Hello Slackers,

I use Slackware at the office and I love it: my system there is "stripped down" in the sense that I prefer functionality, no multimedia to speak of, and I spend all my time in XEmacs and Eterm. I use Enlightenment DR17 and everything works fine.

On the other hand, I use PCLinuxOS at home , since there we also use the computer for entertainment -- watching DVD movies, making movies of our son and other such stuff (publisher-type stuff, my wife uses OpenOffice for presentations, etc.)

Do any of you use Slackware in this latter fashion, as a home system, amenable to scientific use as well as multimedia and everyday use?

I feel like Slackware is so much easier to administrate because (a) it is actually simpler and (b) the documentation is better; PCLinuxOS is "home-grown" and thus the documentation disappoints me; there is no analogue of the Slackbook. I also do work from home pretty regularly and I just really prefer Slackware. PCLinuxOS, as much of a fan as I am, has been fouling up lately (the GUI components that are supposed to be so easy are just not functioning). However, my wife has to use the computer too, and although she's no longer an Emacs virgin, she has other things on her mind than becoming a Power User.

Tell me your experiences; I'm unaware of how Slackware performs in homes bcecause I've always used it as a scientist.

Thanks,
Joel

Yep, I use Slack on my laptop on the road as well as my desktop box at home. Slack can be used in any way you want.

For multimedia just add the apps and codecs you need. I watch DVDs on my laptop just about every night.

Me too, use it for my everyday computing needs, watch dvds and even made my own livecd that installs and also have a full version of 11 that is live cd as well.

I just love howstable and less cluttered slackware is compared to a lot of other distros, even though I do use other distros I seem to keep coming back to slackware all the time.

I don't understand why some people think a certain distro can do something no other distro can do. This is just wrong. Linux is Linux, no matter what distro it is. You can do anything on any distro. The only question is how easy is it do the same thing on different distros, and how stable the distro is, and ... so on ...

I use Slackware for everything. Work, play, video editing, burning CD/DVD, watching movies, listening to music, games, ... everything. None of my computers will EVER endure the torture of M$ ever again. Also, I can't really recommend anything but Slackware, because other distros are just not good enough ...

Yes,

I use Slackware 11 on my home desktop computer as a full home system. The computer is a Pentium III-800 that I bought in August of 2000. I watch DVDs using Kaffeine, which I downloaded and installed using a script from SlackBuilds.org. I've also downloaded and install Open Office and a few games from Slackbuilds.org.

I've got OpenSUSE 10.2 on my laptop, but I've only had it on there for a week and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'd be happy if I could get my wireless card working.

Anyway, I'm in my last month of grad school, and Slackware with Open Office has been working just fine for my thesis. DVDs work well, and DOS Box plays some cool old DOS games I've got pretty well.

Regards,

-Drew

have slackware on all 5 systems here too. running full tv mediacenter though one pc. (although i had to have someone else set that up ) still love it on the other systems. even have removed winblows (including windblows pista) for it.

I agree and I think that's what the OP was actually asking about.

Well it is the slackware forum. we might be a little biased here

Heh, just a little methinks;-)
My favourite distro will always be Slackware.

Oh, ok then ... go with Slackware

Exactly! I LOVE it. That's what makes using my current home system so difficult

The question is really DO people use it for home use/all-around use, rather than CAN -- I know I could do anything I want with Linux -- well, Slackware makes me feel that way anyway

To Mr. TexMex: I agree with you, however you're probably just as aware as I am that certain distros tout themselves as "Desktop Friendly" and that Slackware has a certain reputation. I don't listen to those people as I love Slackware. Slackware doesn't have to promote itself as one thing or another, just the truth: it's good. On the other hand, the desktop friendly distro is turning out to be less friendly in terms of getting it to work.

Thanks to all the people who wrote in -- and keep on doing so if you have more to add.

Joel

Yep, I use Slackware for home use and have done for a few years now.

Me too. I use Slackware only at home and wouldn't use anything else anymore.

Yes. I've been using Slackware at home since version 10.0:-)
I love the stability of Slackware. It is almost boring as nothing ever breaks.

Just mess with it enough and it will break. I do