Slackware is No.1 - so what's No.2 ?

lyke · 11-09-2007, 09:41 PM

It's the other end of the spectrum, certainly, but ubuntu has made it possible for people not so computer literate to be introduced to linux

Plenty of people are looking for user friendliness in this sort of thing

hitest · 11-09-2007, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pappy_mcfae

Debian is my "other" Linux distro. I like the idea of being able to directly install pretty much everything that exists in the Linux software world without having to compile the package in question.

I am actually running a machine with Debian 4.0r1 in my network. It is utilized as the print server because cups seems to work better under Debian. Not quite sure why that is.

Yes! Debian 4.0r1 is a wonderful distro. I'm not running Debian at home, but I have 9 Debian boxes at work. Debian is a rock-solid, bullet-proof distro. Very good indeed.

MannyNix · 11-11-2007, 01:26 AM

bgeddy, i found this nice 'Arch Way' on the website of the new archlinux leader Aaron Griffin
I'll copy/paste some of it here, more on the original source here: http://phraktured.net/arch-way.html
It helps explain why i voted for arch and i hope you find it interesting and sounds familiar

Quote:

In short, the Arch Way is about simplicity and giving control to the user. Keeping things simple, and agile.

Arch is lightweight and simple, like clay - able to be molded by the user as they choose.

Arch is not a distribution made for "user friendliness". It is a distribution designed to be a platform - a "base" for the user to do what they want. This means that we don't try to force a user's hand into our way of doing things, with our configuration tools, and our ideas. It should be about their ideas.

It is important who controls the system here: the user. Developers suggest things, and push in certain directions, but let the user do as they wish.

Arch is a base for anyone to make into whatever they see fit. Arch is a tool.

Use it well

AtomicAmish · 11-11-2007, 08:24 AM

It's not getting many votes, and I understand because it's not similar to Slackware - but I'm partial to Fedora. It has rarely been my main OS, but I have installed every version since #3 including the just-released Fedora 8.

bgeddy · 11-11-2007, 10:14 AM

mannyslack, thanks for the comment. Arch Linux certainly looks interesting. Chess Griffin dedicated an entire podcast to Arch some time ago when he likened it to Slackware and recommended it highly. I'll certainly give it a look.

Thanks again to everybody taking part..

Tomtherab · 11-16-2007, 05:16 PM

I discovered linux way back around 1994 I think. Back then there were few distributions around and slack was king, and if not king, close to it. A friend had slack 1.0.?? and I started on that. Been using some form of personalised, heavily modified version of slack since.

I've hated every other distribution I've tried since. I keep having to yell, 'Stop HELPING me,' at them.

So I would have voted for, 'a previous slack,' if it had been an option.

redjokerx · 11-18-2007, 04:49 AM

If I was going to drop Slackware, I'd be using something that would allow me to be lazy. So that would be Ubuntu for their out of box experience and their access to big repositories. If Ubuntu wasn't working, I'd go for Debian.

If I couldn't use Slackware (for work for example), I'd run CentOS or RHEL for compatibility.

hitest · 11-18-2007, 06:47 PM

I just replaced my daughter's Ubuntu 7.04 box with Debian 4.0r1. What a difference:-) Debian or FreeBSD is probably number 2 in my book.

bioe007 · 11-18-2007, 11:41 PM

zenwalk its basically slack but smaller HD footprint, one app per task. at first I hated the missing gvim, but since embraced geany.

udev is very well implemented and so much better for my laptop. Probably helps that xfce is my favorite WM too. Nice repos with strict packaging rules so stuff doesn't break, also the build script is included with every package.

my $0.02

AceofSpades19 · 11-19-2007, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bioe007

zenwalk its basically slack but smaller HD footprint, one app per task. at first I hated the missing gvim, but since embraced geany.

udev is very well implemented and so much better for my laptop. Probably helps that xfce is my favorite WM too. Nice repos with strict packaging rules so stuff doesn't break, also the build script is included with every package.

my $0.02

I second Zenwalk it is very slick and fast

F.Zappa · 11-19-2007, 02:38 AM

Well for me,
Debian Lenny (testing) is my second choice after Slackware.Both are fast and reliable.They are similar in some ways.Say slapt-get and apt-get or gslapt and synaptic etc. etc.In fact, after using SuSe for 7 years I dumped it in favor of Slack and Debian.But Slackware is my first choice.Guess it's true what they say: "Once you've tried Slack you'll never go back!"

Franky

brianL · 11-19-2007, 05:51 AM

As a second choice, I actually prefer Ubuntu to Debian (looks over his shoulder for approaching Debianite lynch mob). I may be wrong (if so, enlighten me), but there's nothing I can do with Debian that I can't do with Ubuntu. The only reason some dismiss it is distro-snobbery.

Vald0r · 11-19-2007, 06:40 AM

I Really only use Slack. But I have found Zenwalk to be nice as client's on my Slackware network. Even though I can simply edit configs in etc, Zens GUI config tools are great for normal users trying to solve a quick problem on the network without knowing a lot of Linux on their own. Our old systems are only p3's or Less so it works well and beats 98 we used to have.

dracolich · 11-19-2007, 05:21 PM

I chose "Other" because there isn't an option for "Nothing".

Once you've had Slack you'll never go back. I'll help other install their distro of choice, usually Ubuntu, but my machines are Slackware all the way. I just don't see the possibility of replacing it with anything else. Slackware is everything I wanted in an OS - nothing more, nothing less. If I had to give it up I'd probably not use the computer anymore.