Vector or Zenwalk?
 

I'm running Ubuntu on a PIII / 733 / 128 with a 10GB hard drive.

My new WD 160GB hard drive came in yesterday, so I'm looking for a differnet Linux distribution because I feel that Ubuntu, even with swap space, is kind of taxing on my computer.

I'm looking at a Slackware-based distribution, specifically Vector and Zenwalk.

Which one do you think is a better fit for me? I like how Zenwalk comes with OpenOffice automatically, but I know that Vector is really nice on older computers.

Will Zenwalk run fine on my system?

I like Vector 5.1 for my P/200 MHz. Also, Vector 5.0 SOHO was real nice on my PIII/450 MHz.

I would also recommend Vector. Having Open Office included or not should really _not_ be the deciding factor, as the OO.o installer is simple and easy to use (basically it just unpacks the full program).
A P733 is a fairly good computer (all things considered) so you could do Vector Standard or SOHO, and should be fine with any window manager / desktop environment you want.

Dare I ask the obvious question, why not Slackware itself?

My thoughts exactly. Go with the original.

Slackware is great....except for hardware recognition. I found Vector Linux 5.1 (which even uses slapt-get and pkgtool and likes Slackware packages) is good with the hardware recognition. That has a downside too, though-kept getting errors with the console mouse and I couldn't get vsftpd to work. Vector 5.1 is nice and compact (400 MB I think) but it doesn't have the power of Slackware in that if programs are missing you'll have to use slapt-get or pkgtool to install them. I myself prefer Slackware, but Vector is said to be Slackware's cousin in that it so close to it.

Also, Vector isn't good as a workstation-what are you going to use your pc for? Vector is nice for casual browsing the web and GUI apps. Slackware is for everything.

There's also the default kernel difference-Vector 5.1 has 2.6.12 and Slack 10.1 has 2.4.29

Vector does not use anything Slackware does not, just has a nice script that centralizes stuff. Slackware has just as much hardware detection power as Vector, you just have to do a little more to get to it. But between Vector and Zenwalk, I prefer Vector because I don't like XFCE and I do like IceWM.

Zenwalk
 

I have been using zenwalk on a PIII class Celeron 650, recently upgraded to 256 megs of memory, Gateway Solo 5300 laptop. I am very happy with it. I've had problems with Vector on laptops, but, Zenwalk is really just a stripped down install of Slackware (Minislack). It is just easier to install Zenwalk than to try and pick and choose each package from the full Slackware install and make sure you don't break dependancies.... my two cents

This is the the first time i heard of Zenwalk, but i did trie Vector for a little while. (the real difference seems to be Vector: KDE besed and Zenwalk: Gnome Base)

i tried vector SOHO 5.0 or 5.1, and my findings compared too normal Slackware:


1) Vectors version of pkgtool is VASM, VASM is pkgtool with some addons, it helps you to do some more basic system administration inside this graphical menu (it edits the .config files in slackware for you) . this is very nice if you don't want too spend some more time learning what lies underneath.
As long as it works, and it mostly did for me, it enables someone new to Slack to set up their box quicker. But when you need to do something that isn't an option in vasm, you still need to edit the .config files slackware style

2) Installing new software, also via vasm, works using slapt-get. It actually checks for dependencies and installs these for you.
This is because the packages made by vector have a list of their dependencies inside them (i think).
This worked verry verry well, until some moment it sort of broke on me and got confused. (this could be because i installed some packages from somewhere else than the vector repositories)

3) Vector SOHO, has Openoffice as well as MPlayer, and gives you a nice KDE or Icewm evironment out of the box, it is lightweight and still has everything you might need.

so my findings were as follows:
If you like what vector brings you, WYSIWYG and you're not the type that has a compulsion to change everything to your specific needs, and want to go for a pure desktop, i'd say vector is a very nice distro.

If you want your distro to be more than a standard desktop only and are the type that wants to be in control of everything and know what and why everything does what it does, and you don't mind to get your hands a little more dirty, you nees to go with slackware.


I personally go for Slackware.

Zenwalk is Xfce based although Xfce uses some gnome components.

The Zenwalk philosophy is one application per task and the developers IMHO have done a very good job of picking good applications. They are focusing on the 2.6 kernel series and have made a package management tool (netpkg) that handles new software (submitted by the users) and security updates. It is a very "responsive" given the software it runs.

The latest Zenwalk is very upto date Distrowatch table for Zenwalk

I installed it in less than 30 minutes and used netpkg to update in another 15 minutes(256 dsl). Everything worked except one package which was i686 optimized on my Via C3 system and it was easy to compile (Zenwalk includes everything needed to compile software while you have to download the kernel source in Vector).

just installed Zenwalk on my laptop, very nice looking, small & fast

can you use Slackware Packages on Zen and vice versa?

Zenwalk is kernel 2.6 based and the packages run the gamat from i486 to i686. I'd peruse the Zenwalk site (it has it's own package section and they install with netpkg <name of package>)
to see if what they have meets your needs. What they pick for packages coincides with what I happen to have settled on.


You will not find the plethora of packages that slackware has. For example the audio player is Beep which also doubles as a CD player. Streamtuner uses Beep instead of XMMS. Gnome and KDE media players, rhythmbox, amorak are not available unless you install from source. Xfce is the only desktop while I think the latest Vector offers Xfce, Icewm and Fluxbox. When you are talking efficient and fast though the economy of packages is an advantage as long as it meets your needs.
Thinking back, Zenwalk is kinda like Vector used to be.