Here are two articles introducing Slackware to new users: a Slackware installation guide and a “quick and dirty guide to packages”. Update: One more article: “Slackware Linux with pkgsrc Packages”.
Get Started with Slackware
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
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Anyone knows how to make the gnome system events to work on the gnome 2.6 on -Current? More info here:
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=142502
very nice package guide for slack beginners. i’d like to see it included in some sort of “slack handbook”, although i’m afraid that will never happen due to the slack development model and the focus on veterans…
(no slack flaming here. i love slack and i use it for my mailserver)
If you have the answer to this too http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=142499 please let me know. The Dropline users with the same problem (some had it too) got away by removing their users from the “root” group, however if I do that, nautilus is *only* able to use the “empty file” generic icon (without a lock), so that’s not a good solution for me.
Pat doesn’t know what’s causing this (I emailed him), so if anyone knows, it is highly appreciated.
Please note that I am using the official slackware-current gnome 2.6, not dropline.
Definitely a gnome 2.6 problem. Happens to me in Gnome 2.6 and in Dropline as well.Can’t delete them from desktop.
On a side note , Dropline usere wanting to upgrade to 2.6 watch out in X configs. XFree version is 4.4 one if I remember well and config file is xorgonfig
Took me few hours to realize what I’m doing wrong on my fresh Dropline 2.6 install.
There are also problems with XKB , which by default is not configured. Run xorgconfig. For me it fixed the problem. xorgcfg(which I suppose is the graph tool) does not work for me , it gives an error (widget something…)
have you guys try creating a new account. when i upgraded last week, i created a new account for gnome 2.6.
There are also problems with XKB , which by default is not configured. Run xorgconfig. For me it fixed the problem
That problem with X.org is caused by and older (default) XFree config option.
You only need to change one line in your xorg.conf file to fix it:
Change:
Option “XkbRules” “xfree86”
To:
Option “XkbRules” “xorg”
Slackware is a fine distro but what it is missing is Slack handbook like that of FreeBSd handbook.
This scatered docs around the web are sometime worthles for many users trying to learns Slackware. Unless someone organises all the tutorials under one main page.
Just my 2 lek. (albanian currency)
I know that from ver 4.4 we use “xorg” instead “xfree86” and I also tried what you have suggested and didn’t worked. Only after I’ve created a new xorg file with xorgconfig this error was gone.
did anybody else find that disturbing, or was i just raised by a linux guru that was overly paranoid?
But there IS a handbook for Slack. Not as thorough as FreeBSD’s, but quite nice for the first-time slacker that I am: http://www.slackware.com/book/
I’d like to try Slackware, because it is tested, tried and true, yet manages to include newer packages (unlike Debian, but that’s Debian’s market).
Is there any way to alleviate Dependency hell? I don’t mean necessarily automate dep-resolution, just make it easier to knwo what’s missing and how to fix it.
I’ve never really had any problems with dependencies on Slackware in the past …
I mean, it’s been a year of so since I’ve played with it, but what it did was go to Linuxpackages.net and find hte package I need. It would list the dependencies needed and if there were any, I’d just go download those too. It took a little more work than, say an apt install, but I can’t remember ever having it fail. Only problem is that their package repository wasn’t as complete as I would have liked (a common problem with any distro, but moreso for Slackware.)
Anyway, what kernel is Slackware current using? If 2.4, do they have any HowTos for getting 2.6 up and running, so a mere mortal like me could do it ?
Thanks, I’ll definitely check that out. The truth is, I’ve been looking for a new distro to try out, but Slackware slipped my mind. It fits the bill for what I need almost exactly!
Kernel? I think it’s 2.4… Not sure… I’d love it if it were 2.6, though…
I can’t wait till 2.6 becomes evryones default.
Slaskware kernel is 2.4:
http://www.slackware.com/pb/search.php?vers=slackware-current&strin…
Oh, well.
…to the post-ers of those articles. They’re in my bookmarks now. Slackware is linux + oss *unadulterated*. Just the way I like it. ahhh.. 🙂
Just download the 2.6 kernel, copy your .config file from your 2.4 kernel (usually in /usr/src/linux) to the new kernel source package, run “make xconfig” (or gconfig,menuconfig, etc.), select any new options, and then compile using “make bzImage && make modules && make modules_install”. Go to the fridge or something while it compiles…it will take a while.
After that’s done, you copy your System.map file from the new kernel source and the bzImage file (in arch/i386/boot) to your /boot directory. Edit /etc/lilo.conf to include a boot entry that points to your new bzImage file, run “lilo”, and reboot into the 2.6 kernel.
If you are going to install nVidia display drivers, copy the new kernel source directory to /usr/src and set up the “linux” symlink in that directory to point to the new kernel source directory, then run the installer as you normally would.
Oh, almost forgot…if you have a cd burner, you should remove the append entry “hdc=ide-scsi” from your /etc/lilo.conf file if you successfully install the 2.6 kernel. It doesn’t need that entry for cd burning.
If you haven’t already, then give swaret a shot for packages (setting it up to use packages from “current” keeps your system up to date and about as bleeding-edge as you can); I know that’s not kernel-related, but it’s a good utility.
I dont really use linux much anymore, but if I recall you can just do a make all or something similar instead of the old make bz/mods/modsisnt. plus don’t modules work different in 2.6 than 2.4 (modprobe.conf vs. modules.conf)?
Like I said, I’m not too familiar with the new kernel (im mainly a netbsd user) but just thought i would mention it.
.adam.
If I can get that working, would anyone be interested in an OSNews article that details all the stuff Flatline just said?
Yeah, modules are in a different spot in 2.6; thanks for reminding me. I haven’t had any bad luck just copying the text from /etc/modules.conf to /etc/modprobe.conf. Can’t believe I forgot to mention that…could have caused some poor guy some confusion
Slackware Is THE Best distro around [IMHO].
Installation is easy althou you don’t get any GUI…
Configuration – Also Easy.
If you want to learn Linux [or unix for that matter, couse Slackware is the most Unix-Like Linux around] try Slack
No dependency hells.
Fast
Boots in 30 Sec.
Easy to maintain
Easy to Upgrade
[If i want to i can always make a script that will upgrade my system in the background]
Its not A Kde or GNOME disto [like Suse and RH] so you get only what you Set up
Running it since mm.. don’t remember… since Slack 9.1 official…
Interesting in that I do not have the lock. I am running Slack -current, not dropline. I tried a couple different themes and could not get the lock to appear. If it isn’t a permissions problem. I assume you checked the properties and looked at what icon is selected.
There are many sources of information that one can use for Slackware. Half the questions (probably more than that) are answered in Pat’s email message to root, the /usr/doc files and the man pages. Add to that the book at slackware.com and on the disk and the faq for a.o.l.s. and most of the rest of the questions are answered. The few questions left are usually answerable by Google. Any other questions are probably cutting edge hardware that can not be answered at this time, bugs in software or errors that the user has made in posing his question.
I’m going to install:
– Slack 9.1
– Kernel 2.6
– Dropline
– Nvidia drivers
Would that be the correct order? Dropline is not limited to 1024×768 resolution, correct?
I’ve been playing with Fedora Core 2 Test 3 for a bit and it has the same problem with Gnome 2.6. It’s been discussed on the lists there as a Gnome bug. The Core Two officials release is scheduled for 17 May. I can’t see RedHat releasing it with that bug, so maybe we’ll see a fix soon.
Yes, the order is right. But remember to install patches/security updates right after installing Slack. If you want to use the 2.6 kernel, consider updating hotplug, so that it works properly with the new kernel. You can do it by just swareting everything to slack-current, but probably just installing the new hotplug will be enough…
There is a bug fix release. maybe it will clear the bug you guys are talking about
No, it won’t. Slackware already has 2.6.1 and the bugs are still there.
Regarding “creating a new user and retry gnome”, I have done so. The problems remain.
see here: http://www.linux.com/search.pl?topic=90
From week to week, there seems to be really bad security flaws in Linux (various distros, etc…)
If you are running slackware make sure you run update to download and install the latest fixes.
This advisory is updated weekly, please bookmark it.
From week to week, there seems to be really bad security flaws in Linux (various distros, etc…)
I think it’s important to differentiate a bit between Linux and GNU software.
I try to stick to projects that have a better security record than others (yes, yes, when I can be bothered) and keep my machine secure. Many of the security flaws listed never make it into most distros.
Slack documentation can also be found at: http://www.slackfiles.net/
before your going to install slackware read this :
http://www.linuxgazette.com/issue17/slackware.html
soon i’ll install it
Mike, your problems with not having a resolution over 1024×768 is probably because you haven’t configured X. Run xf86cfg -textmode, or run xf86config to help create a new file for XFree86 that fits your system’s hardware. Be prepared to answer questions about your hardware – make sure to have your monitor manual.