Time for Slackware?

[NotJustANewbie]

Hey guys (and girls),

I have been using Linux for ages now and I would call myself an advanced user (I can find my way around new distros and solve all major problems I come across) but I have a dilemma.

I have been using Ubuntu for about 2 years now after being a (not so loyal) Debian fan. Well, what it is is that I feel Ubuntu is taking a wrong swing to things with its whole "spread the word and get the world using Ubuntu" agenda which I don't like. Apart from that, I feel like my computer owns me rather than I own my computer when I'm using Ubuntu, which I'm sure many of you will know where I'm coming from. So, from that, I would like to try Slackware. The thing is, I don't know anything about Slackware - its install procedure, its packaging, its downsides etc... even after reading quite a bit and trying Slax (which I love). Ubuntu doesn't give me the flexibility I'm looking for like Debian used to give me and I'm looking to use Linux (as opposed to Debian or Ubuntu or Red Hat - you know the famous proverb).

The one thing I like about Ubuntu is that it has one program for each purpose (ie, only 1 word processor and only one browser etc - as default). I don't want to sound pedantic but I do like to have a "clean" and uncluttered system out of the box like Ubuntu does infact give me.

Anway, I would like to hear your thoughts about Slackware and please generally advise me about what to do (I don't want to dive in without know what I'm getting myself into first with Slackware and I really don't want to install - even if with a dual boot before I know what the Slack is like).

Thanks.

[dkeav]

http://justlinux.com/forum/search.php?searchid=193307

[ions]

I feel like my computer owns me rather than I own my computer when I'm using Ubuntu, which I'm sure many of you will know where I'm coming from.

Nonsense. Nothing is taken from you. If you want to tweak the Ubuntu Gods are not stopping you. Ubuntu is just as FOSS as Slack.

One of Ubuntu's greatest assets is it removes one of Linuxs' greatest flaws. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians. For some reason this purposed direction is being interpreted as a loss of choice.

I choose Ubuntu because their completed install is very much like how I had tweaked my Gentoo to behave. Being lazy I said to myself "Why tweak something to be exactly like something else that someone else has already made". Nothing wrong with either distro, just what I was looking for. Ubuntu comes very ready made in particular styles. If you do not use anything close to those styles you can change them. You can still alter the code all you like. Or perhaps it would be less work to configure another distro the way you prefer than to alter Ubuntu. Either way your 'choice' is still there and it's still your computer.

[NotJustANewbie]

Sorry dkeav, you're right.
Ions, you're actually right too about how Ubuntu "gives purposeful direction". Yeah, and if I did install Slackware, I'd only tweak it to be almost identical to Ubuntu anyway.

[dkeav]

yea i think ions just made a very good point there, something most users should think about before they go to distro hopping

[crow2icedearth]

slackware is the distro i started with many years ago. it has a very easy menu based installer. it uses more BSD sytle init then sysv which i dont usually like.

slackwares packagement manage system is easy to use. you use pkgtool to install new packages. which is a menu base tool. You can also use the CLI tool

installpkg, removepkg,upgradepkg, and explodepkg.

I havnt used slackware in years since version 7.0 - 8.0 . Its a great distro i just use gentoo more and freeBSD.

eah, and if I did install Slackware, I'd only tweak it to be almost identical to Ubuntu anyway

I don't see how on earth ubuntu is number one on distro watch . I personally dont see why its so great. its just like redhat in my opinion. it holds your hand during install. I like to manually do stuff... why i use gentoo and freeBSD. use debian sometimes as well.

The good thing about slackware is you will have to get your hands wet and config stuff by hand. you should be very good with CLI if you say your advance users. the power is in CLI. i use both CLI and GUI on my linux desktop . I use CLI just as much as GUI tools.

[crow2icedearth]

there is no downside to slackware. well maybe one. That would be you have to do everything your self. i would also install slackget .

[loopback48]

Someone said something about being lazy. I can relate to that statement. It's one of the reasons I like the autoscripts for Ubuntu and Debian Etch. Yes, there is one for Etch.

Anyway, ease of installation is one factor that has a big impact on what distro I use. Slackware does not fall in that category. And thus the reason I don't use it. Now if you want the speed of Slackware plus the one app concept of Ubuntu I'd advise you to try Zenwalk. It's Slackware based. So it has the speed Slack is famos for. Comes with one app for just about anything you'd want to do. And you only have to install just a few apps to get it doing all you want.

The last time I played with it I only had to add Mplayer and the firefox plugins. In no time I was viewing Apple trailers. It comes with Flash and Jave and many other things.
When I had to configure Slackware just to get the scroll wheel to work on my mouse, I knew this distro was not for me.

Visit Zenwalk. It's Slackware without the hassle.

[clw54]

I've gradually gone from distros that do everything for me to one that doesn't. First I used Mandrake, then Debian, and now Slackware. I love Slackware. It's easy to install and runs great. If you install the entire thing, you have a pretty good foundation for compiling other things that don't come with Slackware. There are also plenty of other packages people have put together to use with Slackware.

I know how it is when you fell a distro is taking things over. Stuff like logging into X right after boot. The way I see it, there are two approaches to dealing with this. Use a distro that does a lot and take away some of the stuff you don't want it to do, or get a distro that doesn't do a lot and add what you want. I think, and this is just my opinion, that when a distro does too much it's good for the person to try ones that do less. It's closer to using Linux in its pure form. I'd recommnend installing Slackware if you have the extra space for it. Can't hurt, and you might like it.

[infiniphunk]

Hey friend, I also suggest that you try out Zenwalk, which IS Slackware with some special modifications and tweaks. This distro is EXTREMELY fast because it is quite stripped down. There is even an apt-like command (netpkg) tho their repositories are miniscule compared to debian, but yeah it is the distro you want to try out.
They also have an amazing community and support forum; oftentimes the main developer himself is on the forum and helps new users in a friendly and down-to-earth fashion. Oh yeah, pretty much all slack packages work too. I just can't say enough good about Zenwalk. Check my signature for a link to their website, download the the lastest ISO (version 4.0 right now). BTW, the install procedure is super easy, its ncurses-driven, so, although not graphical like the new ubuntu, its very easy to figure out.
Good luck!!!
P.S. I think the latest ubuntu installer sux, I dunno what they did to it, but yeah, its poo. It doesn't like my desktop's partion scheme for some reason. Had to find the alternative Edgy install disc which uses the old debian-installer so I could get that Edgy Eft goodness on my comp. yada yada, I know, off-topic.

Cheers,

Jerome

[psych-major]

Also make sure to install swaret, the slackware update tool.

Also check out Linux Packages for a variety of software to install.

[XiaoKJ]

also, there are slapt-get, and a variety of other slackware update tools. There is even a port of gentoo's portage to slackware! (of course, very little people use that tool)

and psych-major's topic (right above) is plain wrong. I'm the living counter-example

[psych-major]

Same here, but I do still run Slack on my file server/workstation. My new laptop has Ubuntu...

[Darkbolt]

if you're interested in a real fun time with slackware, install netbsd's port collection on a bootstrapped system.

I love slackware, I really do. I dont use it much these days though, mostly out of laze. I encourage everyone to spend some time with it though, it's a really great learning experience. But be aware that it doesn't hold your hand, but thats how you learn. From day one, you'll be fighting an uphill battle to get things exactly how you want, so (imho) you appreciate every little bit of ground you gain that much more. That, and the way you'll be forced to get everything working is applicable to every linux distro. You might want to get real cozy with a text editor before/if you try to take it for a spin.

[psych-major]

However...
After you manage the brief, but steep learning curve in Slack, future installations of Slack will be a breeze, and you will have a great understanding of basic Linux principles that you can apply to future projects!

One other note, Slack installs to runlevel 3 (text) and you need to run startx to get kde running. Once everything is copacetic, you can modify the default runlevel in /etc/inittab, using one of those text editor thingys mentioned by Darkbolt.