kitt wrote:

> Is this OS just for pros?

Yeah, pretty much.


> or can it be used by beginner
> home users like me?

It CAN be if you are willing to spend a lot of time reading the manuals,
asking questions, and learning how to do the configuration (i.e.
sound/video, apache, mysql, etc.... if you need them) And then you will
have to learn how to use Slack's arcane and antiquated package manager when
you want to add new software or update what you have. (Note, the package
system is not bad, it is just a hell of a lot more complex than Debian's
Synaptic/ pt-get or Gentoo's version of ports (taken from BSD.)

There have been lots of beginners who have started with Slackware and have
been successful and happy with it. But I would advise against it. I think
the best route for a newbie is to start with one of the live CD distro's
such as Ubuntu or Mepis or Kanotix. If you don't like any of those, after
you get a 'taste of Linux' moving 'up' to Slackware will be much easier.

It's just a long learning curve for a Linux newbie and unless you are
willing to commit to many, many hours of reading docs and asking questions
on help-sites (use LinuxQuestions.org, not this NG... as this group is
mostly newbie-hostile ... the kirtan's maha mantra here is 'RTFM') you will
be better served with a choice of a distro that is more newbie-friendly.

The progression I'm seeing these days is that people start with Ubuntu
because it gets lots of press, and has won accolades for being easy to
install and use (it's a LiveCD). Then I see a lot of folks give my
favorite, Kanotix a try... mainly because it is blazingly fast (optimized
for i586 hardware). Then, when they feel comfortable, they move to Debian
proper. I'm not sure WHY they make the move to Debian from the
Debian-forks, but a lot of folks do.

Like Debian proper, I'm not sure why anyone moves to Slackware anymore, but
lots of people make the switch. The only reason I run it is because it's
the only distro that runs WELL on some older hardware I have.

Bottom line, you don't 'move' to Slackware.... you commit to it. It has a
unique 'way' of doing things and a very unique community... most often
hostile to newbies who ask dumb-ass questions... like the one you
asked. :-) :-) :-) <g>


Al C.