Well-said, Didier. I delayed trying Slackware for two years. I am grateful for the patient help I received back in 2004 when I was taking my first steps with Slackware.

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Even though Slackware was the very first Linux distribution that I have ever tried, I have never actually considered myself a Slackware user. Way back in 1995, I bought a then-current Slackware CD set from a local computer and software store. Back in those days, the CD set came with an inlay booklet (which later grew up to become the Slackware Book). I installed Slackware in a dual-boot configuration with Windows 3.1, but I could run it only in character-based mode; any attempt to start the X Window System locked up the computer hard. I, therefore, used the booklet as a guide to learn about the Linux file system, basic bash commands, and even some vi. (There was no such thing as the internet yet, so getting help was not particularly easy.)

Ever since, Slackware remained mainly a terrific learning tool for me.

I looked at other distributions to try and get a working graphical desktop. The first distro with which I got a somewhat functional desktop, was SuSE (I believe it was version 4.2), even though screen resolution was limited to 640x480 or some such, and colour depth was pretty limited, too. By SuSE 6.1, if I remember correctly, the desktop worked fine for me. I've never really been happy with SuSE (and later SUSE), though, because its subsequent versions kept on showing rather poor performance.

I then used Red Hat 9 for a while, until it got EOL'd. I even tried Lindows and Xandros, but they were awfully hacker-unfriendly, and were easily crashed when I attempted some simple reconfiguration experiments (though I cannot remember any details).

All the while, whenever I wanted to dive deeper into the system, I kept coming back to Slackware, but I didn't really feel ready to commit to using Linux just yet.

By the time I was ready to begin to see the value that Linux could bring, I discovered Ubuntu 6.06. That was actually the first distro that I could see myself use on a day-to-day basis, though I kept dual-booting with Windows, and it wasn't until Ubuntu 10.04 that I was ready to drop Windows. I simply haven't since felt the need to attempt to switch to Slackware as my daily driver.

These days, I'm running Xubuntu 16.04 and Debian Testing. I keep Xubuntu around because I install that on older computers for users who wonder if they really need to buy a new computer once their Windows version is no longer supported; I tried various options, and I found that I got the best reactions when I gave them Xubuntu (with properly configured panels). Ubuntu 10.04 got OK reactions at the time, Ubuntu Unity was poorly received, Debian with GNOME2 was so-so, Mint with Cinnamon was fairly OK, Debian with XFCE was getting there, and people seem to be quite happy with Xubuntu.

I often, but not consistently, have a Slackware system installed as well, sometimes Slackware stable, at other times Slackware current, but Slackware is still primarily the excellent learning tool that it was right from the beginning.

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People should not fear learning. There is no worse attitude than "It didn't work straight away, so I gave up."

I work at a university supporting researchers and many sloppy implemenations are due to people not putting in the time to learn.

Slackware isn't difficult. I've observed that with containerisation and more research being conducted with open source applications people are dragging their old working habits into Linux, and it isn't a happy marriage.

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Sounds similar to the reason why so many people fail to lose weight...

A lot of people also don't have the time to learn and/or don't care about the ethical side. There are plenty of researchers at my university who just want to use their Apples/Windows boxes to get things done. They don't care about how they get them done. They would rather just get on with their research. In my case FOSS forms a small part of my research, but that's only because I care and because I find the attitude that computers are just conduits for work worrying when it comes to controlling personal data [on indeed one's OS]. Also computers affect research in ways that researchers often don't know or see.

On the contrary, it is very difficult if you've been used to using Windows your whole life, and there are compromises to be made. It's not only like getting your head around the workings of a different language, but a different culture.

That could be where I was lucky in one way. Unfortunate in that I only got interested in computing when I was 57, but it was only a couple of years after that I discovered Linux & Slackware. Not enough time to be brainwashed & indoctrinated by MS Windows.

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My first computer was Commodore128D - so there goes that - you had to type and type to get anything even vaguely resembling a GUI...

Slackware feels so at home after that 128'er

Even more off-topic posts... Maybe that's my mistake, I should have refrained to open this non-technical thread. Anyway I am marking it as [SOLVED]. Thanks to the folks who actually answered the asked question, and best regards to all.

I started with Commodores almost 4 decades ago, using DOS/Windows since, so plenty of time to have been “brainwashed” if it were going happen, but did not feel any compulsion try something other than Windows (played with Apple a few times over the years, but it didn’t convince me to switch) until MS finally aggravated me enough a couple of years ago to look for an alternative.

Back to the topic, it’s not that I didn’t eventually start using Slackware, but it was the last Linux I tried that I also installed - last because of its reputation as hard for newbies, eventually installed because I was intrigued by it, and have kept it because it fits my needs, is stable, and is comfortable to work with (I use Stable with few modifications on a home computer.)

I maintain that it _is_ hard for newbies, and anybody new to Linux I would steer to an “easy” distro to start, with a recommendation to look at others later (with a plug for Slackware for sure), especially if either they are hands on with their computer or will have someone hands on taking care of their computer for them.

TKS

It may be solved, but it has been and still is very interesting.

And, despite the opportunity for ranting over the subject, better behaved than some technical threads I've seen.

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My thoughts exactly.

<moved this post to another thread>

I am really tired by off-topic posts. For instance, what you like about Slackware or your experience with it would better fit in Cheers for Slackware or in What do you like about Slackware. Or just open a new thread if if you prefer.

Aaaawww! Sorry, but ask yourself this: why did I start this thread with this title in a forum full of Slackware users, and not in Linux General - where there is likely to be more non-Slackware users?

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That's right, I should have posted elsewhere, or just not created such a thread in a public forum.

Didier, I know what you mean. Maybe your opinion on this is slightly affected by the recent proliferation of more discussive posts on Slackware, rather than support posts. These may have been generated by the donations thread which drew more people in, garnered support and interest, and opened questions of many kinds out to the community and beyond. I like your thread, and remember, that after a few pages in, the odd off-topic post is common [if not inevitable]. I think your thread still has value, and the odd skewing of the topic has provided insight into other interesting areas as well.

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