I just tried installing Ubuntu on an industrial PC and failed to get it to boot because of display crashing problems, the vga=771 option got it installed but no further.
Slackware 10.1 just worked except for cfdisk which was stumped by the boot disk being hdc, fdisk worked.

That's not completely true. Root logins are disabled by default in Ubuntu. You have to enable it if you want to login as root, which I think is a one word effort. That's it.

Try

Good question, since Slackware and Ubuntu are the only distributions I really like. I think the differences sum up like this:

Unbuntu is MUCH less work to maintain. You can literally maintain an Ubuntu distro by just typing "apt-get update; apt-get upgrade" once in a while, and using the Internet to upgrade to a new release every six months. That's it! The problem with Ubuntu is that it will NOT run as fast as Slackware: not even if you're running Icewm or Fluxbox on both. Some parts of Ubuntu (Gnome and Firefox) are especially slow. And the design of the distribution will probably be thought of by Slackware/Gentoo/Arch users as clumsy. For example, it disables cups' web interface and forces you to add a printer through GNOME, and you have to jump through hoops to install a vanilla Firefox. If you're willing to install GNOME separately and build many packages from source, then go for Slackware. But if you feel that having a faster, simpler and better performing distribution isn't worth the time to get it, then go for Ubuntu.

I run both distros. I've got two Slackware boxes and one Ubuntu box. One isn't better than the other, they're quite different.
Slackware strengths: runs very lean and fast, stable as hell. Easy to configure when you get used to the command line and editing config files.
Ubuntu strengths: Awesome package management system, apt-get, synaptic are powerful install tools. Also, Ubuntu has good hardware detection.
My preference is Slackware. I've tried most distros out there: Debian, Mandrake/Mandriva, Red Hat, Fedora, Vector, Suse, FreeBSD, PC-BSD,
I've settled on Slackware and Ubuntu as my two distros.

I run Slackware and Ubuntu (and a few other distros too). Slack is on my server, and on an old desktop I occasionally use, and I chose to use it because it is so stable and runs efficiently. However, at work I use Ubuntu basically because of its packaging tools. While I don't mind spending time tinkering with more difficult distros at home, my computer at work is fairly high-spec, and the fact that Ubuntu runs a bit slower than Slackware would doesn't really matter. It still runs very well, and I figure my time is much better spent getting on with my work rather than fiddling with my system setup. The system admin wants me to keep everything on the system up to date for security reasons, and this is much easier to do via Ubuntu than Slackware.

Having said that, I'll just have to repeat what everyone else has already said: try both and see what you think.

Ubuntu, FreeBSD, Gentoo, Slackware, and Arch linux are the only operating systems i view worth using.

I pretty much see that if you like one distro in that list, you will probably like the others, as they all have very similar goals and philosophies(if people would look past the FUD that is).

I installed Ubuntu on my dads laptop...thought it was gonna be easy, boy was I ever wrong...the install takes forever, getting the damn thing to play mp3's, dvd's or even flash was just a pain in the a**! Been a Slackware user since 8.1 and I never had an install take that much time! On the other hand my dads pretty happy with his laptop now so I guess Ubuntu is good for some people....

I agree with those that say give it a try. I have learned that you have to use what works best for you. Whatever your needs are then try and satisfy it with what works. I used to use Fedora Core and I thought that was the best out there. Then I moved to Slackware and was a little freaked out by the installation. Once I got past that I thought Slack was the best out their. I have since changed my opinion as I have read through numerous threads like these. And the best Advice I keep coming across is do what is right for you. (Give it a try, If you don't like blow it away and stick with slack).

1. If You need an OS and have minimum time for management get Ubuntu or Kubuntu. You'll have a hard time making it play mp3 n' multimedia stuff ...

2. If you need a system you can 100% controll and have time (cca 6-8 hr. decreasing with experience) to configure it, stick with Slacware for You own sake. It will newer fail You.

3. If You not sure for 1. or 2. try 'till You find one that suits You. Try Slax (installed on HDD ;-) )

When I started using Linux, I started out with Slack because I had heard a lot of good things about it. After proving that it was a little difficult for an absolute beginner coming from an MSDOS/Windows background to transfer to, I switched to Ubuntu to learn a couple things. I have used both equally as much, and I have both installed on my computer at the moment, so (it might be just me) I think I have a fairly unbiased viewpoint.

Slackware:
Overall I really like slackware much better for anything that I do. It takes a bit of time to get certain programs properly installed and configured, but once I do they are some of the fastest things I have ever used (depending on the program of course ). I like the installer a lot. Simple, straightforward, but it gives you enough flexibility that you can almost make a custom distro for yourself right off the bat. Slackware is probably better if you are actually looking to learn something about Linux, or if you want a really flexible server/desktop that you can make do what you want.

Ubuntu:
Ubuntu is a really good desktop distro, and I find it really useful for watching or editing videos. With Ubuntu you don't get quite the verbosity and flexibility that you do on Slackware, like which packages you get to install at first (I really hate how it uninstalls the GNU C libraries after it installs the OS, and then I have to reinstall them). However, Ubuntu also has the advantage of a large repository of pre-configured programs that you can install with the check of a checkbox. What that means is if you need a program that does a task very quickly, it is very easy to get ahold of with little hastle, since apt (advanced package tool) will build all of the program dependencies for you.

Overall, like a lot of people have said, you will have to test out both and see which you like. I hope this helps

I like 'em both, but Slackware's better if you prefer configuring, etc, and, as has been said, you'll probably learn more about GNU/Linux from it. It's all down to personal taste.

Ubuntu is like Window$ only it's GNU/Linux. They really tried hard to clone it didn't they. They even have the cheesy pop-up things in the toolbar to tell you, new update available. Slackware is like GNU/Linux (plus some influence from BSD and UNIX)

I have a custom version of Slackware (Zenwalk base, Slackware updates, odds and ends from ubuntu and debian). I can't say that i love any one, but all. My favourite distro is Zenwalker which is slack based to begin with but heavily modded . Also can make ubuntu slackware like or vice versa. Some distros may be easier for people to use especially when coming from winblows. But I started with ubuntu, dropped gnome and went to kde, down to XFCE and now fluxbox. Can do everything in ubuntu i can in slackware... compile and install programs from source and such and configuration is getting easier (as i understand more) for both. I would have to say just start with whatever you like the most to start with (less customization later).

The main beauty of linux as a whole is the ability to customize it into exactly what you are looking for and so far I have been able to do that with all the distro's i have tried so far.

You should reconsider that question. Those operating systems, Ubuntu and Slackware, are pretty different; they're good for different purposes, if you want to put it that way. I'd pick Ubuntu for easy use, Slackware for smaller/more effective system (though I'd spend a bit more time configuring it than Ubuntu).

Package managing is one big difference, on Ubuntu it's a few clicks or a single command, on Slackware it differs -- you don't get automatic dependency resolving etc. right out of the box.

Since you're asking that, go with Ubuntu for now. Try Slackware and see if you like it.