Slackware, Slax Archive

"Slackware is one of the oldest (arguably *the* oldest) Linux distributions still around today. It is the pet project of one Patrick Volkerding who, love him or hate him, has ruled his distribution with an iron fist since the beginning. This is fine if you agree with his choices, but like all dictators, Patrick doesn't always make decisions based on the good of the populace, but rather sheer unmitigated ego. Here is my experience with his latest iteration, Slackware 11." More here.

This is a review of Slackware 11.0 where the author explains what is in store for the Linux users who choose to use this Linux distribution. The article writes: "When you hear the name Slackware, you are at once transported to a world where Linux users feel more at home in setting the configurations by editing ordinary text files. In fact the credo of Slackware is to keep it as simple as possible. In popular speak, it is known by the acronym KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)."

"Zenwalk 3 is an operating system based on Patrick Volkerding's Slackware GNU/Linux distribution, version 10.2. The entire operating system fits on a single CD, and stays true to what the author calls the 'Zen philosophy'. This philosophy, as it has been coined, refers to Zenwalk's policy of including one application per task. I've had a few problems with Slackware and Slackware-related systems in the past, but Zenwalk has alleviated all of my stress regarding those issues. Here's why."

Slackware 11.0 contains the 2.4.33.3 Linux kernel (default), 2.6.17.13 in /extra and 2.6.18 in the /testing directory. This Slackware version is by far the most cutting edge ever released, it includes KDE version 3.5.4 (including the Amarok media player), XFCE 4.2.3.2, the latest versions of Firefox and Thunderbird, plus SeaMonkey 1.0.5 (replacing the Mozilla suite). It also includes glibc-2.3.6, gcc-3.4.6, X11R6.9.0 from X.Org, and more.

During the past month the official software update sources for VectorLinux suffered from several long time downtime periods. As a result, users were unable to update or install new software. This article explains a possible fix using trusted mirrors.

Patrick Volkerding has just released Slackware 11 RC4. Take a look at the changelog for more info.

Patrick Volkerding, Slackware's benevolent dictator for life, has 'released' Slackware Linux 11.0 Release Candidate 2. From the changelog: "This is mostly frozen now unless bugs (or irresistible upgrades) come up, so I'll call this update Slackware 11.0 release candidate 2."

The long development process of Slackware Linux 11.0 is about to conclude - that's according to Patrick Volkerding who has declared the "current" tree as RC1: "There are still a few changes yet to happen, but let's call this Slackware 11.0 release candidate 1." Other recent changes include upgrade to stable kernel 2.4.33; upgrade to udev 097, and rebuild of glibc 2.3.6 for both 2.4.33 and 2.6.16.27 kernels. Update: Screenshots.

XYZComputing reviews VectorLinux, and concludes: "VectorLinux is definitely going places. This distribution made a very good impression on me during the time I have spent with it and it will be remaining on my desktop for some time to come. Though it is not really one of the better known Linux distributions it appears to be growing due to its speed and capability."

I was interested to see how Zenwalk differs from Slackware, and after reading on their web site that version 2.01 is 'the biggest jump in Zenwalk evolution since the beginning of the project', I wanted to see how far Zenwalk has come since it was reviewed here as MiniSlack.

"Slackware is old-school Linux. Back in the day - before Red Hat seized the throne - Pat Volkerding's Linux distribution was the undisputed king of the hill. Many still use it today. By the time I started playing with Linux in 1995, or running my Web server with it in 1996, Slackware's slump in market share had already begun. I've tried a lot of different Linux distributions during the years since then, but until recently I had never tried Slackware. Here's what I've learned about Slackware while installing and using the recently released Slackware 10.2."

"Writing a tips article is tricky. Especially for such a hallowed and 'hardcore' distribution as Slackware. Veteran users want incredibly good tips. New users considering giving Slack a whirl, and who may be afraid of the BSD-style and command line mystique, want tips that bring accessibility and understanding to Slackware. Find that balance here. From simple bash techniques, to assuring your anonynimity on public Wi-Fi, this article will walk you through the Slackware tips most valuable to you."

Patrick Volkerding, Slackware's maintainer, announced that Slackware 10.2 is going into beta: "I think it's time to consider this to be mostly frozen and concentrate on beta testing in preparation for the Slackware 10.2 release, so there won't be too many more upgrades and additions."

slamd64 is an unoffical x86_64 port of Slackware Linux. A stable 10.1 version has just been released, which closley follows the packages in Slackware 10.1.