slackware

[Junglizer]

Deepclutch:
As far as managing it, well it just kind of comes back to who's using Slackware as a distribiton in general. Most people using Slackware have pretty decent linux experience and knowledge, so most of us already know what programs we need based on the systems use as well as where to look for new programs. If you're looking for new apps I highly recommend both http://freshmeat.net and http://sourceforge.net.

[Lord Illidan]

I can also recommend Zenwalk as a nice slackware based distro.

[deepclutch]

well.I have tried everything in the past 6.5 yrs except slackware.
I do want to try either DFS or slackware+gnome(dropline may be!).

[justin whitaker]

I love Slackware, and I recommend it to anyone wanting to actually learn Linux (as opposed to just using it)...but I don't use it, so that makes me a bit of a hypocrite, I guess.

Slackware is one of the earliest distributions of Linux, and it aims to be dead simple: download a tarball, unzip and install it via command line, and edit a few config files.

Once you get used to it, it is quick to administer, and easy to use.
The learning curve is fairly steep, though.

[Junglizer]

I love Slackware, and I recommend it to anyone wanting to actually learn Linux (as opposed to just using it)...but I don't use it, so that makes me a bit of a hypocrite, I guess.

Slackware is one of the earliest distributions of Linux, and it aims to be dead simple: download a tarball, unzip and install it via command line, and edit a few config files.

Once you get used to it, it is quick to administer, and easy to use.
The learning curve is fairly steep, though.

I agree totally, I used to recommend Gentoo mostly b/c it was so hard to install it forced you into learning all sorts of sweet stuff. So even before you had a gui installed you were like "I just spent like 4 hours installing this and now I kind of know some commands! Sweet!" However, I've had nothing but problems with their newer versions since they moved to their graphical installer. You can still do it the way I prefer with the minimal CD or just a copy of Knoppix. But you have to want to spend a full day working on it, or really have experience doing it before.

[justin whitaker]

I agree totally, I used to recommend Gentoo mostly b/c it was so hard to install it forced you into learning all sorts of sweet stuff. So even before you had a gui installed you were like "I just spent like 4 hours installing this and now I kind of know some commands! Sweet!" However, I've had nothing but problems with their newer versions since they moved to their graphical installer. You can still do it the way I prefer with the minimal CD or just a copy of Knoppix. But you have to want to spend a full day working on it, or really have experience doing it before.

Ah, Gentoo. I never really got the point of it. I mean, I understand the drive to have a system that I totally control, but the flip side of that is that if I wanted a BSD like packaging system, I'd run FreeBSD.

But I agree with the sentiment.

The really great part about Slackware/Gentoo/Arch is that you get a system exactly the way you want it, and you know how it got that way. That's an important skillset if you want to do something with open source.

Crap, I am talking myself into another Slackware install.....

[Junglizer]

Well consider that another Slackware install is easy. Several of my friends and I would get really hammered and try to install Gentoo from scratch, no docs. Who ever had the least problems or successful boot/working system won. Ahh good times. 4 gig disk and 2 gig swap = halarity.

[Junglizer]

I'd really love to make a good image from LFS but I'm waiting on a new laptop first. Can't really spend the time to make it a good install image and have my current system out of commision for the time being.

[Taino]

The really great part about Slackware/Gentoo/Arch is that you get a system exactly the way you want it,

Crap, I am talking myself into another Slackware install.....

Or into a possible Slax install....

[Lord Illidan]

Ah, Gentoo. I never really got the point of it. I mean, I understand the drive to have a system that I totally control, but the flip side of that is that if I wanted a BSD like packaging system, I'd run FreeBSD.

But I agree with the sentiment.

The really great part about Slackware/Gentoo/Arch is that you get a system exactly the way you want it, and you know how it got that way. That's an important skillset if you want to do something with open source.

Crap, I am talking myself into another Slackware install.....

Arch RULES!