Hi, I have used linux many years, and started with slackware linux. Now I'm thinking to switch back to slackware. Simplicity, stability are things which where best in slackware.

What is the current status of slackware? Is it actively maintained still? There is much talking in irc channels that slackware has died/ will die... Is this true? (hope not)

I have new pretty fast computer and I'm thinking is slackware good for new computer?Well why not...

What kind of computers are people running slackware? And what doy you thing about slackware's future?

Thanks
coyctecm

I'm runnig slack on a 3.2GHz pentium 4 with 1 gig of ram, using a 2.6 kernel based on Pat's config file, just added highmem, hyperthreading. Runs smoothly, no major problems.

You need to stop hanging out in these types of IRC channel. Slackware is still going strong and Pat recently released 10.2. There is also a team in place to carry on should Pat need to stop.

Thanks! Great to hear that slackware is going strong! I'll switch back to slack.

Thanks
coyctecm

Nobody could give you a warranty about future of any distro. I've heard about "fears" of Slackware's future from the first moment I've started to understand the word Linux. Despite of this fact, Slackware as one of longest surviving distros is here around 12 years and was maintained all this time, even if its maintainer was seriously ill at the end of 2004.
In the last past there is a small slowdown in updating of current(testing) branch, but stable are ok, ie. I don't know about any unfixed bugs. Community around Slackware is very strong and very active - see Linuxpackages.net. Distro maintainer Patrick Volkerding cooperates with people he can trust - they help him with package updates, some of them (GUS Brazil) maintained security updates when he was in trouble.

Because strong and proven concept Slackware has all the expectations to survive yet much longer.

All distros will probably eventually coalesce into virtual clones of each other with perhaps just differing desktop environments. All the good bits of each distro get picked up and added to others because the user community want to and can. That is the nature of OS. Distros that lose their individuality or fail to keep up slowly fade away. Slack is no different in that respect but IMHO offers a really unique outlook on the purpose of a distro. It is stable and it is simple yet it can of course do and run anything that you want it to. It does not compete with Ubuntu and Knoppix but it doesn't have to. It is a landrover in a world of modern SUVs - solid and looking like it'll run for ever. It is rather like vi in that respect.

Slackware, even if it was never updated again would carry on regardless doing exactly waht it does best.

Jep go on...
Slacky is biggest.
I heve dual P866 and many not supported things..all works fine...(win compatible).
I tired every other distros.They are easy to install...
Slacky can uptade to day wery easy..slackgrade...
fedora dont like my stuff..but slacky
You love it..

I would assume that if a distro has a large userbase, then the point of it's future is moot, because it would carry on one way or another. The fact that if Pat in the near or very distant future can no longer continue, I am sure that users and those who have helped him out when he was very ill would keep Slackware going, and really, this is not just about Slackware, for example, think about the kernel itself. Linus does work on the kernel, but there are many people who contribute, and so if Linus where to step out of the limelight, it would not kill Linux, therfore, if Pat were to step out, Slackware would and should continue.

Now I'm back with slackware. This is the same good slack as it was years ago Things just work. Configure once, run forever

Thanks
Coyctecm

i'm a new linux user and tried slackware, fedora, mandrake and debian before deciding to stick with slack. simple reason being i feel like i have the most total control of my server from install of os to applications. Also i found the slackware community to be the most helpful as well...

There is a team in place? Really? Who would that be?

Guy, you mous t see the slack community here in Brazil, we are strong and very active. I think that Pat have many contributors, (@see changelog, regulary updated) so you have an excelent platform on slack,

I don't think Pat indicated specifically, but he did say that he had a team in place to take over if anything ever happened to him. I think it might involve some of the Slackware Security team, which I believe is made up of several members of the Brazilian Slackware group.