System Management, and other questions.
 

This is not more so a problem thread, but a question thread. I have several questions I would like answered, in an attempt to better familiarize myself with linux.

1. If I constantly do system changes to the computer (i.e. installing things, tweaking .conf files) is it worth it to set up another account, instead of using root all the time?
1A. If so, how can I go about making this user that has capabilities of root, but still isn't able to ruin your computer.

2. I don't know the command to restart the X-Server, or many other commands for that matter. I would appreciate it if someone were to link a set of commands that I'll probably be using soon.

3. Is there any way I can shut down the computer from Terminal, and not have to End Session > logout > shutdown? It gets kind of annoying.

4. How do I, step by step, make it to where I get a graphical loader, much like that of Ubuntu prompt, or is that non-existent. If it's possible, but you need a weird mod or something, I'll do it when I'm more experienced.

5. Where should I put all the applications and programs I have installed? I currently just have a folder on my Desktop labeled "Applications" and I'm storing everything in there, because it seems like Linux programs are not dependent on integration with the OS.

6. Why is Slackware 12.1's package list cripplingly short in comparison to Ubuntu's? Can I remedy this by downgrading to 12.0? Is it worth the downgrade?

7. I seem to have LOTS of multiples of programs, like programs from the K Desktop Environment, and maybe some from various other ones, are these just the limitless features of Slackware? Or did I install wrong?

8. I'm having a slight issue with KVocTrain, I'm trying to use it to learn Japanese letters, but it won't let me redo things I've already done, and the handbook isn't all that useful. I think I broke it, because I deleted the folder where the vocabularies were being kept, and I can't re-download them, the list keeps telling me I have them.
8A. Can anyone explain how this program works? Why is it whenever it was working, I would finish a lesson, and then try to redo that lesson by setting the threshold to lesson whatever only, and then it would tell me there are no suitable vocabularies, even though that they ARE there... It's like it marks them for non-usage after that. I'd really like to know about this too.

Sorry for the long list of things, I hope I don't get flamed, I read most of the Slackbook, but I haven't explored the extra resources that seem to pop up everywhere.

1. Yes. Always use a non-privileged account.
1A. sudo -s or su - creates a root shell. Good for the long term root needs.

2. Ctrl-Alt-Backspace

3. reboot/halt

4. Don't know I follow you: "graphical loader"? You mean like GDM, the GUI login prompt?

5. Some common application locations: /usr/local, /opt, $HOME/bin

6. - 8. Sorry, don't know.

6. the same packages are available for 12 as they are for 12.1. If you want more packages, go to slackbuilds.org or slacky.eu
7. if you did the full install you are suppose to get lots of programs

Err, yeah. But, arguably its even more worthwhile if you aren't constantly making system changes. (Why would you need the 'super powers' of the super user if you weren't intending to use them? To make sure that any errors you make are serious ones? Or to allow malware a vector?)
shutdown -h now, assuming that you want to shutdown now. Other options are available, see the man page.
Am I right in thinking that you want the default be to boot to a command shell and then start the gui manually? If so, try playing with runlevels to get you to boot to the prompt and then 'startx' to start the gui.
I don't know what you mean by 'integration with the OS' here; the programs depend on libraries and you might argue that its the libraries (or deeper levels) that have integration with the OS. But its more of a semantic argument than anything else.

For most things, its installed where it goes and there is no real reason to worry about where exactly it is, unless you are running out of disk space on some volumes and not others.
It really isn't (cripplingly short, that is). The problem is more the default repository set up than anything else.

Are you saying that you've got, e.g., kate several times over or are you just saying you've got lots of stuff? Or just lots of menu entries? Lots of stuff would be what you would expect, if you've installed lots of stuff.
Lots of individual entries in the selection menu would be an error, but I'm not sure how that would happen. If it is troubling, you might want to use the menu editor to sort it out.
If you genuinely have several copies of programs installed, rather than just multiple menu entries for each program, that would be seriously weird.

shutdown -h now

Are you trying to boot on graphical mode when you start your box?
Just change in the /etc/inittab the run level somthing like that:
From:
To:

Further to this excellent post you can modify your inittab by using a text editor like nano at a root shell prompt.

# nano /etc/inittab

Make your changes as listed above then save: Ctrl+o

then exit: Ctrl+x

Hi,
You could look at 'Slackware® Essentials' (also on your install cd/dvd as Slackbook) and 'Slackware® Basics' to answer a few of your questions.

These links and others can be found at 'Slackware-Links' . More than just Slackware® links!