Linux Bible® 2010 Edition: Boot Up to Ubuntu®, Fedora®, KNOPPIX, Debian®, openSUSE®, and 13 Other Distributions
by Christopher Negus
Chapter 24. Running Slackware Linux
IN THIS CHAPTER
Getting into Slackware
Characterizing the Slackware community
Installing Slackware
Starting Slackware
Ask old-time Linux users about the first Linux distribution they used and many will tell you it was Slackware. Slackware is the oldest Linux distribution still actively developed today. Although it does not have a fancy graphical installer or specialized GUI tools, Slackware still has a loyal following and is a good way to get a basic Linux system that is both secure and stable.
This chapter explores the Slackware distribution, discusses its strengths and weaknesses, and introduces those who use it. It also explains how to install Slackware.
Getting into Slackware
Although full graphical installs and GUI administration tools can make installing and configuring Linux easy, those tools carry with them some overhead. They also hide some of the details of how Linux is being configured.
Ask Slackware devotees the value of Slackware and they might recite their mantra, the "4S Rule": Stable, Solid, Simple, and Sensible. By keeping things basic, Slackware offers the following advantages:
Better comprehension—Because you use ...
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