VectorLinux-5.9-SOHO-DELUXE has been released!

[VgnFrnd]

This is just a quick rave. I can hardly count the ways that I dig this release, but let me count a few: 1) It looks awesome. I can't even really figure out what's different, but everything just looks darn good. 2) K3B works. Don't ask me why, but on my desktop, k3b has always choked in the past. Not now. 3) The packaging guys are working wonders for me. For the first time, my scanner is supported under linux (thanks to a sane-backends update package). They also packed up partimage for me, so now I can backup my expensive partition. 4) It's faaast. 5) It hasn't hiccuped even once. There's a lot more I could say in praise, but for now these few comments will have to do. I've been distro-hopping for nearly a year, but I keep coming back around to Vector whenever possible. Thank you.

[Nobby]

Installation faultless.
Disappointed to find that Gslapt has the "Mark All Updates" has been "Disabled by VL".  When will this be corrected?
Also the Gnome-Games package has been omitted.  Can this be re-instated, please?

[lagagnon]

Disappointed to find that Gslapt has the "Mark All Updates" has been "Disabled by VL".  When will this be corrected?

VL has a slightly different philosophy out there regarding updates than does Ubuntu and Windows. If you scan any computer forum around the world you will notice many of the posts are problems as the result of updating. Updates are good things when you REALLY need the new functionality provided by a major package upgrade or when there is a SERIOUS security hole. Most upgrades are neither. We suggest trying to get out of the continuous updating mode and only do so when you really need some new functionality or when a serious security hole is announced. Hence the disabled button.

The way I do things is to avoid updates unless necessary, and then every year or so I install the latest stable VL version, while keeping a seperate /home partition so I don't loose any data or settings. I have done this to a number of machines over 6 years or so and have never had any breakages due to updating....YMMV...

[no2thesame]

The SOHO 5.9 CDs came in the mail today. Thank you very much. I'm impressed, the desktop is excellent. It took just 30 trouble-free minutes to install disk 1 on my 1.8 MHz Celeron, Acer laptop. Even sound works straight off!

Since installing the Multimedia CD I can't keep the kids off it, so I am back to the the 5.9 standard machine (surprisingly I'm going to miss Xfce but I'm not up to another install tonight).

I had a few problems with disk 2 (maybe due to my low tech skills)

1. Firstly I tried following the instructions printed on the CD about Autobooting. No joy there. I think you should change these instructions.

2. Install.sh didn't work. I had to :

Code:

su
cd/mnt/cdrom/MMBD_Data
vsuper sh install.sh

3. I have room, so installed everything but got a few error messages Everything seems to work but I thought I'd let you know anyway. This is from my scribbles, so syntax may be not quite right - the machine is somewhere in Wesnoth at present.

Code:

regex failed on [PACKAGE NAME: X11docs.tlz

and

Code:

: command not found
'h: line 3: syntax error near unexpected token '{
'h: line 3: config () {

and multiple times

Code:

sbin/ldconfig: /usr/lib/libboost_thread-mt.so is not symbolic link

and

Code:

cp: cannot stat "/root/slapt-getrc.backup' No such file or directory

and the results of this problem.

It doesn't seem to be causing any issues, the 13 year-old son and his friends (school holidays) are quite happily  playing with the games and drum machine. So you get a vote of approval there.

Thank you to all involved for the great distro, first impressions are very good.
no2

[SuSE-Refugee]

I just picked up the CDs from my doormat.
I feel a tad funny 'bout it though;
I can't , for the love of this world, remember I ever ordered it.

Mind me; I'm quite happy with 'em, but I wonder what yielded me this honour.

[exeterdad]

Ummmm...  Could you tell your doormat I need new tires for my truck??

[shahgols]

The way I do things is to avoid updates unless necessary, and then every year or so I install the latest stable VL version, while keeping a seperate /home partition so I don't loose any data or settings. I have done this to a number of machines over 6 years or so and have never had any breakages due to updating....YMMV...

Hi lagagnon.

Can you please write a how-to about this for those of us who lack the technical know-how?  Please?   

[no2thesame]

The way I do things is to avoid updates unless necessary, and then every year or so I install the latest stable VL version, while keeping a separate /home partition so I don't loose any data or settings. I have done this to a number of machines over 6 years or so and have never had any breakages due to updating....YMMV...

Hi lagagnon.

Can you please write a how-to about this for those of us who lack the technical know-how?  Please?   

Hello Shargols,
I'm short on know-how but I picked this up a few years ago and like Lagagnon says, never had breakages when 'updating'.

During installation I set up partitions like this on my 40Gb HD:

hda1   1Gb         swap
hda2   15Gb       /         bootable
hda3   24Gb      /home

The partitioning program only sets the size and type so further on in the install you get to choose your partitions and there is a screen asking if you want to choose more partitions. I always choose to make hda3 into /home.

When I upgraded from 5.9 Std to SOHO on this machine a few days ago, I set hda3 to /home as usual but chose NOT to format it. I also kept the same details for my user when I set that up.

When I logged in to the SOHO install for the first time, a screen pops up asking if I want to upgrade settings for a whole list of programs.  I choose to do this. but otherwise it is the same partition, content-wise, as previously.

Just in case I backup before the install.

Hope that helps
no2

[shahgols]

Thanks so much.  I think that going forward, this is what I will do. 

[SuSE-Refugee]

Hmmm.....
Looks like I got a "bad burn" case; When in TUI, VASM is all garbled.
On top of that: the ath5k module(needed for the wireless card in my laptop) is b0rked:

Code:

FATAL: Error inserting ath5k (/lib/modules/2.6.22.19/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/ath5k.ko): invalid module format.

Even tried re-installing Madwifi; no dice

Even ndiswrapper din't help me out here: This VL-version simply refuses to recognise my Atheros card.
Yes: I tried abut everything in the Wireless-howto, posted on this board.
Even tried a re-install; Same qualms.

Too bad, for it does look good overall...

That means: back to 5.9 std with this laptop, since that one worked.

[warpman]

Question, so the VL5.9 SOHO is not free? Believe it or not I'm still running VL5 SOHO on my old sony vaio laptop with 256mb of memory. So, if VL5.9 SOHO is not for free what would be my next option to upgrade VL5 SOHO? Any information would be appreciated.

[no2thesame]

Sorry warpman, 5.9 SOHO is only available from the CD Store for a very reasonable sum http://vectorlinux.com/products/vector-linux-5.9-soho-deluxe-edition

As a long-time SOHO user, I found it pretty awesome and worth the price. And the VL team certainly deserve our support.

If you don't want to spend, 5.9 Std is as good as 5.1 SOHO, just Gslapt OpenOffice and whatever else you need. I really enjoy using the new Xfce desktop and on this, my work machine, have just left 5.9 Std on, even though I have the SOHO version.

no2
 

[vector]

First review of the latest SOHO 5.9 can be found here: news.oreilly.com/2008/07/vector-linux-soho-59-deluxe-no-1.html
Very informative and in depth enjoy!
Cheers,
Vec

[SuSE-Refugee]

I'm afraid I'll have to conclude, the 5.9SOHO-discs I got are a typical case of a "bad burn"..
See: http://forum.vectorlinux.com/index.php?topic=7008.0 and my previous post higher on in this thread.

[caitlyn]

SUSE Refugee:  ath5k modules only exist in kernel 2.6.25 and higher.  It's not in SOHO or Standard.  The older madwifi driver included with the kernel in VL SOHO should work for most any Atheros chipset.  My card is based on an Atheros 5212 chipset and it works just fine.

A bad burn or bad download is another issue, of course...