[2024-feb-29] Sad news: Eric Layton aka Nocturnal Slacker aka vtel57 passed away on Feb 26th, shortly after hospitalization. He was one of our Wiki's most prominent admins. He will be missed.

Welcome to the Slackware Documentation Project

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slackware:faq [2012/10/11 19:38 (UTC)] – Wrong header level alienbobslackware:faq [2013/12/09 09:17 (UTC)] – Add URL, some formatting. alienbob
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 If the answer is too long to fit comfortably into two or three paragraphs, consider adding a link in the answer to an existing page that answers the question or create a new page if one doesn't exist on the topic and the question is important enough to justify a page. If the answer is too long to fit comfortably into two or three paragraphs, consider adding a link in the answer to an existing page that answers the question or create a new page if one doesn't exist on the topic and the question is important enough to justify a page.
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 ===== General Slackware ===== ===== General Slackware =====
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 Slackware basically comes in two flavors: stable and "current". Slackware basically comes in two flavors: stable and "current".
  
-Stable versions are the numbered releases (12, 12.1, 13, 13.37 etc.). They are supported for a number of years after release, by way of security updates. Security updates are added to the the "''/patches/packages/''" subdirectory of a Slackware release tree on every public mirror. Functional updates are not added to past releases.+Stable versions are the numbered releases (12, 12.1, 13, 13.37, 14.0, 14.1 etc.). They are supported for a number of years after release, by way of security updates. Security updates are added to the the "''/patches/packages/''" subdirectory of a Slackware release tree on every public mirror. Functional updates are not added to past releases.
  
-The "current" branch on the other hand, is a //development tree// which is always split-off from a recently released stable Slackware directory tree. Usually this split-off happens some weeks after the stable release. \\ It marks the start of a new development cycle towards the next stable release. At the end of a development cycle, a Slackware release is created by renaming the top-level "//slackware-current//" directory to "//slackware-NEWVERSION//". Slackware-current is known to cause relatively frequent and potentially disruptive updates to the system. New users and users looking for a stable system for production use should //always// use a (fairly recent) stable release. The Slackware developers assume that anyone running slackware-current realizes that he/she is in essence, //a beta tester//.+The "current" branch on the other hand, is a //development tree// which is always split-off from a recently released stable Slackware directory tree. Usually this split-off happens some weeks after the stable release. \\ It marks the start of a new development cycle towards the //next// stable release. At the end of a development cycle, a Slackware release is created by renaming the top-level "//slackware-current//" directory to "//slackware-NEWVERSION//". Slackware-current is known to cause relatively frequent and potentially disruptive updates to the system. New users and users looking for a stable system for production use should //always// use a (fairly recent) stable release. The Slackware developers assume that anyone running slackware-current realizes that he/she is in essence, //a beta tester//.
  
 To sum it up: To sum it up:
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   * //Current// is the testing ground for the upcoming release. The software you will find there will often be [[wp>Upstream_%28software_development%29|upstream]]'s latest version. For more information on current, please visit the [[slackware:current|dedicated page]].   * //Current// is the testing ground for the upcoming release. The software you will find there will often be [[wp>Upstream_%28software_development%29|upstream]]'s latest version. For more information on current, please visit the [[slackware:current|dedicated page]].
  
-If you want to know when the next version will be released (at time of writing the most recent stable release is 13.37), it will be ready... when it's ready! There are no fixed release dates, as the Slackware goal is to deliver the most stable Linux experience.+If you want to know when the next version will be released (at time of writing the most recent stable release is 14.1), it will be ready... when it's ready! There are no fixed release dates, as the Slackware goal is to deliver the most stable Linux experience. 
  
 ===== Installation and Support ===== ===== Installation and Support =====
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 </code> </code>
 This message (''gpg: Good signature'') means that the ISO file is the same file which was cryptographically signed by Patrick Volkerding. This message (''gpg: Good signature'') means that the ISO file is the same file which was cryptographically signed by Patrick Volkerding.
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 ==== How do I install Slackware Linux? ==== ==== How do I install Slackware Linux? ====
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   * For webcams, and USB video class devices, [[http://www.ideasonboard.org/uvc/|Linux UVC drivers & tools]] can help.   * For webcams, and USB video class devices, [[http://www.ideasonboard.org/uvc/|Linux UVC drivers & tools]] can help.
   * Linux supports several models of Wacom pen tablets and devices. See the [[http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/linuxwacom/index.php?title=Main_Page|linuxwacom]] project for more information. Many non-wacom tablets are supported by the [[https://launchpad.net/wizardpen|Wizardpen]] driver.   * Linux supports several models of Wacom pen tablets and devices. See the [[http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/linuxwacom/index.php?title=Main_Page|linuxwacom]] project for more information. Many non-wacom tablets are supported by the [[https://launchpad.net/wizardpen|Wizardpen]] driver.
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 ===== Software and Package Management ===== ===== Software and Package Management =====
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 [[http://www.salixos.org/|Salix OS]] is a Slackware derived distribution that incorporates dependency handling. [[http://www.salixos.org/|Salix OS]] is a Slackware derived distribution that incorporates dependency handling.
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 ==== Distro X and Y does package management with dependency handling and... ==== ==== Distro X and Y does package management with dependency handling and... ====
  
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 Some may call it a bug, others may call it a feature. Be it so, Slackware remains committed to its core principles and this issue is one aspect of its core principles. Some may call it a bug, others may call it a feature. Be it so, Slackware remains committed to its core principles and this issue is one aspect of its core principles.
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 ===== Miscellaneous ===== ===== Miscellaneous =====
  
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 Also, Slackware runs a bunch of X/GTK related scripts at startup for multiuser runlevels (''fc-cache'', ''update-mime-database'', ''gtk-update-icon-cache'', ''update-gtk-immodules'', ''update-gdk-pixbuf-loaders'' , ''update-pango-querymodules'' etc.). These may be disabled manually by commenting out those lines which refer to them in the file ''/etc/rc.M'' but don't disable anything unless you're absolutely sure you know what you are doing! These scripts are essential for GTK applications to render fonts and icons properly. Also, Slackware runs a bunch of X/GTK related scripts at startup for multiuser runlevels (''fc-cache'', ''update-mime-database'', ''gtk-update-icon-cache'', ''update-gtk-immodules'', ''update-gdk-pixbuf-loaders'' , ''update-pango-querymodules'' etc.). These may be disabled manually by commenting out those lines which refer to them in the file ''/etc/rc.M'' but don't disable anything unless you're absolutely sure you know what you are doing! These scripts are essential for GTK applications to render fonts and icons properly.
 <note warning>Unless you are a fairly advanced user and know what you are doing, do not attempt to modify or disable any of the boot scripts. Does a few extra seconds gained while booting really make a big difference?</note> <note warning>Unless you are a fairly advanced user and know what you are doing, do not attempt to modify or disable any of the boot scripts. Does a few extra seconds gained while booting really make a big difference?</note>
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 ==== Slackware Linux has a reputation for being tough for newbies. Is this true? ==== ==== Slackware Linux has a reputation for being tough for newbies. Is this true? ====
  
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   * Slackware has a text-menu based (ncurses) installer and requires several technical decisions to be made at install-time, some of which can be potentially destructive to the data on the hard disk. In other words, when in doubt, don't perform any potentially destructive actions and //do// consult the help documentation.   * Slackware has a text-menu based (ncurses) installer and requires several technical decisions to be made at install-time, some of which can be potentially destructive to the data on the hard disk. In other words, when in doubt, don't perform any potentially destructive actions and //do// consult the help documentation.
-  * A new Slackware installation initially boots into a text console by default and can be configured to boot into a GUI later, as opposed to desktop-based distributions that boot into a GUI login screen by default.+  * A new Slackware installation initially boots into a text console by default and can be [[http://docs.slackware.com/slackware:install?&#configuring_graphical_logins|configured to boot into a GUI]] later, as opposed to desktop-based distributions that boot into a GUI login screen by default.
   * Basic knowledge of standard shell (bash) commands and a text-mode editor such as vim is necessary to start using Slackware comfortably.   * Basic knowledge of standard shell (bash) commands and a text-mode editor such as vim is necessary to start using Slackware comfortably.
   * Some knowledge of the locations of commonly used configuration files and scripts found in *nix-like systems would make things much more comfortable.   * Some knowledge of the locations of commonly used configuration files and scripts found in *nix-like systems would make things much more comfortable.

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