Slackware 11.0 Almost Done

linuxbeta writes "DistroWatch reports that the development process for Slackware Linux 11.0 is almost over. OSDir has some sweet shots of Slackware 11.0 RC1 in the Slackware 11.0 RC1 Screenshot Tour." From the article: "'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. The new release will ship with X.Org 6.9.0 and KDE 3.5.4, and will provide SeaMonkey instead of Mozilla."

Stone Age

[Jacek Poplawski]

I was using Slackware for few years before I switched to Arch Linux.

I don't understand why it still uses xorg 6.9. Maybe the reason is that nobody has the time to make so many packages for xorg7? IIRC that was the reason why there is no full GNOME in Slackware.

Kernel 2.4 - OK, as long as it is 2.6 ready (and it is).

But guys... what's the point to use so old software? If you don't want to put new desktop stuff, then just remove all desktop packages from distro.

All hail...

[Ransak]

... the Church Of the SubGenius! [wikipedia.org]

Re:2.4 kernel? WTF

[farrellj]

Because it's considered more stable, and supports things that haven't been up-ported to the 2.6 kernels.

Patrick aims at the most stable distro...not the latest, flashiest distro. That is why it is used on a large variety of servers...in fact, it has the probably more server installs than any other Distro still built by one person, and his wife. Debian is probably closest, but it is now a large team that works on it.

Slackware just works...and works...and works...it's sort of the Energizer Bunny of Distros!

ttyl
          Farrell

Re:Seamonkey vs. Mozilla?

[IHSW]

SeaMonkey, the code name to the Mozilla Application Suite, an internet suite maintained by the Seamonkey Council. It is no longer maintained by the Mozilla Foundation.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seamonkey [wikipedia.org]

Many Kudos!

[farrellj]

To Patrick Volkerding, his wife and Volkerding 2.0!

This is the oldest existing Linux Distro! Possibly one of the most stable as well. It retains the Unix philosophy that it does a few things really, really well, and gives you the tools to add on to it. It's tanj simple to maintain and update, no "RPM Hell". And it's one person's vision, which gives it a consistancy that is lacking in other "art by committee" Distros.

And I am biased...I moved to Slackware from Soft Landing Systems (SLS) Linux, and although I have tried many different Distros over the years, I keep on comming back to Slackware...and not just for religious reasons, either!

Thanx you Patrick and Co for keeping the vision!

ttyl
          Farrell

Re:2.4 kernel? WTF

[tylernt]

I have 10.2 and am using the 2.6 kernel

I tried using the bundled 2.6 once, and I encountered some problems. I ended up getting the vanilla source from kernel.org and it actually worked better.

I love Slackware, it runs all of my servers, but man... I wish 2.6 was the default. 2.6 has some things that 2.4 doesn't, so sometimes I have to upgrade, which is a PITA. What does 2.4 have that 2.6 doesn't?

Re:Patrick, maybe the time's come

[freshman_a]

No.

I'm a long-time Slack user. One of the reasons I love Slack and use it everywhere I can is because of it's versitility. I can have a super stable server and a super stable desktop with the same version of the same OS. As it stands, Slack is quick to install, lean, stable, and it just works. Patrick's whole philosophy is Keep It Simple Stupid. Moving in the direction of enterprise-class servers would not be KISS. Also, the people behind Slack consist of Patrick and... well, pretty much just Patrick. How would one person maintain a distro aimed at the enterprise market? I like the fact that one person is behind the distro. Patrick makes the decisions, and that's it. There's no need to fear a split with the maintainers or delays in releases due to arguments about what should or shouldn't be included. I fully agree that Slackware makes a great server OS, but I would be really sad if Patrick re-focused Slack's direction and made it a pure server OS aimed at the enterprise market.

That's my $0.02

*Clicks Screenshot Link*

[HuckleCom]

Because you KNOW the screenshot gallery is a direct representation of what a linux distribution stands for...

Re:2.4 kernel? WTF

[legojenn]

Don't you mean 2001? Anyhow, what difference does it make what kernel they ship with (within reason)? If the hardware and software does not require a newer kernel, wouldn't it be more prudent in an environment where reliability is important to have the most reliable kernel out there?

Re:But what I really want to know is

[evilviper]

Oh, right, I was thrown back six or seven years by seeing the name Slackware and the list of specs.

Right. Sure does suck, doesn't it, that there is a Linux distro out there that is extremely stable, and doesn't just jump to the latest version of everything without testing?

All Linux distros should just be random collections of the latest packages, leaving the users to figure out why nothing works...

The people that are saying "It's only one guy" are completely off the mark. Slackware is the most stable distro I've come across, no matter how many maintainers are involved.

Not to mention it's the only distro I've seen that includes full headers with every single package (no extra configuration, no hunting -dev packages down, no need to compile from source programs you've already installed binary packages from, etc). It has a fully working and effectively bug-free development environment, which you probably can't say of any other distros.

I know the attration to shinny new distros, and all their hype. But use them for a few months, and think of all the hassles and work-arounds you put into it, and ask yourself which of those features is worth an OS environment you continually have to tweak to get basic stuff working.

But what do I know, I've only had Slackware up and running on my DVR machine for about 3 years now, with not one problem to speak of, even across several changes of TV tuners, sound cards, video cards, etc. I've never even needed to recompile the kernel.