I am number 1 in your list - I don't use central authentication. I do use centrally assigned UIDs/GIDs so that things like NFS and group resources spread across multiple hosts have consistent meaning.

Does that make my systems "less enterprise"?

My point was not about how each of us does a given thing, it was about the repeated use of the word "enterprise" to differentiate "levels" of system, and the implicit assumption that "enterprise" must include "PAM" or other central directory/authentication system. That use disparages systems (Slackware) and users who do not use central services as somehow of "less" merit.

Slackware is an excellent other choice for users and, "enterprises**" who manage their systems and users according to a different paradigm. Many distros include those other services by default and such users must work around them. Slackware excludes them by default making these users lives simpler, while those who need them may add them.

**"Enterprise" is one of those words we all pretend to agree on the meaning of, but which is very vague, ill defined and mostly without meaning when you actually try to grab hold of it. My comments were more directed at use of the word as a definitive term, rather than whether Pat adds PAM to Slackware.

(By the way, I don't think I have ever said Thanks Kikinovac, for you various contributions. Thanks!)

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Exactly...

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At this point, I think a word of our BDFL on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

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Yes - I think that while a conservative approach has been useful, I'd imagine that PAM has matured enough to be included. And it would make integration with other systems a lot simpler. I support.

+1 for PAM

I was not aware there were casual desktop users using Slackware. Always figured they used other flavors of Linux. It will be noticed. It adds yet another layer of complexity that I just don't need or want. I have to deal with PAM in a few other distributions I maintain. It's not a huge thing, but it's nice not having to deal with it in Slackware.

This implies I should not be posting to this thread unless I want to sign on. I do run Slackware on my servers, but I would prefer that PAM not be included in my favorite distribution. So no "signature" from me.

It is really up to Pat anyway.

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I do not know what is an enterprise Linux. I only maintain a bunch of Slackware servers in some little companies here in my corner of the city. I have had no need of PAM until now but I will accept it if PV sees it fit to use in the distribution.
None the less I think that it must be proven that my root account can not be locked by some shenanigans of PAM. If it can be so asserted I am all for it as I can use it to simplify some operations, otherwhise it's a nono in my book. It's my computer and I don't need training wheels to deal with it.

I am a casual desktop user. And I have had PAM with Slackware at the time I was using Dropline GNOME. Their desktop worked really well.

The problem with including PAM by default to aim at Corporate level needs is problematic, because Slackware doesn't aim at workstations, home users, data centers, enterprise, or any level of personal or corporate needs. It aims for a broad spectrum of instances and gives you the tools to take up the task of localizing packages rebuilt to your specific needs by means of slackpkg's blacklist and allowing you to use slackpkg.conf to target in-house packages rather than the default packages.

Even then, how do we deploy PAM, or which PAM implementation will suit Slackware best? There are numerous configurations of PAM, and several implementations. So do we aim PAM settings at a generalized audience, or corporate enterprise level, and where does that leave the non-corporate users of Slackware? Plus, on top of this, now SlackWiki will need to incorporate a wiki for setting up PAM, configuring PAM, etc. and a person has to do all of this because questions are going to be asked.

So again I ask the question? How come you can't maintain your own PAM packages using the tools provided by Slackware, namely slackpkg using blacklist and slackpkg.conf to your advantage, targeted towards your specific needs, for your specific company, for your specific security specifications?

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Enterprise class Linux does not necessarily mean commercial Linux. This is a confusion I often have to clarify for my students. Enterprise quality denotes a series of characteristics in a distribution like the support and release cycle, the availability of low-risk updates, etc.

All the RHEL spinoffs like CentOS, Scientific Linux and Springdale Linux fall into the enterprise class category, though they are 100 % free as in speech as well as in beer.

While Slackware is not exactly an enterprise-class distro, the relatively extended support period of roughly five years makes it usable in a professional environment, at least compared to Fedora or openSUSE with a ridiculously short support period of 18 months.

Last but not least, don't forget that Slackware is a commercial distribution in the sense that you can buy it.

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The way I see it, things are very simple: someone needs a certain functionality and politely asks the maintainer if this could be arranged in the future. That's it.

Following this logic, we can ask users to maintain their own desktop environment or specific packages, if they are not included in Slackware or SBo. Some people can, some cannot, and others just have to draw a line somewhere if things become too much. I am not playing Niki's advocate, just my opinion...

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I'm a casual user, too (as casual as possible, without falling asleep). Slackware is for anybody who wants it, it's an all-purpose, comprehensive distro. I'll leave it to Pat & the Team to decide if they want to create and include an "official" PAM package or not. But its use should be optional. Off by default, preferably.

Last I saw on this forum. http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...2/#post4182564
Slightly more recent. http://lists.slackbuilds.org/piperma...ch/007129.html

Actually you buy a subscription. The distribution costs nothing.

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DD 12-06-2010:
I wonder what "immediate future" means in Slackware space-time continuum

Cheers

EDIT: Nevermind I am not that casual :P