[SOLVED] What can we do to build a larger community?

Two years ago, I tried to install Slackware as my first linux distro. However, I failed to dual boot on a UEFI machine alongside windows after many attempts. I gave up and installed Ubuntu instead, the installation was smooth. Recently, I switched to Manjaro-i3 community edition, which is minimal and fast. I have learnt a lot more about linux. I feel like I can try slackware again.

I realize the main difference between SW and the other popular distro(s) is the community support. With large community like Ubuntu, Arch and Manjaro, a lot of minor but annoying problems can be easily solved by solution provided. I know SW has a very supportive community here, but things would become better if more users join SW and start contributing. In your opinion, what can Slacker do to attract more active users?

PS: I am still fresh in SW, but I would love to know how to contribute to SW. I have read slack doc, but I keen to know about personal tips and experience.

Zihen,

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FTR, and speaking only for myself, I'm not sure that I want a substantially larger community nor that one can occur and still be Slackware. Slackware requires a User also be more of an Admin than most, if not all, other distros. Since there are many more Users than Admins it appears to me the odds are cast.

I do recognize that there are Ubuntu users, for example, that actually do serious work in Linux, but the fact is that a far greater percentage of Ubuntu users are not at all interested in administering and prefer Canonical just does it for them. Canonical did a great job of attracting the less concerned, less informed, by dumbing down to a lower common denominator.

As I'm sure you discovered, Manjaro, for example, requires quite a bit more than Ubuntu and has a higher percentage of knowledgeable users but also lesser numbers than Ubuntu. It appears to me there is a direct relationship. I'd vastly prefer Slackware remain as it is on the fundamental level and only have and allow updates and never cave in to systemd, rolling release, automated dependency resolving, automated installers, etc.

Send me a postcard.

TLDR in my area only 1% drive a hummer. What can drivers in my area do so that more people start driving a hummer?
We should certainly post about it on hummer forum, announcing that we've all switched to Fiat until our demands have been met.

If the Slackware installer had an option to just install a basic desktop system, (without programming), & just with a browser, file manager, editor, & media player, it would increase in users considerably.

But, that's not the way it works, it's an all or nothing installer!

Sure you get a lot for your (no) money, but who wants to fill their disks with loads of programs they aren't going to use - not me!

I like the learning idea behind Slackware, it was my first distro, but most people are just interested in getting a usable computer set up, & that includes me, & why I no longer use it.

My opinion only. Nothing wrong with attracting a large community, but not at the expense to changing Slackware to an *buntu, or other like minded distribution. I like Slackware the way it is. I've been with Slackware since 1993. I've seen a lot of changes, but one thing that has not changed is the way Slackware is put together. If I wanted to use distribution that was less work, then I'd go elsewhere. I like the hands on approach of Slackware. Slackware is a tinker under the hood type distribution. I absolutely love Slackware's package management system. I control everything that's added to the base install, including how it's installed. I can easily create my own packages to install on my systems. If needed I can easily modify base install packages to fit my needs.

In short. Slackware attracts people like me. I'm not attracted to those other distributions. Over the years I have tried a lot them. The two biggest turn offs with the major distributions. First is lack of development tools from the base install. If one wants to develop or create your own packages, you have to install bunch of "dev" packages. That are left out of the base packages. Second, is tied to that. I want to install one program, I end up installing a boat load of other programs, libraries and a kitchen sink to boot that the packager deems as necessary even though they are not really needed.

I never lasted long trying out another distribution.

Originally Posted by fatmac It's an all or nothing installer! Sure you get a lot for your (no) money, but who wants to fill their disks with loads of programs they aren't going to use - not me!

Just my attitude! But you can install a partial Slackware system if you are bloody-minded enough to ignore everyone who tells you not to, and understand enough about dependencies to track down and install any resultant missing libraries. I did it and I'm very happy with the result. Mind you, having built LFS a few times does help.

Originally Posted by fatmac most people are just interested in getting a usable computer set up

Yeah. That's exactly why I use Slackware.

@Zihen i have a HP laptop that has UEFI fireware that had Windows 10 on it.

Putting slackware on a PC is not actually difficult in my opinion but there are a few things to know that might help.

Firstly the installer is not a "bells and Whistles" but then again thats a plus if you take the approach that something new might be learnt.

First thing is clarify and confirm.

If your PC is UEFI its most likely also 64 bit ,but best to be sure. From Linux command eg:
bash-5.0$ uname -m
x86_64

From Windows poke around system info or hit Windows ICon key + R and run command msinfo32

Now then to clarify elements of UEFI; UEFI was about from my simplistic view someone getting hold of your laptop and booting it up using
Malware; you can turn off "secure boot" element and still boot using uefi. In fact you have to : https://mirrors.slackware.com/slackw...EADME_UEFI.TXT

(unless that has chnaged)

With a BElls and Whistle installer it does it all for you 100MB of EF00 efi file type ; with slackware either check its there are make it.
I made the mistake of wiping everything off my HP laptop incuding the EFI partition; when i started an install for current it prompted me it was missing to drop out of install and use tool from command line .use appropriate tool.

If you manually set up or have swap, EFI partition of 100MB type EF00 and a single partition (if you don't want /home) of sat ext4 of around 60 that should be ample to install slackware.

To me installing slackware current or slackware stable is the same. if you want to install current get iso: http://bear.alienbase.nl/mirrors/sla...4-current-iso/

Boot that from a untoysb; i've tested it from ventoy and it worked.or another approach would be to get slackware current live also from Alien Bob repo; if you pick the full install then i think there is a live to hd script; never used it so not sure.


Now to throw in a couple of points from my experience on stable and current. When i tried to install stable 14.2 it didn't recognize my wifi card; yet current then 5.4.12 did. So current has a newer kernel which is more important if you have newer hardware. Current is the development branch technically "testing" . I installed pre PAM, cracklib etc yet everything works and there has not been anything i want pkg wise that i couldn't get and didn't work. So i can confirm 5.4.12 was a very stable release. Its not at 5.4.12 anymore though.

Slackware emulates a traditional Unix system. This is great for people with Unix experience, and not-so-great for everyone else.

On Slackware, the source code is readily available and all tools are provided to compile it. Some problems can be debugged only by examining the source.
Ed

Thanks all for replying! I am currently testing SW14.2 on kvm-qemu while running manjaro-i3 as my daily driver. I attempted a few times to do a minimal install like arch linux but failed. Now I am trying to do a full installation without any DE, and planning to run with qtile. I find slpkg very helpful.

For my past Windows 10 dual boot experience, it was mainly GRUB or lilo couldn't find Windows partition to include it in the menu. It could be an Asus laptop problem. I completely wiped Windows and never look back.

Comparing to SlackBuild, Manjaro Community and AUR seems to have more little handy scripts or applications. I will explore more about SlackBuild and see how it goes.

Sidenote: everything seems pretty (out)dated on 14.2-stable.

Originally Posted by fatmac If the Slackware installer had an option to just install a basic desktop system, (without programming), & just with a browser, file manager, editor, & media player, it would increase in users considerably.

That's very odd because the o\format of the Slackware installer has never changed and has always offered several install types. If you know what you want you can install an incredibly minimal system FWIW.

Originally Posted by fatmac But, that's not the way it works, it's an all or nothing installer!

That's absolutely false! There are just shy of a hundred checkboxes to select what you want and what you don't want.

Originally Posted by fatmac Sure you get a lot for your (no) money, but who wants to fill their disks with loads of programs they aren't going to use - not me!

I can only conclude you don't understand the Cost vs/ Benefit of the Slackware philosophy. Disk space is ridiculously cheap but your time is presumed valuable. To me it's a no-brainer tradeoff to give up say 20GB of disk space to facilitate not having to depend on Official Repositories nor automated dependency resolution. I've tried many distros in 20+ years and usually for more than a month and zero other distros require as little maintenance as Slackware. Additionally none offer the peace of mind and ease of troubleshooting since zero happens on my system that I didn't initiate. If a problem occurs (very rare) I only have to look back one step to find what I did wrong.

Originally Posted by fatmac I like the learning idea behind Slackware, it was my first distro, but most people are just interested in getting a usable computer set up, & that includes me, & why I no longer use it.

To each his own but it is a bit odd that if you've moved on and are happy that you come back here to say something negative. All I can say is maybe you aren't 100% convinced leaving it behind wasn't a bigger loss than gain. You can always come back. Current is killin' it right now.

Originally Posted by fatmac I like the learning idea behind Slackware, it was my first distro, but most people are just interested in getting a usable computer set up, & that includes me, & why I no longer use it.

I've used Linux and BSD for 18 years; I've run a lot of different operating systems. However, when I move on to something new I don't visit the forum of another OS and tell them I no longer use their OS.

Nostalgia, I think is the reason I keep poking my head in here, I am, personally, better served by my present distro, & that is why I have been using it for many years, since the demise of #! (Cruncbang Linux).

My comments were directed at the OP who wondered why there aren't as many Slack users as there are with other distros.

There are just shy of a hundred checkboxes to select what you want and what you don't want.

....& there you have one of Slacks many problems as to why it isn't more popular with the masses.

You might just as well use LFS.