu 7.10 as the
distribution was highly recommended to me.
The last month has been a painstakingly experience in instability and
I plan to revert to Slackware again.
However, if Slackware 12.1/13/whatever is release "soon" (like, within the next couple of weeks) I'd rather wait for that.
If the next version of Slackware will be released sometime next year I may
as well go ahead and install Slack12.

Anyone got any ideas?

(I did check the news section of Slackware.com - as usual it is quite un-informative ... ;-)


/brian

Slackware news uninformative? Never, I don't believe it!! I have not seen any news about the next Slack being released on any other forums. Or on Softpedia/Slashdot etc. so I would say just put 12 back on.

Slack12, from what ive seen slackware releases are about 9mo to a year apart from one another.

If it works, don't fix it!
Just go for the 12-th slack.

Slackware 12 was released in early July. In the past Patrick released Slackware on a 6 month cycle with point upgrades. Lately I think Patrick has moved to yearly releases.
But, it is anyone's guess as to when the next release of our favourite OS will be.
One thing is certain, Patrick will release the new version of Slackware when it is ready.
I've been slacking since 10.0:-)
I would format your HD and put 12 back on.

Exactly.
Right again!

Install Slackware 12.0 with all the latest security patches, use it and be happy!

I wouldn't expect the next version to be that large a step up from 12.0 anyways... functionally speaking, of course... :)

Here we go again....as to when the next Slackware will be released.

It will be released when it's ready. There is no need for a quick release as Slackware 12 has everything a modern distro needs minus Pam support.

I'm happing slacking at version 12.

I run Slackware everywhere from desktop to servers. As of version 10 and 11 Slackware was a bit behind with no official 2.6 kernel and no Hal and Dbus but when Slackware 12 was released that changed everything.

I run asterisk,freepbx,cups,file server,misterhouse and even got avantfax working all on Slackware 12 with no issues

Here's a DVD image that is known as "Slackware 12.1":

ftp://ftp.slackware.no/pub/linux/sla...e-current-iso/

It's pretty ironic that you are basing your decision to install Slackware over Ubuntu on whether or not the new Slack version will be ready in the next two weeks when the fact that there is a new Ubuntu version so often is the cause of the reason you want to switch.

I'd rather upgrade Slackware 10 all the way up to 12 rather than choose Ubuntu instead, but that is just me.

Ubuntu likes to call itself "Linux for humans". Maybe so many people are used to Windows that they expect their OS to crash once in a while and that's why Ubuntu works hard to do this as well.

edit: wording

Well, yes, but... it's just an ISO of the slackware-current tree.

It isn't really Slackware 12.1 yet. I wouldn't be using it in production.
There we go. I fixed that sentence for you. :)

IMHO, Patrick will wait for the release of KDE 4.
I'm expecting a new release of Slackware only some time after the release of KDE 4.

As usual, this is just my guess.

Then you might also want to tell how often Ubuntu is crashing - and why - because I've been running Ubuntu for long, and these recent versions are stable. With the latest (7.10 now) version I haven't encountered a single crash, which is quite amazing if you ask me. Also, just to mention it, Slackware 11 was more problematic with the three PCs I tried it with than any other Linux operating system so far. As of version 12 those problems seemed to be mostly fixed, but I can't say it's still the best there is..of course most of the problems I face with Slack12 are KDE-based, but nevertheless, I take it that you mean Gnome or other such software crashing when you talk about "Ubuntu crashing".

Not to mention that you're free to patch and upgrade either distribution to make it more secure and stable as you wish.

Slackware makes great use in some cases, and especially on older hardware (when KDE is ditched). Ubuntu, on the other hand, just makes life easy - no need to spend days with hammer just to get suspend and hibernation working, for example. If there is a need to switch from Slackware to Ubuntu or vice versa, it's 90% because of what you want (wishes), not because either one would be so much more stable or "better". I'll underline that: I'm using both of those (and some other operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, where needed) to do the tasks I need, based on which operating system suits best for the job - not based on the odd dream about having one grand Best Distribution That Does Everything Perfectly.

Like the above posts say, Slackware is released once the new release is "ready" (when Patrick considers it "ready" to be released). I wouldn't wonder if Patrick waited until KDE4 is ready, but as it's first version(s) are very probably buggy, and Patrick hopefully wants a functional system, I wouldn't wonder either if the next release of Slackware did contain KDE3 (even if v4 was available then). After all, I think KDE is the "weakest point" of Slackware, and moving from a stable-ish KDE3 to surely-not-equally-stable KDE4 wouldn't be a good move right away. Remember that Slackware used to have 2.4 kernels by default (though 2.6 was available as an option to install yourself) even recently, when 2.6 series was already widely in use. I wouldn't wait the next Slackware to appear during this year (this month, that is) however; I'm fairly certain it'll be next year, maybe close to next summer. That's not important, though, since Slackware12 works decently and for those who want the latest, there's -current.

Hi,

Cute! But misinformation. That link is for -current.

Hi,

That's the wonder of Linux! I too believe in the use of a tool in the right place. I use several distributions to meet my needs. I even use M$ OS BUT only when necessary. That one I can't adjust as well, rather limited on the kernel.

The 2.4 kernel is stable and still used by a lot of people, including myself. That is why PV kept the 2.4 in the 11 release. If it ain't broke don't fix it!

I agree that the KDE is the weak link but everyone wants a GUI. Myself at times. I agree that KDE3 will most likely be in the next release since PV does want some stability in a release.

As for -current, it would be nice if more people would use it to test and feedback.

BTW, my crystal ball is cracked and I can't see anything looking over PV's shoulder. Everything is fuzzy! Therfore my predictions would be worth anything. Slackware 12.?/??.? will be released by PV.

I totally agree with using the right system to fit your needs. I myself use many different OSs depending on the needs of a task/project. There really isn't any one OS that can fill every need (at least without some amount of work up front), which is why it is wonderful that there are so many choices. I said something similar in the thread at http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...6/#post2970414.

I give Ubuntu crap, but it is mostly just teasing. Back in the day when I first tried it out (when it was a new distro) it did have a lot of problems. However, I am finding that the newest versions are pretty good. The system itself has never crashed on me, but parts of gnome have crashed a few times and maybe another application or two. The only really annoying problem I have ever seen is that the OS has had trouble shutting down a couple of times. Part of my problem with Ubuntu is that I hate that "Linux for humans" slogan. What does that say about the rest of Linux users? I also don't like the default file permissions (user directories are not exclusive).

I suppose I mostly tease Ubuntu because of the typical users it attracts. If someone with a Linux system question were to go up to a Slackware user and to an Ubuntu user typically the Slackware user would more likely know the answer. If a Linux user has to perform some type of system maintenance without a GUI it is more likely that a typical Slackware user would know how than a typical Ubuntu user. It's great that anybody can use Ubuntu; It's giving Linux a stronger place in the desktop market. Perhaps I'm just a little peeved because now a lot of people want to jump on the Linux bandwagon and they never paid their dues and really dug in. But yes, it is stable and simple enough that my grandparents can use it and I don't have to answer questions about it every week.

Nerds? Geeks?
I don't really care for their slogan and I care even less if everyone will use Ubuntu and me and PV will be the only ones using Slackware. I know what Slackware is, I know it's way(I mean Patricks ways) and that's enough for me. But what I do absolutely love is, when I see an Ubuntu users chin by their feet when they see what Slackware or should I say Linux can do.

I say if you're a "Redmondish lazy type" user install Ubuntu to have everything brought to you on a plate. If you want to learn what Linux is and how it works use Slackware.

But what makes me sick as hell is seeing some "bad ass server" running Ubuntu. Why? Because it's just not a "serverish" type distro. I don't even like using precompiled binaries and packages on a server, because I think that servers should be max optimized and therefor compiled by hand on every machine and then maybe make a package out of it and install it with the PM to make it easyer to remove. Which Ubuntu (server) users don't do.

Just my 0.02$

Hear! Hear!

I, too, am part of the problem. I would dearly love to see Linux unseat Windows, and the only real way to do that is to make it as Windowsish as possible. That rankles me, for the reasons already stated by others above.

*nix has suffered from that... system administrators and users have long feared these types of OSs because of the arcane language that I (we) have actually reveled in. I'm proud to be able to create and understand foot-long regular expressions, but that sort of elitism (sorry, that's not meant to be inflammatory, remember that I'm talking about me, too :D) is just not the way to go about creating a larger user base.

Ubuntu is doing the best job of this that I've seen -- they've taken what others have tried to do and actually created something that has a chance of becoming an operating system that game and application developers may see as a viable target platform.

Slackware is by far the distribution that is nearest and dearest to my heart. I use it for virtually all of my business platforms and products, and its advantages to me make it far superior than any other. (bless your soul, Patrick, for hanging in there through the years and all of the personal and professional peaks and valleys)

I use it for firewalls, forum and database servers, storefronts, even an embedded, full-featured digital signage application running on an IDE flash in a nanoATX system (no moving parts at all, pretty cool stuff).

Ubuntu can't do some of those things, and it isn't designed to... and I'm OK with that. What it does do, I think it is doing well.

I find Ubuntu frustrating to use (again, for obvious reasons), but I watch cross-over Windows users marvel at its simplicity. That's a very valuable attribute in the larger context of Linux advocacy.

I hope I haven't hijacked this thread too badly, it does seem to have drifted a bit from the topic... I visited here just because I thought there may be some news that I didn't glean from the changelogs.

Not that I'm unhappy with 12, its the best so far, as usual, but I am looking forward to KDE 4, too.

With respect, I used to think that way but now I really don't care anymore. I'm just grateful for what I have at the moment. If linux does become more and more like windows then what is the incentive to get linux over windows? Just that it's free (as in beer mostly, but as in freedom too should be a better reason of course), or that it can do more than windows. You know just because something is good it does not mean it has to be popular. I'm just glad of having it because it answers my needs as a (amatuer) programmer as well as being a desktop user. I try to show people that I consider friends about linux and sometimes they listen but quite often I just get wound up in some way if I ever discuss any sort of problem I'm trying to solve - 'Well it's really easy to do that in windows' or 'so linux can't be that good for doing <insert whatever applies>'. Call me thinskinned or whatever but forget them and let them carry on with their virus-infected system restored paranoid lives. Let them laugh all they want and I will quietly snigger to myself with every system restore.

</rant>

Hi,

I know exactly what you mean:

Ubuntu is a great distro but the 6 month release cycle is a little ambitious and there will be breakages. But don't forget that Hardy Heron should be a different story.

Andrew

To get back to the OP's OQ:When will the next Slackware be released?

Basically, the answer is: Whenever it comes out. The Slackware "family" (Seems a more appropriate word. Not many people, comparatively, we argue amongst ourselves over fairly trivial issues, but join together against outsiders...lol) is a different breed. We use Slackware because it ISN'T cutting edge (which to me = breaks more often). And so, we are willing to wait until it is ready. Poppa Pat has kept us happy for many a year, and by and large, we are willing to wait until he deems the next release ready for prime time.

So we wait....and in the meantime, keep ourselves occupied with tweaking our systems, changing the kernel, compiling from source, and letting our boxes run and run and run and run (I have a webserver that has been up for 3 years non-stop, haven't rebooted the box in that long. Try that with the MS family of OS's)....

So ... here I am, writing this on my newly installed Slackware box :-)

Apache + php is the last thing to complete and they're currently compiling.

Ubuntu users: yes, Ubuntu is somewhat great. However it would from time to
time reboot my box for some (to me) unknown reasons. Also, running VMware
Workstation in Ubuntu 7.10 is a no-no ... It may be that the eye candy
in Ubuntu is way better than whatever Slackware can provide but the
stability of the latter is unsurpassed by any disto.

I am happy again ...

(I am still interested in knowing when PV plans to release the next version
of Slackware ... but I will settle with "When it is ready" ;-)

Thanks for all who replied.

You DO know apache 2 is already installed, right?

Yes, absolutely! However, I run a version which matches what my website
provider runs :-)
Also, I have some homegrown php/apache modules which I need to run ...

somewhat related to this thread (which seems to have gone through its cycle)...go check out my thread about what you would like to see in future Slackware.