Thanks for another year Pat!
Anniversaries, including birthdays, are the markers of our progress and serve to remind us of our origins, why we are here, and to consider how well we have met our goals against the assault of time and change.
Whatever the words of the original announcement, which was mostly technical summary and FTP guidance,
Slackware was born of Pat's efforts to resolve problems with a few
freely available software packages to improve his own use of them, and his
willingness and eagerness to freely share the benefits of his own labors with others. In other words, the birth of Slackware was the direct result of the raw material provided by the ideals of Freedom as applied to software, forged into something new by a Free individual guided by the "
code of conduct" of Free Software and Free society, mutual respect and goodwil among equals:
Code:
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Richard M. Stallman (and other notable people)
Since that early time, Pat has continued to steer Slackware along that same path as if by laser! Slackware remains Free, beneficial for, and respectful of the Freedom of its users, without compromise, and without equal. Although there are many others who contribute to the code and the total Slackware experience, for which we are all thankful, the course was chosen and has been navigated by Pat, for which he is singularly worthy of respect!
In that spirit I say "Happy Anniversary!", to Pat and Slackware, and express sincere thanks, admiration and respect! Nicely done!
