Slack is on the way....

[synecdoche]

So, I just ordered Slack 9 from an online seller.

I almost changed my mind at the last minute. I've been using Linux for a little while now and am pretty capable when it comes to day to day usage, thoiugh I still often have problems that make me come crawling to the forums. :) I read that installing and using Slack is a really good way to see how Linux works, so I thought I'd try it.

I have been using RH9 primarily and have had few problems. Everything seems to work the way it should, and every day I contemplate replacing Windows (I've got XP dualbooting) completely. I just don't think I am QUITE ready for that yet, but the day is coming. I honestly can't think of anything I do on Windows frequently that I can't do on Linux now (having found out how to run Baldur's Gate with Wine, as well as Leafdrums), but I still have this trepidation.

Anyway, I don't expect to install Slack right away, but I want the discs there. A friend is going to help me build my own computer in September (I've only installed new stuff, never built one from scratch) and I am thinking I am going to try to put slack or gentoo on that, just for the learning experience. I think that if I can manage doing that, then I will be ready to forsake Windows completely. Getting Slack or Gentoo going should give me that last confidence boost that I need. :)

Yeah, so that is my rambling post for the day. er, can anyone recommend any good books that deal specifically with Slackware so I can read up before I install it? :)

-dave

[serz]

This one! http://www.slackware.com/book/

Many people suggest this book: http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/book/rute.html.gz

[Darkbolt]

you could read this http://justlinux.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=106026 ;)

Slackware has some very good online documentation about installation, and configuration. They also have books available

I'm glad you decided to get slack....Just a fair warning....Once you go slack, you never go back :D

[bs_texas]

And don't say, "It's not like that in Red Hat!" ( ;) ) when you run into siutations, because lots of stuff will be different.

For instance:
Slackware doesn't automatically create a .bash_profile or a .bashrc. The init sequence is different. The default init is 3, not 5. vi is a symlink to elvis. Etc., etc...

Let's see, what's it called: It's more FreeBSD like than Sys V like, or something like that.

regards...

[Darkbolt]

Originally posted by tanna
once you go slack you're going to want to runaway and get a mac. :rolleyes:
Then get slackintosh! (www.slackintosh.org i believe)

bs_2003 is quite right, it's alot different than redhat, its package management system doesnt look for dependencies, let alone get them for you. it has bsd-style init scripts, which (IMO) are easier to understand.

We're not trying to scare you off or anything, we just want to let you know what you're going into. it's a great distro, but it'll take some adapting on your part :)

[ciphrix]

http://slackintosh.exploits.org/

[Darkbolt]

there ya go :D

[psi42]

I'm sort of in the same situation. Just finished downloading the slack 9 iso over my dialup connection (took forever).
I'm going to install it on an older machine I have around. I figure I'll just keep on going no matter what happens. The only thing I am really worried about is the sound configuration. I figure I can just "steal" some config files from another distro or my knoppix CD.

I have read a lot of the slack docs, they are very good and hopefully will cover any big install problems that I will have.:)

~psi42

[andysimmons]

Actually one thing I've noticed since I started reading general Unix books is that I can almost always try something I read and it works in Slackware (except for some Solaris, FreeBSD, etc. stuff, but even those usually aren't too different). If you get a Linux-specific book, you'll be set. I don't really see a need to get a Slackware specific book. I really like the O'Reilly books, they're excellent.

[synecdoche]

Thanks for the advice, all. I read through the "How I Did It" post and it doesn't sound too bad at all... Maybe I'll try it out before I build that new computer. :) After all, I do have that extra 20GB on my hdb that I am not using...

I actually have Suse8.2 on the way as well, so I'll have to try one then the other.

Ah, this is what I love about Linux. Computer used to be my hobby... I used to love messing around on them, and even did some programming back in the day. Sorta lost interest after a time, but Linux has rekindled my interest in just playing around on the computer, seeing what does what, and all that fun stuff. I mean, I never would have tried Windows 98 one day, then decided to put 2000 on an extra partition just to try it out. :D

-dave

[psi42]

Just finished installing slack 9.0
The install process was very simple and menu-driven, no problems there.
Sound card setup was no problem, I knew the correct io port, irq, dma etc so it worked right away.
X setup was a bit harder. Although the slack docs say to use XF86Setup to setup X, that does not work in slack 9.0. Instead, run xfree86setup which autodetected my video card. It does not set up your monitor or desktop resolutions, so I had to manually edit the file to do that. Be sure to have a copy of an XF86Config-4 file so you have the correct syntax. (Or just copy one from another distro:)).

Other than that, I have had absolutely no speedbumps. Everything works fine. I even managed to get KDE to load on this old pentium 133. Not a pretty sight.

Anyway, the install process is not as hard as some say it is. :)
synecdoche, you registered at this forum before I even knew what slackware was:). Just find the info on your soundcard in RH, and also save your XF86Config-4 file, and you shouldn't have any problems.

slack is cool. Every time I log in I get to read some words of wisdom the slack people decided to put into the distro...:) what's up with that?

~psi42

[ricstr]

I think that is a program called fortune, try typing fortune at the shell. Think it is included in the BSD Games package.

ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/src/games/fortune/datfiles/

[psi42]

Originally posted by ricstr
I think that is a program called fortune, try typing fortune at the shell. Think it is included in the BSD Games package.

ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/src/games/fortune/datfiles/

Yep, that's it:). Thanks.


~psi42

[Darkbolt]

Originally posted by psi42
Just finished installing slack 9.0
The install process was very simple and menu-driven, no problems there.
Sound card setup was no problem, I knew the correct io port, irq, dma etc so it worked right away.
X setup was a bit harder. Although the slack docs say to use XF86Setup to setup X, that does not work in slack 9.0. Instead, run xfree86setup which autodetected my video card. It does not set up your monitor or desktop resolutions, so I had to manually edit the file to do that. Be sure to have a copy of an XF86Config-4 file so you have the correct syntax. (Or just copy one from another distro:)).

Other than that, I have had absolutely no speedbumps. Everything works fine. I even managed to get KDE to load on this old pentium 133. Not a pretty sight.

Anyway, the install process is not as hard as some say it is. :)
synecdoche, you registered at this forum before I even knew what slackware was:). Just find the info on your soundcard in RH, and also save your XF86Config-4 file, and you shouldn't have any problems.

slack is cool. Every time I log in I get to read some words of wisdom the slack people decided to put into the distro...:) what's up with that?

~psi42
I'm really glad you got it working, and you like it. No, the install process is not hard atall, aslong as you read the menus it's quite straight foward ;)

[o0zi]

About the Slack init scripts, IMHO they're easier to understand as well. Just go into /etc/rc.d and muck around with the rc.M and rc.local scripts, and you can speed up your bootup significantly. I still haven't got a clue how to edit the bootup in Mandrake or whatever (proving that after I got Slack, I Did go back, because of the terrible printing support in 8.1).

[psi42]

Just go into /etc/rc.d and muck around with the rc.M and rc.local scripts, and you can speed up your bootup significantly


Yes I have taken a look, it seems pretty straightforward. I found a "configuring slackware" website that mentioned a lot of things that could be commented out in the init scripts (like web server stuff and pcmcia), that sped up my bootup.

~psi42

[glussier]

X setup was a bit harder. Although the slack docs say to use XF86Setup to setup X, that does not work in slack 9.0. Instead, run xfree86setup which autodetected my video card. It does not set up your monitor or desktop resolutions, so I had to manually edit the file to do that. Be sure to have a copy of an XF86Config-4 file so you have the correct syntax. (Or just copy one from another distro).


If you had typed "xf86setup", all lowercases, it would have worked. I suggest you don't copy your Mandrake's XF86Config-4 files over to the /etc/X11 directory to replace the Slackware's Xf86Config file, for most users it might be harder to fix the Mandrake file than properly configuring X, using the tools provided with Slackware. (fonts is a good example)

As for sound cards, mine is recognized without intervention (sblive card). But, most cards should be detected automatically with sndconfig. As for X, mine was working properly on first bootup, however it was setup in Vesa2, so I still ran xf86setup to get the proper parameter for my video/keyboard regional settings and mouse.