Slackware 8.1 has been released and is available for download. An installation ISO image can be found here.You can pre-order the Slackware 8.1 official 4 CD-ROM set at Slackware’s store. Highlights of this release include KDE 3.0.1, GNOME 1.4.1 (with new additions like Evolution), the Mozilla 1.0 browser, kernel 2.4.18, support for filesystems like ext3, ReiserFS, JFS, and XFS, and support for several new SCSI and ATA RAID controllers. Mirrors available.
Slackware 8.1 Released
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Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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i am just wondering, i here this alot about linux and wonder if it is true. do most, all, some, few (whatever) distros give you in the default install, multiple text editors, browsers, email clients, office suites, mp3 players, im clients/irc programs, and other repetive software? why do they do this? it seems wasteful?
welcome to humanity
Most distros do this.
Why is because there are often competing products say gnome/KDE some people like KDE, some like gnome others like other window managers. To satisfy these peoples needs the distros ship with so much stuff.
The real problem comes at install time. If you choose full install you get just about everything. A more sane choose is to pick and choose packages to install.
Of course if you are new to Linux it can be hard to know what is what.
Lycoris Linux AFAIK has a one app for one task policy.
To me it´s a plus, because you know it´s all about choice, you only need to install the ones you like, and if you don´t like one particular editor, there is lots more to choose from. =)
The reason there are four CDs with slackware is not because it is bloated with four times as much software as one CD could have. It’s because each CD has a different function. The main CD has the software and installation on it. The second one is a special bootable rescue and demo CD. The third one is for installing Slackware on a Windows partition. And the last one is the source code to the applications.
This is somehow true… Some well known distributions are kinda braindead when it comes to installation. You have the following choices:
1) Install everything (bad)
2) Check every of those 5000 packages manually to see what you need and what not… (!)
3) Install only the bundles you need, like “audio software”.
Number 3 is definetly the most sane one, but the stupid thing is, that the last distributions I tried all had duplicated in those packages. :] You choose audio software and you get 300 MP3 players… You choose databases and you get several different databases (WTF). And so on. I’m not sure if some distributions have improved on this meanwhile… I hope so.
However, nowadays I prefer a minimal installation and then install everything when I need it. This is very easy with Debian, because it makes sure that you have every important package but none that you don’t need. And installation of a new package is a matter of seconds.
More info here as to what there is on the 4 CDs:
http://linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=2002-06-19-008-26-NW-SL-…
Everyone who’s tired of all pre-fabricated Linux-solutions and good-looking-and-slow-and-huge-installations and desktops (RedHat, MDK) should try Slackware. It’s not a distro for newbies, but if you fell good in Linux or any other *nix enviromnemt, then you have to check this out!
ok, so i can understand that in the spirit of linux (and open source) that people want choices… however… when trying to sell a distro, doesn’t the idea having a 1 size fits all product end up not meeting what any 1 group needs (software developers, home users, businesses…), or is that just silly thinking on my part?
Slackware is based on Debian right? Does it have AptGet?
Kevin
No slack isn’t based on debian, no it doesn’t have apt, slackwares packages are tar.gz based.
No it’s not based on debian. It is based on SLS.
It is the oldest still worked on distro.
It can use apt-get but that is really meant for Debian. There is no repository of Slack software like that to download from.
Slack uses its own package format .tgz or slack packs.
These are tarballz with a installation script in them.
The installer installpkg opens the tar extracts the files and runs the script. Details are placed in /var/log/packages under the packages name.
No dependency checking is done. You normally do it yourself.
With slack most libraries and tools needed are included so you rarely run into dependency problems.
For more info read the slackbook. It is for version 7.1 but is still mainly current. http://www.slackware.com/book
Slack is configured from the command line using text editors with some ncurses tools.
There are aftermarket GUI or web based administration tools but most people use a text editor.
The reason it is so good to use linux is its configuration. Because you have to directly edit the files you actually learn what they do. Also this stops slack getting in your face. The system doesn’t automagically change settings on you. But neither is it too complex. It is the equivalent of the C language. It is a powerful tool not just another handholding distro.
This is the only place on the Web where I see people complaining about getting value. Sure you get a lot of things in a typical Linux distro. But so far I’ve seen exactly zero instances of having a taskmaster looking over my shoulder and demanding that I run each and every piece of software all at once! I just choose the ones that I like, and stick with them, just like in Windows. The only difference is that with Windows, I have to find all of that software, buy it, then install it before I can try it out. To me, saving effort is a bonus.
I’m just curious as to why this (and other distros) rae still shipping with Apache 1.3.x? Is version 2 not stable or something?
many popular modules for Apache haven’t been ported to Apache 2 yet. I know planetmirror.com.au is waiting for some mods to be ported before they move over to 2, even though Apache 1 is far slower for their situation.
I disagree, Slackware was my first distrobution, and I am much better for it! had I used some other distro (RH/SuSE/MDK) I would be in much worse shape for knowing how things work and where to find those nifty little features.
A better way of putting it would be to say that slack isn’t for the faint of heart, but for the person who wants to get their hands durty and learn.
I can’t belive it’s been 7 years that I’ve been using linux, first with slack, then debian, then suse, mandrake, back to deb. Ok that’s enough reminising for me.
I suppose you magically worked out what apps where what in Linux.
Whats really amazing is that this is the only thing you could think of to say. No one complained, they asked nicely. Maybe you should take some reading lessons.
What distro do you use Speed, Redhat?
What is this about Slackware not being a distro for newbies? Its installation is one of the easiest to use and the system is self is simple and highly functional. Perhaps some slackers want to keep Slackware to themselves. 😉
I hope they keep on the road (problems on the recent past happened). I don’t use it much because it is hard to get on CD.
As always, speccial thanks to Patrick Volkerding since I guess he is the men beyind the fine, not bloated and not dumbed down Linux software (good thing).
The tar.gz would be a fine Linux pkg standard for that recent (comercial) Linux consortium – maybe apt-get could associate with it instaed of competing with the .deb pkg, but that’s up to them.
Good luck for slack’s
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This is after doing a normal install on a hpt366 partition.
Easiest to use you say?
Slackware is still my favorite dist and I’ll probably try it again next release.
HPT366 NEEDS SPECIAL SUPPORT FROM THE KERNEL that need to be turned on during compilation.
Heck, do you even know why even the company that made HPT366 doesn’t even want to support it anymore?? They don’t even offer qualified WinXP drivers! WHY? Because the damn controller is BUGGY AS HELL. Linux has problems, BeOS has problems (the Be engineer who was working on the official BeOS driver gave up) and even Windows has problems with that piece of junk.
Make a favor to yourself and do not use the HPT366 controllers, but use the other onboard, normal, ATA controllers.
Wow, are those servers FULLLLLLL. I guess I’ll wait, see if I can get it from an overseas server tomorrow.
As for the ease of Slack: I think it’s a great place to start. For a long time, I couldn’t get Linux to load right on my laptop (weird hardware).
Slackware was simple: follow the direction, make some choices, and wahla-LINUX.
True, there is a learning curve…..but what OS does not have a learning curve? XP certainly throws alot of “joe average” users used to 98SE. OSX is way different from Mac OS 9 once you get under the GUI.
God forbid anyone should learn anything……..
Newbies-Try Slack. You’ll love it.
“What is this about Slackware not being a distro for newbies? Its installation is one of the easiest to use and the system is self is simple and highly functional. Perhaps some slackers want to keep Slackware to themselves. ;-)”
I have a friend who spent about 3 weeks trying to get his soundcard to work under Slack, and then installed Redhat, which detected it automatically. It’s all a matter of perspective
Eugenia, calm down… The 2.4 kernel supports hpt366 without special drivers. The problem here is with lilo. I gave it a second try and installed grub and now it works (after xx hours).
No one knows better than me how nightmareish the hpt366 controller are. I’ve been stuggling with it for many years. The ordinary contollers are full so I have little choice.
I think osnews will be better off without my bitter comments so see ya
I am calmed down.. The caps was just to give emphasis.
I VIGOROUSLY AGREE that the HPT366 hardware is THE source of HPT366 problems. The ones that left out the driver were doing us all a favor! I’ve had to throw out every single HPT366 product that I owned, including a pair of BP6 motherboards that wouldn’t even work right with any controller, including SCSI!