[Slackbuilds-users] article about slackware.

[Nate Bargmann]

* On 2018 07 Feb 15:38 -0600, Fernando Lopez wrote:
> https://hackaday.com/2018/01/30/making-the-case-for-slackware-in-2018/

I have to disagree with this statement:

"So what should you do if you’re looking for the “classic” Linux
experience? Where automatic configuration is a dirty word, and every
aspect of your system can be manipulated with nothing more exotic than a
text editor?"

Slackware is quite automated these days owing to the kernel's ability to
recognize hardware and load modules and udev setting things up.  Then we
have X that detects and auto-configures the graphics adapter and other
devices.  Then KDE is right there to take care of many things for the
user.  IMO, automation is hardly a "dirty word" but is the order of the
day.

The following is true just not of Slackware but of all current
distributions.  Gone are the days of:

* Compiling the kernel to support a mouse/modem/network adapter, etc.
* Consulting the manual for a given monitor to get its parameters to
  write a mode line for X.
* Damaging a monitor when the mode line was wrong (I never did but did
  hear some interesting squeals a few times).
* Manually selecting the mouse driver for X.
* Manually mounting a floppy disk.
* Carefully selecting hardware known to work with Linux.
* Feeling like the world was conquered when sound worked!

Most of these items are obsolete due to the industry developing
standards for the hardware to assist the OS to be able to recognize and
configure hardware.  The PCI bus and the capability built into monitors
to report their capabilities were major steps forward.  The kernel and X
were rewritten to take full advantage of these industry initiatives.
Slackware, just as all current distributions, has benefited greatly from
all of this work.  Automation is everywhere one cares to look.

Oh, a text editor is required to edit /etc/inittab to set the runlevel
to 4 so that the graphical login manager is started, so there is that.
;-)

- Nate

-- 

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all
possible worlds.  The pessimist fears this is true."

Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://www.n0nb.us
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