From 2168ea8b1650198e0b91215adc5ad52c42651440 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Robby Workman Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:22:22 -0600 Subject: Initial commit of the slackbook sources from Alan's master copy. --- chapter_01.xml | 96 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 96 insertions(+) create mode 100644 chapter_01.xml (limited to 'chapter_01.xml') diff --git a/chapter_01.xml b/chapter_01.xml new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0733c33 --- /dev/null +++ b/chapter_01.xml @@ -0,0 +1,96 @@ + + + + +Introduction to Slackware + +
+Why Use Slackware? + + +Slackware has a long tradition of excellence. Started in 1992 and +first released in 1993, Slackware is the oldest surviving commercial +Linux distribution. Slackware's focus on making a clean, simple Linux +distribution that is as UNIX-like as possible makes it a natural choice +for those people who really want to learn about Linux and other +UNIX-like operating systems. Slackware's simplicity makes it ideal for +those users who want to create their own custom systems. And of course, +Slackware is great in its own right as a desktop, workstation, or server. + + +
+ +
+Differences with other Linux Distributions + + +There are a great number of differences between Slackware and other +main-stream distributions such as Red Hat, Debian, and Ubuntu. Perhaps +the greatest difference is the lack of "hand-holding" that Slackware +will do for the administrator. Many of these other distributions ship +with graphical configuration tools for all manner of services. In many +cases these configuration tools are the preferred method of setting up +applications on these systems and will over-write any changes you make +to the config files via other means. These tools often make it easy +(or at least possible) for a rookie with no in-depth understanding of +his system to setup basic services; however, they also make it +difficult to do anything too out of the ordinary. In contrast, +Slackware expects you, the system administrator, to do these tasks on +your own. Slackware provides no general purpose setup tools beyond +those included with the source code published by up-stream developers. +This means there is often a somewhat steeper learning curve associated +with Slackware, even for those users familiar with other Linux +distributions, but also makes it much easier to do whatever you want +with your operating system. + + + +Also, you may hear users of other distributions say that Slackware has +no package management system. This is completely and obviously false. +Slackware has always had package management (see Chapter 16 for more +information). What it does not have is automatic dependency +resolution. Rather, Slackware's package tools trade dependency +management for simplicity, ease-of-use, and reliability. + + +
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+Licensing + + +Each piece of Slackware (indeed of all Linux distributions) is +developed by different people or teams of people, and each group has +their own ideas about what it means to be "free". Because of this +there are literally dozens and dozens of different licenses granting +you different permissions regarding their use or distribution. + + + +Perhaps the most popular license in use within the Free Software +community is the GNU General Public License. +The GPL was created by the Free Software +Foundation which actively works to create and distribute software that +contains the basic freedoms they fill are basic rights. Indeed, this +is the very group that coined the term "Free Software". The GPL +imposes no restrictions on the use of software. In fact, you don't +even have to accept the terms of the license in order to use the +software, but you are not allowed to distribute the software or your +changes to it without abiding by the terms of the license agreement. A +great many software projects shipped with Slackware from the Linux +kernel itself to the Samba project are released under the terms of the +GPL. + + + +Another very common license is the BSD license, which is arguably "more +free" than the GPL, but imposes no restrictions on derivative works. +The BSD license simply requires that the copyright remain intact, along +with a simple disclaimer. Many of the utilities specific to Slackware +are licensed with a BSD-style license. + + +
+ + -- cgit v1.2.3