Want to try Slackware

Fishbones · Post by **Fishbones** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:12 am

Wondering which version to get... Thinking 12.0? Also, does Slackware come in .iso? I found some .iso files to download from http://www.slackware.com, but they all end in -m1 or -m2, cant find i386. All help is greatly appreciated.

StrikerX · Post by **StrikerX** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 1:05 am

I guess slackware ain't the best distro to start with.
Anyway :
1- go to this mirror
ftp://ftp.belnet.be/packages/slackware/ ... e-12.0-iso
Or any mirror !
2- Download disc1, disc2 and disc3
3- Burn and install

Post by **infinite_** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:10 am

10.2 ftw!

Fishbones · Post by **Fishbones** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:35 am

Yeah but are these disks liveCD's or what? I am looking to try it before I "buy" it :)

Post by **infinite_** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:21 am

Buy? Wtf doodle!

I can see how it might be a bit confusing if you're new to downloading so I'll give you the link to Slack 12.0 i386 ISOs:

ftp://mirror.pacific.net.au/linux/slack ... -12.0-iso/

Now download the following:

slackware-12.0-install-d1.iso
slackware-12.0-install-d2.iso
slackware-12.0-install-d3.iso

And no, these three ISOs aren't Live CDs, it's all install baby ;)

Fishbones · Post by **Fishbones** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 4:38 pm

When I said try it before I buy it, I mean try it before I install it. I know Linux is a free distribution, and this isn't exactly my computer. I'm only 15, and no summer jobs around here besides working on the golf course and ice cream parlors, which are both gay, so this PC is all I have unless I get one as a gift. I am planning on finding a job soon, but working on an older box upstairs that has DRAM (ROFL). 40 Gig IDE HD, I don't know about the processor. I found it in the garbage, hooked it up, and its almost running, but when I turn it on it doesn't load. Here and there it starts when I tamper with it, but then it doesn't haha.

Post by **infinite_** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:11 pm

Isn't the best computer one that's free? 40GB is more than plenty for Nix ;)

If it's Live CDs you're after, here's a nice sized list to pick from:

http://www.livecdlist.com/?pick=All&sho ... rpose&sm=0

You can't go wrong with Slax or Knoppix.

hormesis · Post by **hormesis** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:13 pm

On a side note: Do yourself a favor and never ever ever work food service. Unless it's a nice, well-paying restaurant.

Well, if you don't have any way of backing up your files and you can't to risk repartitioning/formatting/whatever you need to do to your drive, then don't. If you have a means of backing up your files, it's not hard to just install slackware and, if you don't like it/it wont work, reinstall whatever you had before (I believe you mentioned ubuntu on another thread).

As far as fixing that other computer, look up how to troubleshoot the boot process (where it stops loading, what is shown on the screen, how many beeps it makes, etc.). Google it up, but if you're at a loss, what's happening during the boot process in the hardware forum. I'm sure someone'll help you out.

Fishbones · Post by **Fishbones** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:11 pm

Okay. And I have no Linux distros installed, I have to do it on my own PC which I am trying to fix. Yeah, I'll try the hardware forum. My parents always told me to never work the food service, either, and thats one of the only jobs around here. I might be able to get an internship at a local company sometime in my junior year, though.

hormesis · Post by **hormesis** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:18 pm

Internships ftw. Especially at IT companies. They look great on resumes and college applications, especially that young.

korin · Post by **korin** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:27 pm

lol, i like how the link in the original post doesn't work due to the ",". sry, just thought i'd mention it.

Nullset · Post by **Nullset** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:35 am

I dont think you need to download the 3rd ISO unless you need international language support. I usually install slack with the first two ISO's.

superstonerman · Post by **superstonerman** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:29 am

Is this the first Linux distro you’ve ever installed? If so I wouldn’t recommend Slackware for the following reason.

From Wiki:

"Slackware's package management system can install, upgrade, and remove packages, but makes no attempt to track or manage dependencies, relying on the user to ensure that the system has all the supporting system libraries and programs required by the new package. If any of these are missing, there may be no indication until one attempts to use the newly installed software."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slackware

That’s got to cause major headaches. I’ve had enough trouble finding correct repositories when I’m using a decent package manger, but no dependency tracking

If you want to try your first Linux distro id recommend Ubuntu nice and simple to install and use.

http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download

However if you’ve got some experience with linux, then go ahead and install Slackware :)

If you want to install Slackware on your home computer and don’t want to lose your Windows install id recommend dual booting. But if you can’t be arsed with repartitioning and the such, then just install VMware and run Slackware inside a virtual computer.

IceDane · Post by **IceDane** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:59 am

Fishbones wrote:When I said try it before I buy it, I mean try it before I install it. I know Linux is a free distribution, and this isn't exactly my computer. I'm only 15, and no summer jobs around here besides working on the golf course and ice cream parlors, which are both gay, so this PC is all I have unless I get one as a gift. I am planning on finding a job soon, but working on an older box upstairs that has DRAM (ROFL). 40 Gig IDE HD, I don't know about the processor. I found it in the garbage, hooked it up, and its almost running, but when I turn it on it doesn't load. Here and there it starts when I tamper with it, but then it doesn't haha.

You mean SDRAM? DDR = DDR SDRAM = Double data-rate synchronous dynamic random access memory.

DDR is in fact SDRAM, too, just twice as fast.

Anyway, you're 15 - Do you seriously think you'll be able to choose your jobs? You take what you get.

If you really want something, you'll scrub toilets to get it.

ndckweaver · Post by **ndckweaver** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:02 pm

Well put iceDane, Im 17 and I shovel mule shit for a living. U gotta do what u gotta do to earn cash, its as plain and simple as that if u want it bad enough

as for fishbones, work your way from the bottom, get a list of beep codes, strip the mother board, pci cards,ram,ide cables, and work your way up ensuring your getting the proper messages for each problem that you intentionally caused.

Fishbones · Post by **Fishbones** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:55 pm

Yeah, I guess your right, IceDane. I might work at the mall at 16, maybe a skate shop or something.

korin · Post by **korin** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 2:07 pm

Don't get in the mind set to stay at the bottom though. Always make a goal for yourself to improve. If you don't set a goal for yourself, you'll have no reason to get better.

TheConfusedEgo · Post by **TheConfusedEgo** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 2:52 pm

It's also worth noting that you can create a niche for yourself on your own if you're willing to work harder to do the job that you want. Either identify something which you can make money from within your existing low-level employer (a process which you have an obvious means of streamlining or a system which needs fixing) or something in the wider world (fixing PCs, maintaining websites, tweaking machines for the performance obsessed, whatever). The only problem with that, of course, is that you have to maintain your market.

Post by **Life** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:17 pm

I've had my share of shit jobs. I spent almost 5 years working in various retail and manual labour jobs after I quit edumacation. None of them had any future, nor were they enjoyable or the least bit fulfilling, but as ndckweaver said - you gotta earn cash somehow. Most people start at the bottom of the employment barrel and work their way up (sometimes across, down, diagonal and sideways in the mean time ;)), not out of choice, but necessity.

You'll also end up meeting a lot of people in the lower end of the job market, good and bad, because they are typically very high turnover jobs. Most of my close friends I have now I met either at some crappy minimum wage job, or they were friends of co-workers or whatever. They were in the same position as me, shitting in the same boat, and it's easy to relate and strike up a bond.

Bite the bullet and take a job. If you don't like it after a month or two, collect your paycheque and quit. At least you'll have some "real world" experience and a bit of cash to play with.

Best of luck with it.