So I installed slackware.

[JadeWolf324]

and i have to say, im pretty impressed...

it installed on my p3 laptop in about 20 minutes

then i configured my desktop up and its running nicely, im currently compiling the newest GAIM. :D

i only have one question tho:

its starts up in text based login...is there a way to set kdm as the login manager or gdm maybe.

other than that its running nicely :D

[JadeWolf324]

some new questions:

how do i get slackware to recognize my USB mouse that i just plugged in?

how do i get the scroll wheel to work?

[AlienThree]

To boot into graphical mode edit the file /etc/inittab and change

id:3:initdefault:

to

id:5:initdefault:

I don't know if slack defaults to kdm or gdm (i would guess gdm)

[JadeWolf324]

To boot into graphical mode edit the file /etc/inittab and change

id:3:initdefault:

to

id:5:initdefault:

I don't know if slack defaults to kdm or gdm (i would guess gdm)

how do i set it to kdm?

[Fred Derf Veteran]

how do i set it to kdm?

I have Knoppix installed on my hard drive which basically means that I run Debian.

It autodetected my scroll wheel on my logitech mouse.

It automatically gives me a boot menu with KDE as an option.

I used APT-GET (well actually I used Synaptic Package Manager which is an apt-get GUI frontend) to install GNOME and it automatically added it to my boot menu.

You shouldn't need to do all this work. Perhaps you should ditch Slackware.

[kemical]

as for your mouse with scroll what kind of mouse do you have..

i had to edit my XF86Config file and change the mouse PROTOCOL to IMPS/2 FROM PS/2, also added the Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" as well

since you are running slack and if you want to use gnome check out www.dropline.net/gnome

so hardcore:) and if you are compiling programs yourself make sure you install the checkinstall package on the slackware extras cd

so instead of make install you could do

./configure

make

checkinstall -S

it will install the package and create the .tgz file for it that way you will be able to manage all your packages with the slackware package manager

[patch-rustem]

how do i set it to kdm?

You only need to default to run level 4 for graphical login.

My /etc/inittab reads:

id:4:initdefault:

Edit the file /etc/rc.d/rc.4

comment out the gdm and xdm lines and it'll default to kdm

# Try to use GNOME's gdm session manager:

#if [ -x /usr/bin/gdm ]; then

#  exec /usr/bin/gdm -nodaemon

#fi

Not there?  OK, try to use KDE's kdm session manager:

if [ -x /opt/kde/bin/kdm ]; then

  exec /opt/kde/bin/kdm -nodaemon

fi

[psychoticDEMENTO]

what kind of package management can i get for slackware?

is apt-get a possiblity? what are some other ones u guys recommend.

[kemical]

what kind of package management can i get for slackware?

is apt-get a possiblity? what are some other ones u guys recommend.

its called slack-get, you can get it from linuxpackages.net as well as other updated packages.

[JadeWolf324]

how powerful is slack-get...does it have alot of apps?

[MR_Candyman]

I haven't tried slack-get but I bet it's pretty good...I use swaret as my package management.

to get your mouse working, either do what kemical said or reboot...most often slack will pick up your mouse and configure it automatically on reboot. If not then follow kemical's orders

[kemical]

how powerful is slack-get...does it have alot of apps?

not sure about the repository with slack-get, but check linuxpackages.net probably give you a good idea of the list.. for me though if i cant find a package i want ill just compile it and make a package myself that way i can keep up with it in slackwares package manager.

[JadeWolf324]

i dont understand the slackware package manager, it only allows tgz's...why is that?

[Fred Derf Veteran]

i dont understand the slackware package manager, it only allows tgz's...why is that?

It's not much bloody good that's what it is.

.tgz is a proprietary package system (if that is at all possible under Linux).

Well it's near-proprietary anyway.

[rezza Veteran]

http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=3974

[JadeWolf324]

I haven't tried slack-get but I bet it's pretty good...I use swaret as my package management.

to get your mouse working, either do what kemical said or reboot...most often slack will pick up your mouse and configure it automatically on reboot. If not then follow kemical's orders

is it called slapt-get? btw? i cant find anything called slack-get...

[rezza Veteran]

It's not much bloody good that's what it is.

.tgz is a proprietary package system (if that is at all possible under Linux).

Well it's near-proprietary anyway.

What on earth makes it any more or less proprietary than an rpm or a deb or even an ebuild? Stop being silly.

[Fred Derf Veteran]

What on earth makes it any more or less proprietary than an rpm or a deb or even an ebuild? Stop being silly.

RPM is used by RedHat, Mandrake and others.

DEB isn't really used all that often even with Debian but it also works on Knoppix and the other debian-based systems (of which there are a lot).

Gentoo also has it's own system but it apparently works well.

TGZ is only used by Slackware (and I guess anything based on Slackware)

The APT-GET system is really the way to go. I haven't tried it but you can apparently get APT4RPM for RedHat and Mandrake.

Yes I've heard good things about Gentoo but it'd have to be a heck of a lot faster on a day-to-day basis to make up for all of that lost compile and/or installation time. I personally don't have the patience. It's also something that will prevent it from ever being mass-market (although most Linux users would probably still see this as a good thing).

Debian (and/or Knoppix as they are virtually synonymous once Knoppix is installed on the hard disk) does have the potential to be, some day, a mass market product. They have the easist to use system, good package management and, with Knoppix, the option to preview your configuration while running from CD-ROM. Debian is also completely free and owned by no one so unlike other distros they don't have to worry about going bankrupt.

[markwolfe Veteran]

TGZ is only used by Slackware (and I guess anything based on Slackware)

That's funny... I've downloaded and compliled .tar.gz source on my RedHat-based system before.. ;)

Anyone can use these, I think it is just the preferred method of "Slackers". :D

[LordHatrus]

Gentoo also has it's own system but it apparently works well.

TGZ is only used by Slackware (and I guess anything based on Slackware)

I think I used tar.gz's equally much in gentoo and slackware :)

[kemical]

RPM is used by RedHat, Mandrake and others.

DEB isn't really used all that often even with Debian but it also works on Knoppix and the other debian-based systems (of which there are a lot).

Gentoo also has it's own system but it apparently works well.

TGZ is only used by Slackware (and I guess anything based on Slackware)

The APT-GET system is really the way to go. I haven't tried it but you can apparently get APT4RPM for RedHat and Mandrake.

Yes I've heard good things about Gentoo but it'd have to be a heck of a lot faster on a day-to-day basis to make up for all of that lost compile and/or installation time. I personally don't have the patience. It's also something that will prevent it from ever being mass-market (although most Linux users would probably still see this as a good thing).

Debian (and/or Knoppix as they are virtually synonymous once Knoppix is installed on the hard disk) does have the potential to be, some day, a mass market product. They have the easist to use system, good package management and, with Knoppix, the option to preview your configuration while running from CD-ROM. Debian is also completely free and owned by no one so unlike other distros they don't have to worry about going bankrupt.

we got it ok, you're pro- debian/knoppix..

but there is nothing wrong with slackware.. if you cant find a package you want just spend a little extra time compiling the source and create the package yourself then share with others.. that simple

[kemical]

http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=3974

jadewolf read that, its interesting. also there is documentation on the package system on slackware.com site

[Fred Derf Veteran]

we got it ok, you're pro- debian/knoppix..

but there is nothing wrong with slackware.. if you cant find a package you want just spend a little extra time compiling the source and create the package yourself then share with others.. that simple

I am really a fan of Debians APT-GET system. I also prefer that Debian is completely maintained by volunteer contributions. Nobody owns Debian. It's completely free.

This article is a bit dated but it comes down hard on RPM packages.

Is RPM Doomed?

While the RPM Package manager is not inherently flawed, the way it has been implemented on various RPM-based Linux distributions have created major inconveniences for the desktop end user:

1. An RPM-based distribution is risky to upgrade.

2. A more complex binary RPM package is often hard, if not impossible to install.

3. The incompatibilities between different versions of the RPM Package Manager added another layer of complexity.

4. The developers are forced to consider differences between distributions and create multiple binary packages.

[negative_zero]

sorry if someone already posted this. you can automatically start kdm or gdm on boot my logging in as root, and typing kdm-start or gdm-start.

-0

[JadeWolf324]

well...installpkg cannot handle tar.gz...but it can handle tgz?

slapt-get seems like a nice idea..im gonna do that when i get home probably..but say if i installed KDE 3.2.0 with slapt-get, would it remove the old one first? like urpmi? or something..

slackware is really nice i like it alot...i dont even really need slapt-get because so far slackware can install any and every source tarball ive put in so far, i love that its "standardized" so everything works nicely.

but how do u uninstall a source tarball? (standard ./configure, make, make install kind)