Hi everyone,

My whole Linux experience up to this point has been with RH9 (and Knoppix to some extent) and now I'm thinking of switching to Slackware.

Actually, I have been wanting to switch for some time now but I've never been confident enough... today I just felt it... it's time. I would like to ask for a few ponters and tips though...

Did go through the documentation on the Slack website... I think I understand a good portion of it, at least. (I thin I'm a step above being a newbie... still just learning though)

Here are some of my concerns....[list=1][*]Pre-installation - what useful information can I gleam from my RH9 setup that I'll find useful for my Slack install? I've read that my XF86Config file would be useful... I wonder what else?
[*]Kernel selection - this is the part of the Slack installation (that I read) that really put a lump in my throat... what are available and which should I choose? Can I use my RH kernel? Can I extract some info on my current RH setup that I will find useful?
[*]Firewall? - in RH it's part of the procedure... it's painless... in a Knoppix hard drive install, I just type 'apt-get install firestarter', again rather painless... how do I go about doing this in Slack?
[*]Keeping my system up to date - in RH, it's up2date (and more recently 'apt-get upgrade' and yum update'. In Knoppix, it's 'apt-get upgrade'... How does one keep a slack box up to date?[/list=1]

It is mostly newbie concerns, but I guess it's the same for everyone... I say thanks, in advance, for any advice.

- Bryan

first off as a long time slack user that learned on slack many years ago I say install 8.1 then 9.1 over it get the latest and greatest + the best and removed for stupid reasons if any.

1) Pre-installation - backup files to cd or something you want to format rh away. do not copy the rh xf86config file unless it is heavily hand customised, once in slack use xf86config (text based) to confgiure makes a good clean file easily edited by hand (better)

2) kernel - generally bare.i is good for install, scsi.s if u need scsi, jfs. i for jfs or xfs filesystems. but generally in slack I recommend compiling your own, it has a great kernel don't get me wrong, but custom is always better I recommend 2.4.x to start, 2.6.x if you are daring (like me) - the slackware guide (available on site 4 free) can teach you to compile very easily

3) firewall - none by default that way you get one perfect for you not a generic what redhat wants you to have, look into iptables and firewall/routing howto's they have best ones. a custom will kick any you get in redhat, just hard to figure out if you are impatient.

4) Keeping sys up to date - slack updates often enough (6 months) that you won't usually have to update until the next release, just instal over old without format and it is fine. if something necessary comes out you can d-load the package from -current tree, or there is a new prog that lets you do auto update (I refuse to use) or you can do the best way, d-load the source for it and compile (not hard at all 3 commands usually) then it is tailored specifically for your system with no extras and you will be happier

oh I recommend you do not use the slackware hotplug script, it is very new and has given me grief.

Thanks for your advice exodist...

Looks like I have to read up more about iptables and such...

Welcome to Slack bxb32001! It is very rewarding and the best distro (I have tried about 9!)

Not much to add to exodist post. Apart, may be, on the updating front.
If you come from RH and used the default windows manager loosely based on Gnome, you mught want to use again Gnome under Slack.

If so, I highly recommend Dropline Gnome, Gnome installer for Slackware, from http://www.dropline.net/gnome/
It does install Gnome through the net with all its components as well as the most frequent and useful applications (such as Gaim, Evolution, etc..) automatically. when installing slack from the cd, I deliberatly deselect the Gnome package and then install dropline Gnome when in my new system. Though you can install over..
Everytime a new version of a package included in dropline is relaeased, you are notified and can decide to upgrade!

To maintain the rest of the packages and even upgrade the whole installation, say from slack 9.0 to 9.1, you might also want to check out swaret http://www.swaret.org/. That is if you always want to be at the bleeding edge..

Anyway good luck!

i've had no problems with hotplug - apart from it detecting my sound blaster extigy as 'usb audio' - which it is, but i wanted to use the extigy driver (non-standard), so took me a while to find out about /etc/hotplug/blacklist

well I use a lot fo experimental stuff, devfs 2.6.0-testX, and I compile gcc and glibc to repace the builtin with one tailored to me, hotplug tries to load modules, I like to do that myself.

Lake Tahoe! Lucky you exodist. such a gorgeous place!

Lol yes it is nice, except there is no high speed internet for 60% of the area here, I have 56k only :'(

The lastest version of Firestarter do also have support for Slackware... You just have to compile it from the source.

Aaah, yes... firestarter....

And about hotplug... that's the thingy that Knoppix uses ain't it?

Anyway, in what part of the installation process would it fall under? Uhmmm let me rephrase that.... How do I use it in Slackware?


hmmm... time for some digging.... thanks fellas... I'm really excited now...

Hey!!! Why all of you just forget about Linux Packages???? You can grab firestarter from there.... for updates you can use slapt-get (you can get there too) there's a lot of automatic stuff for slackware if you want that too, but I tell you, should get to know the hard way too.... if you don't have the easy way you'll always know how to do it hard way... anyway, linux packages is a site specially for slackware packages of all kind: kde, gnome, firestarter, mplayer, xine, gaim and everything you need... slackware pack system is very sweet and easy: installpkg, removepkg, upgradepkg... with slapt-get: slapt-get --install, slapt-get --upgrade, slapt-get --update (to update the package download database) slapt-get --remove.... everything very easy.... hope you enjoy slackware as much as I do!!!!