Hi everybody. I have read about the Slackware and I want to shift to Slackware from windows. What I mean is on my new server which I am going to buy soon. I want to make Slackware as a platform. My question is, if I buy a CD for installation with the book ed.2 with it, is that sufficient for me to install it and run. I mean I am ready to learn every thing about linux just for Slackware. I am not from IT background at all.

I have never used Linux and I feel sorry for myself. I appreciate your help.

Thanks

Well you've come to the right place. Slackware is a very do-it-yourself distribution, and you likely won't find it as simple to run out of the box as other distros, but the experience will be completely worth it - learning Slackware is learning Linux.

The slackbook will be a great resource for you, but you'll undoubtedly have tons of questions - feel free to ask them here if you can't find them yourself. People will expect you to make a little effort to find answers for yourself of course (a google search at the very least), but no question is a dumb question when it comes to Linux. The Slackware DVD alone is enough to get up and started, and as long as you have a somewhat fast internet connection you'll be set.

Welcome to Slackware and Linux Questions!

Thanks for putting me on ease. I'll be continuing this thread. And I ask more slack users to contribute. Contribution will be appreciated.

Slackware also makes you learn about dependencies as well, which you might find a bit intimidating at first, but it becomes a valued asset when you have to search for a dependency that isn't often included with the normal stuff, and no documentation covers it.

Slackbuilds.org is a great site for getting software that normally isn't included with Slackware, even in the /extras folder. Depending on what architecture you are using you may want to stick to these when building SlackBuild packages as a good start off:

For 64-bit systems when building a SlackBuild package, run the SlackBuild as such to preset the architecture:

ARCH=x86_64 ./*package-name-here*.SlackBuild

32-bit systems can be simply just executed.

Also, make sure that if you update your kernel you keep track of packages that build kernel modules as they will require replacing. Making an install-list file for packages can be a lifesaver at times. You will have to build dependencies first and install them also. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the commands...

installpkg
removepkg
upgradepkg

...as well. Also, make sure that if you have to upgrade any packages you learn about the command switch "--install-new" as well. Because Slackware doesn't have a package management program this may seem intimidating at first but all packages installed can be found in the /var directory (and usually SlackBuilds will be compiled and built in the /tmp directory).

However, you may want to dual-boot Windows and Slackware for a period of time until you can deeply familiarize yourself with the functions so you have a safety net OS in case something goes wrong.

However, from experience, Slackware is an easy system to recover with and a re-install often only takes about 10~20 minutes at times.

Trust me, you will enjoy Slackware.

Thanks. What i am planning is to install slackware on my new server machine untouching windows laptop that i have. Unless I am comfortable using Slack I will not get rid of windows.

Hi,

Welcome to LQ & Slackware!

First off, if your server is a production machine it would be best not to experiment on it. You should use caution and be aware that experimentation on a production machine may/will cause disruption. You could use a VM (Virtual Machine) on the Laptop to host a Slackware install.

Look at VirtualBox which runs on Windows, Linux and Macintosh hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, 7), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), and OpenBSD'. Look at the 'User Manual(pdf)'. Download at 'VirtualBox Downloads Page'. Plus the 'VirtualBox User HOWTOs' are useful.

Two good references Slackware® Essentials & Slackware® Basics.

Another useful resource would be 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

You will find the following tutorial useful;
If you want to go mulitib then Multilib Slackware for x86_64.

Few more Alien_Bob's links that you will find VERY useful;
This post may seem as a potpourri but just culls from the Sticky, Threads & 'Slackware-Links'.

BTW, you should be creating a thread for other topics not related to this thread. Slackware: This Forum is for the discussion of Slackware Linux. Slackware - Installation for installation issue.

Happy Slacking!

1 members found this post helpful.

I really really appreciate your contribution at this moment. And I may not understand some of the technical words at the moment but I will definitely come back to each point on everybody's contribution here and it means to me a lot when actually I am starting SLACKWARE. Thanks once again for the welcome greetings. It gives sense of real community.

One other benefit of Slackware that isn't often mentioned... once you learn Slackware and know it, fairly much you have learned Linux in general for fairly much any Linux based distribution.