What will Slack 13 give me that Slack 11 doesn't have?

Rich Grise · External Since: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 12

I'm not an upgrade-for-upgrade's-sake kind of guy - more like, if-it
ain't-broke,-don't-fix-it.

So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?

Thanks,
Rich

notbob · External Since: Jun 08, 2004 Posts: 792

On 2009-10-06, Rich Grise <richgrise.DeleteThis@example.net> wrote:

> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?

mplayer!

It's all there. Add the browser plug-in and you can watch almost
anything. I was shocked to see wmv files play as easily as mpg and
avi files with nary a finger lifted to cli a config file. I can even
stream current movies where available. No muss, no fuss, it works, I
watch. IMO, it is major. On the downside, there's kde4.2, which
is worse than herniated pond scum.

nb

Sylvain Robitaille · External Since: Sep 01, 2004 Posts: 774

Rich Grise wrote:

> ... what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides
> the headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?

What did Slackware-11.x give you that Slackware-9.x didn't?

Seriously (though I must admit to not yet having installed Slackware-13.0
on any system), I think it comes down to new versions of various software,
with the good and bad that that entails (new features, new bugs, new
interfaces, etc.) There has been much discussion on the newsgroup of
KDE-4.x, which is included (though it remains possible to install KDE-3.x
instead, I understand). Perhaps you're among those for whom that alone
would be a reason to upgrade.

Note that I basically agree with you. I have some systems at home that
are running Slackware-10.2, and those won't likely be upgraded until
the earlier of a) their hardware is upgraded, or b) Slackware-10.2 is
no longer able to run the software those systems run (which is unlikely,
leaving "a" as the only realistic possibility). Then again, I also have
one system on which I do intend to install Slackware-13.0, in order to see
for myself the answer to your question above, and at least two that I will
be eager to install it on, in 64-bit mode, for regular use. Trouble is,
those systems are presently working just fine (one as Slackware-10.2,
the other as Slamd64-12.0), so the upgrade on them certainly isn't urgent.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Sylvain Robitaille syl DeleteThis @encs.concordia.ca

Systems analyst / AITS Concordia University
Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science Montreal, Quebec, Canada
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Zootal · External Since: Oct 06, 2009 Posts: 4

"notbob" <notbob.RemoveThis@nothome.com> wrote in message
news:slrnhcne7j.338.notbob@myvai2.notbob.com...
> On 2009-10-06, Rich Grise <richgrise.RemoveThis@example.net> wrote:
>
>> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
>> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?
>
> mplayer!
>
> It's all there. Add the browser plug-in and you can watch almost
> anything. I was shocked to see wmv files play as easily as mpg and
> avi files with nary a finger lifted to cli a config file. I can even
> stream current movies where available. No muss, no fuss, it works, I
> watch. IMO, it is major. On the downside, there's kde4.2, which
> is worse than herniated pond scum.
>
> nb

I thought I was the only one that hated what they did to KDE? I went back to
Slack 12.2 on my laptop because of KDE4.2. I hate what Microsoft did to the
start button and task bar in Win7 (and Vista, but at least Vista has a
backwards compatibility mode), and it looks like the KDE team is trying to
get KDE to work like Winbloze. This is a very wrong way path, IMNSHO.

How difficult is it to replace KDE 4.2 with 3.x?

Michael Black · External Since: Jan 26, 2009 Posts: 19

On Tue, 6 Oct 2009, Rich Grise wrote:

> I'm not an upgrade-for-upgrade's-sake kind of guy - more like, if-it
> ain't-broke,-don't-fix-it.
>
> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?
>
If you upgrade now, then the changes with the next release won't be so
drastic.

Michael

Aaron W. Hsu · External Since: Aug 10, 2009 Posts: 15

On Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:44:24 -0400, Zootal <usenet.DeleteThis@spam.zootal.nospam.com>
wrote:

> How difficult is it to replace KDE 4.2 with 3.x?

Read the README that goes with the packages on the mirrors. I for one like
the new KDE, so I'm happy, but at least for now, the old version is
available for those who want it.

Aaron W. Hsu

--
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its
victims may be the most oppressive. -- C. S. Lewis

Grant · External Since: Feb 26, 2009 Posts: 22

On Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:05:58 -0700, Rich Grise <richgrise.TakeThisOut@example.net> wrote:

>I'm not an upgrade-for-upgrade's-sake kind of guy - more like, if-it
>ain't-broke,-don't-fix-it.
>
>So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
>headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?

Slackware64!!

Ipv6 is easily ignored (first thing I do after new install is a
custom kernel --> latest stable, today that's 2.6.31.2), the distro
kernel is already two releases old. And, Tuz is gone now Wink

While I've installed slack13 on a couple machines, I'm hesitating
on the Internet facing box 'cos slack11 there is working just fine.

Then there's new and improved apps, nb is happy Smile

Though it's a
shame PV didn't ship KDE-4.3x instead of 4.2 -- 4.3 is supposed to
be almost usable.

Grant.
--
http://bugsplatter.id.au

notbob · External Since: Jun 08, 2004 Posts: 792

On 2009-10-06, Zootal <usenet RemoveThis @spam.zootal.nospam.com> wrote:

> How difficult is it to replace KDE 4.2 with 3.x?

Not at all. Pat did a new kde3.5 pkg jes for slack 13. Google for
it. IMO, a better solution is to lose the kde gde and use fluxbox
with kde loaded. You get the kde apps without the gde slowness.

nb

Loki Harfagr · External Since: Feb 05, 2009 Posts: 24

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:25:53 -0400, Michael Black did cat :

> On Tue, 6 Oct 2009, Rich Grise wrote:
>
>> I'm not an upgrade-for-upgrade's-sake kind of guy - more like, if-it
>> ain't-broke,-don't-fix-it.
>>
>> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides
>> the headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?
>>
> If you upgrade now, then the changes with the next release won't be so
> drastic.
>
> Michael

Makes me think that it'd be even more quiet to upgrade immediatly to
Slackware_128-v15.2 that'll give some air before having to check
any update ,-)

Mike Spencer · External Since: Jun 04, 2009 Posts: 3

notbob <notbob.DeleteThis@nothome.com> wrote:

> On 2009-10-06, Rich Grise <richgrise.DeleteThis@example.net> wrote:
>
>> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
>> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?
>
> mplayer!
>
> It's all there. Add the browser plug-in and you can watch almost
> anything. I was shocked to see wmv files play as easily as mpg and
> avi files with nary a finger lifted to cli a config file. I can even
> stream current movies where available. No muss, no fuss, it works, I
> watch.

I've been using mplayer on Slack 10.1, works fine for DVDs, video
files and a TV card. Used a couple of times on Slack 11, works fine.
Of course, I hadda download and compile it. No compiliation problems.

But I don't know about the "browser plugin". Movies in the browser
are typically too much trouble for me on a dialup connection.

>> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
>> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?

The downside, if it matters to you at all, is that Slack 12 and newer
use new versions of glibc/glibc++ so you have to recompile any apps
that you didn't get with the distro. And you're just SOL for any
older proprietary/closed-source apps you have and like, which is why
I'm downgrading my new 12.1 install to 11.0.

--
Mike Spencer Nova Scotia, Canada

Darklight · External Since: Sep 19, 2004 Posts: 71

Rich Grise wrote:

> I'm not an upgrade-for-upgrade's-sake kind of guy - more like, if-it
> ain't-broke,-don't-fix-it.
>
> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?
>
> Thanks,
> Rich
question should be are you having problems with slack 11

Mikhail Zotov · External Since: Sep 16, 2006 Posts: 149

On Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:05:58 -0700
Rich Grise <richgrise RemoveThis @example.net> wrote:

> I'm not an upgrade-for-upgrade's-sake kind of guy - more like, if-it
> ain't-broke,-don't-fix-it.
>
> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?

There are some programs around that cannot be compiled with gcc-3.x,
which shipped with Slack-11.0, but need gcc-4.x (available in releases
>=12.0). IMHO, there's hardly any reason to upgrade if you don't use
any such program, release 11.0 suits you fine and you are not curious
about "what's then?". I have a number of boxes that run Slack-10.0 and
10.1 and one running Slack-8.1 and I am not going to upgrade them. But
I do also have a box with -current Wink

Regards,
Mikhail

Zootal · External Since: Oct 06, 2009 Posts: 4

>>At least Vista gives you the option of using the "classic" interface.
>>Windows 7 doesn't.
>
> Yes it (Win7) does. Right-click background--> Personalize --> Windows
> Classic

That is not the "classic" interface wtr the start button and task bar.
Microsoft got it right in 1995 when Windows95 came out. Now, 15 years later,
for reasons only known to Microsoft, they have decided that what we worked
for 15 years is now obsolete and that we don't need this anymore. At least
Vista had a true classic mode. Win7 can call it what they want - it isn't
it, and it's not there.

KDE copies this same boxed menu style. It is a very wrong way road they
followed when they decided to follow after Microsoft.

Rich Grise · External Since: Feb 12, 2005 Posts: 12

On Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:05:58 -0700, Rich Grise wrote:

> I'm not an upgrade-for-upgrade's-sake kind of guy - more like, if-it
> ain't-broke,-don't-fix-it.
>
> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?

Thanks to all for their many answers; it seems the "consesus" is,
"if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

I can play youtube schtuff with seamonkey, and all my pornos still
work. >:->

So as long as I'm happy with what I've got, I'm happy. Smile

Dunno what I'm going to do when^H^H^H^Hif my Ebay box goes south, however.
=:-O

Thanks!
Rich

Zootal · External Since: Oct 06, 2009 Posts: 4

"Rich Grise" <richgrise RemoveThis @example.net> wrote in message
news:pan.2009.10.12.23.20.18.110761@example.net...
> On Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:05:58 -0700, Rich Grise wrote:
>
>> I'm not an upgrade-for-upgrade's-sake kind of guy - more like, if-it
>> ain't-broke,-don't-fix-it.
>>
>> So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
>> headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?
>
> Thanks to all for their many answers; it seems the "consesus" is,
> "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
>
> I can play youtube schtuff with seamonkey, and all my pornos still
> work. >:->
>
> So as long as I'm happy with what I've got, I'm happy. Smile

>
> Dunno what I'm going to do when^H^H^H^Hif my Ebay box goes south, however.
> =:-O
>
> Thanks!
> Rich
>

FWIW - Slack 11 was fairly troublesome on my hardware, due to it being an
older Toshiba laptop. Slack 12.2 is just about perfect - the wireless works
without having to figure out how to get madwifi working, the video works
good out of the box, the sound works first time, etc. Going from Slack 11 to
Slack 12 was the best thing I ever did. Slack 12.2, in my book, is easily
the best version ever. The jury is still out on slack 13 - I'm still annoyed
at them trying to make KDE4 look like Winbloze, and so I'm still getting
used to xfce.

Joe Feise · External Since: Oct 17, 2009 Posts: 1

Zootal wrote on 10/16/09 21:45:

> "Joe" <invalid.DeleteThis@mailinator.com> wrote in message
>> I'll stick with KDE 3.5 for now. 4.2 isn't usable.
>> The only bad thing with 3.5 is that Yahoo IM support in kopete is broken.
>> The
>> fix is only in 4.[23].
>>
>> -Joe
>>
>
> Know of any good alternatives that run in KDE 3.5? I tried a few, but they
> were either old and klunky, would not compile, or didn't work with Yahoo.

Pidgin.
They implemented the fix for Yahoo first, and the Kopete maintainer got it from
them.

Zootal · External Since: Oct 06, 2009 Posts: 4

"Charles Collette" <collette RemoveThis @no-spam-xs4all.nl> wrote in message
news:ru8nd51njfff7tefaaahkbus7h813pt8ne@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 8 Oct 2009 10:05:16 -0700, "Zootal"
> <usenet RemoveThis @spam.zootal.nospam.com> wrote:
>
> <--snip -->
>>At least Vista gives you the option of using the "classic" interface.
>>Windows 7 doesn't. And neither does KDE 4 (at least not that I'm aware
>>of),
>>which is why I'm using neither Win7 nor KDE4...
>>
> It is also possible in KDE 4 to have the KDE 3 look and feel. Don't
> remember what I did to get it, but it wasn't hard to do.

You can get it for the desktop, IIRC, but not for the KDE equivalent of the
Start button where the menu pops up showing you available programs. That
seems to be stuck in Windows 7 mode.

Martin Schmitz · External Since: Jan 23, 2009 Posts: 5

Zootal wrote:
> You can get it for the desktop, IIRC, but not for the KDE equivalent
> of the Start button where the menu pops up showing you available
> programs. That seems to be stuck in Windows 7 mode.

Unlock widgets, then right click on the menu symbol.

Martin

john · External Since: Nov 11, 2005 Posts: 66

On Oct 6, 5:38 pm, notbob <not....RemoveThis@nothome.com> wrote:
> On 2009-10-06, Rich Grise <richgr....RemoveThis@example.net> wrote:
>
> > So, what would Slack 13 give me that Slack 11. doesn't have, besides the
> > headaches of IPV6 and that whole new kernel?
>
> mplayer!
>
> It's all there. Add the browser plug-in and you can watch almost
> anything. I was shocked to see wmv files play as easily as mpg and
> avi files with nary a finger lifted to cli a config file. I can even
> stream current movies where available. No muss, no fuss, it works, I
> watch. IMO, it is major. On the downside, there's kde4.2, which
> is worse than herniated pond scum.
>
> nb

The solution to KDE4 is called XFCE. It approximates KDE 3.5 in look,
feel and
functionality. The KDE programs are all available. The wicked witch is
dead, at least on this machine.
Some adjustments are necessary. You need to substitute konsole for the
inferior Terminal
program for example. Kmail has a wierd look and feel. But it doesn't
crash as often.

With Slack 13 you get Qt4 which is needed to compile e.g. recent
versions of Scribus. That program
is important to me. And it has a 64 bit option.

John Culleton

Mike Jones · External Since: Feb 13, 2009 Posts: 29

Responding to john.DeleteThis@wexfordpress.com:

[...]
>> > The solution to KDE4 is called XFCE. It approximates KDE 3.5 in look,
>> > feel and functionality.
>>
>> I disagree, completely. Xfce has always looked/acted more like Gnome
>> than it has imitated KDE. It looks nothing like KDE (thank god).
>>
> Well there is a menu button on the bottom bar, with submenus for major
> categories, just like KDE. It is easy to install/move around frequently
> used apps on the bottom bar, just like KDE. The Xubuntu verson of XFCE
> looks a bit more like Gnome but the Slackware version has no resemblance
> IMO.

You can do all kinds of things with Xfce4. Don't assume the default setup
is how it must be. I'm on my third major "best working practice" desktop
redeign ATM, and wouldn't swap Xfce4 for anything (other than IceWM).

I'm also still tripping over new tricks that somebody must have built in,
but don't seem to make it to the documentation I've seen so far. Mind
you, I've not actually read too much on Xfce4 as most things sort of
explain themselves as you fiddle with them.

Xfce4 also takes notice of "industry standards", which is nice.

--
*===( http://www.400monkeys.com/God/
*===( http://principiadiscordia.com/
*===( http://www.slackware.com/