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What is the currently preferred/recommended[1] method of staying "current" on Slackware? I have been away from this distribution for a number of years. Back then, I'd simply use a rsync script + reading the change log + upgradepkg (and such). Recently I've read on DistroWatch about a method using "slackpkg" - is this tool "trusted" by experienced Slackware users? Being away from Slackware for so long I'm not up-to-date on how "things are done" these days.
[1] Preferred/recommended by experienced Slackware users.
Distribution: slackware64 13.37 and -current, Dragonfly BSD
Posts: 1,810
Rep:
Well I used to rsync to the patches folder and to current then run upgradepkg. Now I use "slackpkg update && slackpkg install-new && slackpkg upgrade-all" and it works great. There have been a few problems with current but these have been quickly ironed out. It's a great and useful tool.
Back then, I'd simply use a rsync script + reading the change log + upgradepkg (and such).
That is the method I used for a few years running -current.
With the introduction of Slackware64 -current, that's still the method
that I use. I tried slackpkg, but it does not work properly for me on
Slackware64 with a NFS share.
Slackpkg is now a part of the 'official' distribution, so the trust goes all the way to the top.
Slackpkg has the capability to handle reversions, something that has been lacking in some other updating tools. It also is smart enough to know that certain packages (e.g glibc-solibs) should be upgraded before upgrading other packages. I have been using it for some while now, and have had no problems (unlike some of my previous swaret experiences). I unhesitatingly recommend Slackpkg!
Might I add that since the original post, I upgraded slackpkg and worked
on the scripts some more, and now I can use it in Slackware64 -current.
I still read the ChangeLog.txt and don't always upgrade everything just
because there are new pkgs. Depending upon what has been upgraded,
I will upgrade, skip it, or wait a few days to see if it does not
get another change.
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