Slackware, a beginners distor or not?

[Klixxer]

Slackware installs like Ubuntu does, it's straightforward unless you need to manually partition your disk, in either case, you'll be using CFDISK to do that.

Slackware install mens boot, (same as Ubuntu unless you need specific modules) type setup and press enter 3-6 times.

How is that not user friendly for Slackware but IS for Ubuntu?

I don't get it.

I should probably point out that even ghough i pretty much dislike all debian based Linux systems i am running one now, Ubuntu is kinda nice but i can't turn off the hardware detection which makes it impossible to run X without a secondary login to X (X: 1)

 

[sourceninja]

package managment is harder for newbies with slackware.
People do more with linux then install it.

A newbie shouldn't need to know how to compile software, or handle tarballs. Slack targets a more knowledgabe group of people. People who know how to configure X, or how to do dependancy resolution.

Ubuntu also has a lot of newbie resources linked on its website, lots of simple howto's.

I would say suse or ubuntu are great newbie distro's. They give you a nice easy transition to linux, then as you learn, if you need more control, you can switch to slack or gentoo or even debian.

 

[ColKurtz]

No. You're probably going to get responses that say "But it forces you to learn". Well, there's plenty to learn without having to track down individual packages, and then track down more packages when you get depedency errors, then more packages when those dependency packages have yet more depedencies, and so on.

It's all about package management, as that's the biggest difference between distros. Everything else is very similar. I would agree with sourceninja that Ubuntu is a good place to start.

 

[bersl2]

My first experience with Linux was trying to put an old version of Slack on a machine which had 4MB RAM, per the HOWTO @ TLDP. I failed, but I also learned. It's the only general-purpose distro I have ever installed.

If you have intelligence and determination (some would probably call this "having a masochistic streak" instead), Slackware is the perfect Linux distro for you. You'll learn a lot about how everything works in the process.

 

[Klixxer]

Originally posted by: sourceninja
package managment is harder for newbies with slackware.
People do more with linux then install it.

A newbie shouldn't need to know how to compile software, or handle tarballs. Slack targets a more knowledgabe group of people. People who know how to configure X, or how to do dependancy resolution.

Ubuntu also has a lot of newbie resources linked on its website, lots of simple howto's.

I would say suse or ubuntu are great newbie distro's. They give you a nice easy transition to linux, then as you learn, if you need more control, you can switch to slack or gentoo or even debian.

How about no, you have it all installed and it "just works" which is pretty much the thing with slackware, if you need external packeges outside it then you are on your own with slapt-get and gslapt, the equivalents would be apt-get and synaptic, both as easy to use.

YOu seem to suffer from the BS syndrome, you have never even run slack, have you?

 

[Klixxer]

Originally posted by: ColKurtz
No. You're probably going to get responses that say "But it forces you to learn". Well, there's plenty to learn without having to track down individual packages, and then track down more packages when you get depedency errors, then more packages when those dependency packages have yet more depedencies, and so on.

It's all about package management, as that's the biggest difference between distros. Everything else is very similar. I would agree with sourceninja that Ubuntu is a good place to start.

Have you EVER used the package management of slack or EVER installed it?

You are commenting on things you OBVIOUSLY have know knowledge about, this is pretty much why slack get's a bad rep, morons that haven't even used is say it's "hard".

Tell me, in detail what is harder with the slack setup than a Debian or Ubuntu setup, please, just tell me, just ONE thing.

 

[Klixxer]

Originally posted by: bersl2
My first experience with Linux was trying to put an old version of Slack on a machine which had 4MB RAM, per the HOWTO @ TLDP. I failed, but I also learned. It's the only general-purpose distro I have ever installed.

If you have intelligence and determination (some would probably call this "having a masochistic streak" instead), Slackware is the perfect Linux distro for you. You'll learn a lot about how everything works in the process.

This was around the time when hex editing the boot sectors to remove novell and install dos 3.3 was high tech, right?

Slackware, like all other systems moved on after that, at the time you used it it was probably the ONLY version available, these days, it's not, it's just the easiest to install and maintain bare NONE.

 

[sourceninja]

how many threads you want to have this argument in? Should I make a few more for you?

if you need external packeges outside it then you are on your own with slapt-get and gslapt

That says it all. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!

You said it, not me. I'll say it again. the default package managment in slack sucks donkey balls.

 

[Klixxer]

Originally posted by: sourceninja
how many threads you want to have this argument in? Should I make a few more for you?

if you need external packeges outside it then you are on your own with slapt-get and gslapt

That says it all. YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!

You said it, not me. I'll say it again. the default package managment in slack sucks donkey balls.

I wanted to put it all in one thread but then i forgot about it, sorry.

You'll find bigger repositories using slapt and gslapt than you can find even using debian repositories with Ubuntu.

YOu have official, extra, current, testing and pasture to start, then you have the equivalentss in vector which you can use (like you can use deb repos in Ubuntu) and last but not least, linuxpackages.

NOt satisfied, do a .configure and a checkinstall, verify and publish it.

You've got slapt get and gslapt, this is important for you and me but a newbie wants what just works, the entire purpose of Slack is just that, it just works out of the box.

 

[sourceninja]

ubuntu just works out of the box. But new users are going to want to try new things. Ubuntu makes that easy. Slack makes that a pain. And I'll make sure to tell my grandma to learn how to compile apps so she can use software slack doesn't have. Face it there are litterally a half dozen distros that are better for getting into linux. Hell even linspire makes it easier then slack.

 

[Klixxer]

Originally posted by: sourceninja
ubuntu just works out of the box. But new users are going to want to try new things. Ubuntu makes that easy. Slack makes that a pain. And I'll make sure to tell my grandma to learn how to compile apps so she can use software slack doesn't have. Face it there are litterally a half dozen distros that are better for getting into linux. Hell even linspire makes it easier then slack.

It doesn't on any of the ATI machines, the HW recognition is not just horrible, it's a bitch to even disable so much that you can start to fix it.

I am STILL waiting for ONE comment REGARDING slack that will TELL ME what is so HARD about installing it.

One will do the trick, just being an ignorant fool and claiming that it's easier with other distro's won't do.

It's 12 times you have to hit enter and reboot, and it works out of the box, on EVERY setup i have ever tried it on. ALL of them work perfectly.

So, do me a favor, actually INSTALL IT, just ONCE, then tell me about it, it's so obvious that you have never installed it nor used Gslapt.

I think your response isn't just stupid, i think it's dishonest.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: Klixxer

Originally posted by: sourceninja
ubuntu just works out of the box. But new users are going to want to try new things. Ubuntu makes that easy. Slack makes that a pain. And I'll make sure to tell my grandma to learn how to compile apps so she can use software slack doesn't have. Face it there are litterally a half dozen distros that are better for getting into linux. Hell even linspire makes it easier then slack.

It doesn't on any of the ATI machines, the HW recognition is not just horrible, it's a bitch to even disable so much that you can start to fix it.

I am STILL waiting for ONE comment REGARDING slack that will TELL ME what is so HARD about installing it.

One will do the trick, just being an ignorant fool and claiming that it's easier with other distro's won't do.

It's 12 times you have to hit enter and reboot, and it works out of the box, on EVERY setup i have ever tried it on. ALL of them work perfectly.

So, do me a favor, actually INSTALL IT, just ONCE, then tell me about it, it's so obvious that you have never installed it nor used Gslapt.

I think your response isn't just stupid, i think it's dishonest.

Funny that sourceninja actually seems to be getting more specific in his arguments than you are. He's actually made quite a few points and you keep counting with "it just is" kinda statements. Maybe YOU should actually try installing Slack, and Ubuntu.

 

[Klixxer]

Really, then compile the knowledge shared regarding a slack install he has presented in this thread.... none?`$50 says he has never seen a slackware cd he just heard stuff and oh the wow i't ahaaaawwwwwd notting fow teh neeeewbs.

Give me a specific argument and i'll refute it.

anything, i haven't seen ONE yet and probably never will.

 

[Klixxer]

FFS!!!!!! this should be OBVIOUS, you are ALL telling people how Slackware is NO newbie distro but none of you NONE of you can explain WHY?

Most of the idiots who are referring to this haven't even seen a slack install though, but oh they KNOW, it's not for newbs, cuz i read that on some thing in some forum.

I amd STILL waiting for a valid arguemtn and no, package management is not IT.

 

[stratman]

lol wow Klixxer

 

[SleepWalkerX]

I'm not going to argue that slackware is hard to install, but from what i hear other distros are more dependent on the gui so they are considered more user friendly. Now of course i've had no experience with slackware (i'm thinking of using it for a server os, its either slackware or debian), so i'll have to ask you. I'm going to compare mepis with slackware and tell me which one is EASIER.

Mepis automatically detected all my hardware correctly, including my wireless card drivers. Does slackware detect all of your computer's hardware and supply drivers for them without you having to do it yourself?

Mepis has links on the desktop that with one click mounts and opens the window manager to every partition. Now consider I'm a noob. I want to access my windows partition. I have no clue of any commands. Which way is more noob friendly?

How is Slackware with the GUI (i really don't know)? How often do you have to use the console? With Mepis I have NEVER had to use the console, not even with installing (although i've heard slackware has a nice looking text installer).

I assume Slackware is very stable. So there aren't any errors when installing/using programs? Or messing with config files to get certain devices working (like xfree86 or xorg whichever slackware uses or the grub/lilo config)? I hope so cause that's what slackware is known for. I didn't even have to edit my grub.conf with Mepis. It detected all my paritions and I was easily able to resize them if i wanted to.

Now I'm not saying these are HARD. I'm just asking which ones are EASIER. Because of course, advanced users think everything is easy.

btw are you 12? you sure do act like it.

 

[Klixxer]

Honestly, i mean either everyone who feels slack is no use for a beginner have never tried it and that make them what?

Do we have a forum filled with ignorants?

 

[sourceninja]

I have tried slackware. You just refuse to belive me. Come fly out to indiana, I'll grab some kids from my college and we can do a survey.