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Fine, I'll explain then I'll go. I think the OP is a troll because:
FYI I just asked "Who do you mean is troll", not "why do you think he/she is a troll". So long explanation wasn't needed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by H_TeXMeX_H
1) No specific question is asked. I don't see a single question in the OP's post.
To me it looks like he asked about any arguments against his friend's position, although there is no question mark and no question itself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by H_TeXMeX_H
2) Every other thread titled this way has ended in a flame war, and the OP also knows this.
I wouldn't be so sure about "knows this" part, taking in account that OP has 55 messages, registred in July and was unable to install flash and even pdf support (as I understood it) on slackware.
Anyway He chose Ubuntu now we are getting into this huge debate as to which distrobution is better. He essentially laughs at me.
There's a saying;
"He who laughs last, laughs loudest."
Stick with Slackware and you'll have the last laugh. There's a steep learning curve with Slackware to start with, but once you've climbed that curve, you'll understand.
As for the specific differences between slackware and ubuntu, I'll just join brianL in saying "I definitely see a shadow", and leave it at that.
Two monitors...Four monitors...Six?
You still have only one pair of eyes each. Plastic surgery next?
Take a look at this.
AFAIK some people that work with internet stock markets also use multi-monitor machines. It makes sense when you want a very large screen that can hold large amount of data, and you don't need to keep attention on all that data. In short - eyes move much faster than you can switch virtual desktops in KDE.
To the op: install Ubuntu (you can easily install Slackware and Ubuntu on the same computer), use it for a couple of months and form your own conclusions. If you're not willing to do that then, well, what kind of computer science student are you?
When you know Ubuntu, ask yourself this: if you had unlimited time, knowledge and resources to put towards customizing your Slackware installation, would you end turning it into Ubuntu?
Which is best merely depends on the users. Everyone is right so far in that all your problems are easy fixes. If you demand the most out of your system either build Slackware into what you want or strip the buntus into what you want. I try to respect all LINUX users in that most are looking to leave windows for something better .
The buntu's are superior... in that they are designed for superior gui control of the system and being Linux (please excuse my extreme oversimplification) highly configurable for people who don't want to manually configure anything. Great user GUI-controls but bloated kernels, base installations and such after initial install. ( you can highly modify the buntu's configurations to change this but.. just as much work as Slackware and once again dependant on you knowledge of Linux)
Slackware is superior... for people who want more control over their systems and want to handle the internal mechanics of their built systems manually with a stable and highly configurable base. Lightweight systems are normally initially fairly lightweight and fast after initial installation of restricted drivers if necessary and basic configuration. Greatest advantage is KISS (google Slackware KISS if need be).
***note: If you believe as my wife does and the command promt is the mark of satan, prolly not your distro although I have found I only use most setup tools ONCE... so why not just do it once manually. ( please.. again excuse oversimplification)
Linux users are superior... for deciding on their preferred flavor of linux, if you want the gui menus by default... get them... you can build only the ones you want in Slack or have possible many you need to remove in the Buntus... but if you want more control... learn linux. No-one knows better than the user what he wants.
This is the same with all distros.
At home I run Gentoo, Slackware, and Kubuntu all on different systems depending on the user. Kubuntu for my wife ( she prefers GUIs, not because its better or worse ), Gentoo on my laptop (highly stripped, but only the functions I want and fast for a 400mhz K6-2 3Dnow), and Slackware customized for myself ( Well,, mostly Slackware lol ).
But for my flame war... If you are willing to argue your distro.. you are a 'Superior Linux User' for deciding, and getting or building exactly what you want. This is why I switched to Linux.
If you truly love Slackware peruse the how-to's and get everything set-up the way you want and what you can't find post. Slackware has a large support base and from my experience very friendly.
All of the distro's I have tried have always given me support that I would say easily rivalled any commercial software I have worked with.
Last edited by Hern_28; 12-09-2008 at 09:39 AM.
Reason: typo
Ugh. Again? Really? There is a search function in these forums. This debate has been beaten to death. My Slackware box does everything listed above (except I don't have a wireless card, and I don't have a second monitor -- though I know dual displays work fine).
Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Depending on your video card, you may be able to do this more graphically as well (for example, if you use the nVidia or fglrx [ie ATI] proprietary drivers).
I have answered this question more times than I would like. It is the most frequent question I have answered, and I'm not answering it again. Search the forums. You need to make sure the correct module is loaded (and depending on your sound card, you may have to pass options to the module to get it working properly). You should also run `alsaconf` as root, followed by `alsamixer` (turn up all of the volumes and un-mute everything using the 'm' key), followed by `alsactl store`. There is more detail to this, but search the forums for more information.
For ethernet cards, this is as simple as running `netconfig`. For WiFi cards, it's a little more complex. You can either take the hard (but default) route of following this guide or take the easy way out and install wicd (a SlackBuild is available at slackbuilds.org). This is a VERY well documented procedure -- search the forums. There are rare cases with obscure network cards that may give you difficulty, and with some you may still be stuck using ndiswrapper. Search the forums.
This is possible and easy with Slackware -- but much different than Ubuntu. They both have different philosophies. With Ubuntu, it's really an automatic process -- but you have very little control over the compile options of an app. For example, if you want the app to utilize a certain dependency that it wasn't compiled against by the person that submitted the package to the repository, you may have to recompile (or get them to include that dependency). This also results in a LOT of dependencies being absolutely required because the application was built to support as many as possible. If you know nothing about computers, this may be ideal. However, I personally don't like that much unneccessary clutter on my system, and so I use SlackBuilds and decide what I want on my system. Ubuntu is easier, but you get more control with Slackware (though you can compile applications in Ubuntu as well -- but you may have to prepare beforehand so you don't get conflicts with the dependency-resolving package manager).
The easiest methods of package installation in Slackware are using slackbuilds.org (and after finally testing sbopkg on another partition, I can say that this makes things SO much easier and faster), rworkman's repository, Alien Bob's repository, and slacky.eu (I trust that one less than the others, but I've never had any trouble with their SlackBuilds or packages and it is a good resource).
Again, package management in Slackware is different than most distros, and it's really a philosophical difference. It's your choice.
This one probably goes to Slackware. KUbuntu is more customizable than Ubuntu (though a little buggier, perhaps), but the level of customizability in Slackware is greater than both in my opinion. However, some of that configuration may involve editing text files. The text files in Slackware are all very well-documented, and it's a straightforward process most of the time, but if that's not your thing, there are always other distros.
This is easy regardless of the ditribution you are using. Search the web and the forums. NFS, samba, ftp, ssh ...
See the SlackBuild for Flash at slackbuilds.org. They also have a SlackBuild for Adobe Reader (or Acrobat or whatever they're calling it nowadays). I *hate* Adobe Acrobat and I just get PDF files to open with KPDF, which is MUCH more lightweight. Everything is faster with KPDF. However, you can get Acrobat to act as a plugin in your browser (see the SlackBuild).
I have OpenOffice.org installed (see slackbuilds.org), and I also have Microsoft Office installed through WINE, and also in a Virtual Machine (using VirtualBox). Copying complex stuff between MS Office apps doesn't work well (or at all) through WINE, but works perfectly through a VM. I have a shared folder between Linux and the VM which allows me to use Office fairly seamlessly.
See slackbuilds.org for both compiz and WINE. I'm not a fan of compiz, but whatever floats your boat. I've used it, and it works.
Slackware comes with Xine. slackbuilds.org also has SlackBuilds for mplayer, and Alien Bob's repository has a VLC SlackBuild (and package). Those three will play basically anything you can throw at it. You can also get browser plugins for either at the above-mentioned locations.
Both are pretty secure, and both can be made more secure using customizations. See the Easy Firewall Generator to create some simple IPTABLES rules that should keep your box more secure. slackbuilds.org contains SlackBuilds for rkhunter and chrootkit (I would use both) to check for rootkits. Remember to always run as your normal user, and try not to start X as root (I never have and don't plan on it any time soon).
This is precisely why I *hate* Ubuntu. Every time I turn on my mom's Ubuntu PC, it has to install TONS of packages, some of which require a restart (WHAT!? A restart required in Linux, even if you're not upgrading the kernel!?). It takes FOREVER! It's very frustrating. This is why I hated Windows (well, one of many reasons), and why I love Slackware. Updates in Slackware are really only because of security issues, and they are relatively rare. Plus, they're easy if you use rsync to maintain a mirror of the patches/ directory. I won't get into that, but I spend very little time upgrading packages. It should be noted that you do have to keep track of applications you install yourself in Slackware, unlike in Ubuntu which does it for you.
`tar` is great at this. So is rsync. There are also other tools you could install, like rsnapshot. Available in both (and all other) distros.
Search the forums. Both are explained. The extra keyboard buttons would have to be set manually, but that isn't difficult. Not all of mine are detected by `xev`, but most are (and the distro doesn't play much of a role in which keypress events are detected by the kernel, so my non-functioning buttons in Slackware would probably not function in Ubuntu either). Your mouse issue is a common question. Search the forums.
Basically, Slackware is easy, stable, and low-maintenance -- once you get used to it. Ubuntu is always relatively easy (depending on your hardware), and Slackware is always simple (but not necessarily vice versa). If you don't like Slackware, switch. Otherwise, we would be more than willing to help you fix your system.
Tsolider don't get my wrong you like fathered me into Slackware so to speak. Most questions I have you always respond and usually the first one. What I am saying in reguard to the dead question that has been beat over and over in reguards to sound is. I can get it up on other Slackware systems in the house just not mine. I don't know what it is. I don't know if its because of my particular sound card but all I know is it fails on my personal PC and works fine on others I setup.
The monitor thing that just still kills me. The links and things are indeed helpful. haha sometimes I feel like in order to get one task accomplished I must read 4 pages of information. I belive that Slackware has some Top Teir Qualities. The two distro's that really got me was Slackware and Suse although I did not get to try it. Its also hard to need to get work done and you have to figure out how to get your work done before you can start getting it done. Also its like everyone asks me questions about slackware often I don't know the anwsers sometimes I post questions from other peoples box's that I have questions about. But its like I am feeling like for the amount of time I have been spending he has had better results.
Aso for Command Line I LOVE that lol I feel like I am doing something serious.... lol my friend calls it Matrix mode. He is like so are you taking down D.O.D I am like nope just trying to fix my mouse. HAHA . I also enjoy the GUI of slackware because I mean I like pressing buttons sometimes to . As for computers I pride myself on going far and beyond expectations and limitations. I am waiting for the day that I can be more of a "contribting factor" in this forum than just a question asker. Even when I used windows I changed everything Custom GUI, Custom Boot-Up (lol wat one time I had it saying Slackware lol).
I had custom scripts to load and execute commands based on key strokes. The more I understood windows the more I realized that I did not have the control I thought I did. I realized that Microsoft still is the background scheming. I realized that Linux had to be a superior system when my friend got his system owned by hackers and infact could not even sign into his computer they changed the password and everything. We used this Linux password recovery cd or something like that actually allowed him to change the password and he was able to log back in.
We had a back ups on another computer off his network. My house :P. I actually used the same cd on my computer just to see if my password would be given up so eaisly and it was. I lost all sense of faith and security in windows. Also with the type of jobs that my parents have security is a very important issue. I would hate to be the weakest link that gets the information exploited. I live in a IT house basically everyone is the computer field.
Last edited by IwannaSlack; 12-09-2008 at 07:32 PM.
Going to the first paragraph of your post..."I went down the slackware path because I figured that I had more computer knowledge than him..."; if you have equal hardware, and are willing to put effort into it --learning and configuring-- you should be able to make your system do anything his can, but faster. With Slackware, you do your work at the beginning, and then you're good to go.
The 'easy' distos become not-so-easy when something goes wrong.
Currently we are working a challenge lol he'll setup 1 slackware box and I will setup 1 unbuntu box. lol allready he is talking about the swap HAHA. this will go down this weekend. I am also just going to imerse myself with this I am going to format my computer an start completely over from 0. Just Slackware and I. the same way I felt when I was learning to drive manual. I felt like I could not drive as well when I drove automatic people laughed don't stall out ~! haha! But later... No one can touch me. I crush everyone car as I speed by I get to say things like (press on the gas harder maybe you'll go faster). Then they say something like "All your doing is out shifting me and accelerating". Then I just sigh * to myself newbs drive manual. To this day I refuse to drive automatic its like not driving at all. I guessing a similar experience will occur. With Slackware. Which gives me an Idea about another post..
Tsolider don't get my wrong you like fathered me into Slackware so to speak. Most questions I have you always respond and usually the first one. What I am saying in reguard to the dead question that has been beat over and over in reguards to sound is. I can get it up on other Slackware systems in the house just not mine. I don't know what it is. I don't know if its because of my particular sound card but all I know is it fails on my personal PC and works fine on others I setup. The monitor thing that just still kills me. The links and things are indeed helpful. haha sometimes I feel like in order to get one task accomplished I must read 4 pages of information. I belive that Slackware has some Top Teir Qualities. The two distro's that really got me was Slackware and Suse although I did not get to try it. Its also hard to need to get work done and you have to figure out how to get your work done before you can start getting it done. Also its like everyone asks me questions about slackware often I don't know the anwsers sometimes I post questions from other peoples box's that I have questions about. But its like I am feeling like for the amount of time I have been spending he has had better results. Aso for Command Line I LOVE that lol I feel like I am doing something serious.... lol my friend calls it Matrix mode. He is like so are you taking down D.O.D I am like nope just trying to fix my mouse. HAHA . I also enjoy the GUI of slackware because I mean I like pressing buttons sometimes to . As for computers I pride myself on going far and beyond expectations and limitations. I am waiting for the day that I can be more of a "contribting factor" in this forum than just a question asker. Even when I used windows I changed everything Custom GUI, Custom Boot-Up (lol wat one time I had it saying Slackware lol). I had custom scripts to load and execute commands based on key strokes. The more I understood windows the more I realized that I did not have the control I thought I did. I realized that Microsoft still is the background scheming. I realized that Linux had to be a superior system when my friend got his system owned by hackers and infact could not even sign into his computer they changed the password and everything. We used this Linux password recovery cd or something like that actually allowed him to change the password and he was able to log back in. We had a back ups on another computer off his network. My house :P. I actually used the same cd on my computer just to see if my password would be given up so eaisly and it was. I lost all sense of faith and security in windows. Also with the type of jobs that my parents have security is a very important issue. I would hate to be the weakest link that gets the information exploited. I live in a IT house basically everyone is the computer field.
Can you please split your text up into paragraphs please, its so hard to read otherwise
ok i'll fix it . Also I am not trying to Troll or anything like that I am just trying to be educated by the community so I don't misrepresent the values that we try to uphold. Therefore when he says Unbuntu this I can go Slackware this .
I definitely think that if you want to learn linux, Slackware is your best bet. My problem with Ubuntu was that it seems to discourage use of the command line as much as possible, which is a shame because the command line is one of the most robust features of Linux! He may be able to get the basic features working, but if you want to utilize linux to it's full potential, you NEED to know the command line.
Learn the command line, try looking into bash scripting, see what you can do. Ubuntu is great for awhile, but if you stick with slackware you will truly know linux, so that when he gets a bug and has no idea of what to do, you can quickly swoop in and save the day.
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. I also enjoy the GUI of slackware because I mean I like pressing buttons sometimes to 
