True Slacky Clones

[Pita]

Since VL is a clone of slackware it seems that the defects of the mother     
are cloned as well. Case in point, in Vl-5.8 which was based on
slackware-12.0, with MC iso files could be opened, 'at' and crontab played
sound when configured as user and frozen-bubble could be played.

Now with VL-6 and possible VL-5.9 which are based on slackware-12.1 all that 
is gone as it is in this slackware version: 'at' and crontab do not play sound
as user configured, MC will not open iso files and frozen-bubble cannot be
played.

I have no idea how the cloning is being done, however, just wonder if
definite betterings like in VL can be done why not leave those annoying
shortcomings of mama-slack out.

Now as warning, I upgraded from slackware-12.1 to 12.2 and ended up with a 
useless distro. First I noticed firefox will not open any longer giving some
error message that it cannot find something in some libs and that went on   
with quite a few other programs. Will have to junk it all and wait may
be until the dust has settled on version 12.2. For this reason I am now fully in
VL-6-LIGHT-my-version.

[toothandnail]

  I think you are judging too much on a beta - things have still to be fixed.

For instance, I'm currently running beta 2.2, and have no problem opening .iso files in MC. Didn't work in the earlier betas, but does now work.

I think you should wait until the release before you make comparisons.

paul.

[bigpaws]

Now as warning, I upgraded from slackware-12.1 to 12.2 and ended up with a
useless distro. First I noticed firefox will not open any longer giving some
error message that it cannot find something in some libs and that went on   
with quite a few other programs.

Three programs not compiled to your specifications and that is a
defect?

One upgrade. Then make an informed opinion on the distribution.

Hmm

Bigpaws

[Pita]

So sorry!

I must have had the wrong shoes on.

Regards

[caitlyn]

I've found in place upgrades problematic with lots of distros.  They work some of the time but often deliver a broken system.  Slackware is hardly unique in this.  I've had the same with Fedora and Ubuntu.

Vector Linux is NOT a clone of Slackware.  Far from it.  It is a derivative of Slackware.  The majority of packages, including the kernel, are built to VL standards which are quiet different from Slack standards.  Of course, VL also has a very different package list.  If you look at what's happened with the 6.0 repo since the alpha releases started you'd see that most of the true Slackware packages have been replaced.  The beauty of VL is that it builds on the strengths of Slackware (stabilty, reliability, speed) and then takes things to the next level.  Anyway, that's my take on it.  FWIW, I'd put some other distros (Zenwalk, Wolvix) in the same category as VL.

[Pita]

The philosophy of VL not go for upgrades is then basically right. May be it was
justified in the old days when programs were much smaller and less
sophisticated.

So, after all, the failure to upgrade from slackware 12.1 to 12.2 was a   
blessing in disguise for me. It forced me to qickly built a new working box and
since I had VL-6-A0.14-Light already going I chose it. Installed via gslapt
for me missing programs, copied others from slackware not found in VL
including all the fonts, installed gnome-2.24.1, xfce4 and fluxbox and there
I am having a smooth running VL-6 linux box I could not wish for anything
better.

There are no hang-ups, no hick-ups just a minor problem with sound which I
am close to having it solved.

Could that mean, I am ahead of the pack with a fully working VL-6.0.

Any takers?

[vector]

I would  be interested in the packages you had to get from slackware that we did not have?

cheers,
Vec

[bigpaws]

The philosophy of VL not go for upgrades is then basically right. May be it was
justified in the old days when programs were much smaller and less sophisticated.

Vector without an upgrade option is not justified?

This post started as a complaint about upgrade in Slackware, I know of many that have been
doing upgrades in Slackware without problems. You must follow the instructions. The problem
lies with the changing of system libraries. If you do not follow the upgrade texts there will be
problems.

Bigpaws

[caitlyn]

Installed via gslapt
for me missing programs, copied others from slackware not found in VL
including all the fonts, installed gnome-2.24.1, xfce4 and fluxbox and there

AFAIK we have all the same fonts Slackware does in our repo and then some.  We also have xfce4 and fluxbox.  GNOME 2.24.1 we don't have, of course.  A new GSB?

[Pita]

You must follow the instructions. The problem
lies with the changing of system libraries. If you do not follow the upgrade texts there will be
problems.

Bigpaws

I have upgraded slackware before and like now followed the instructions
however, something went wrong this time. Now I must say luckily.

[Pita]

Installed via gslapt
for me missing programs, copied others from slackware not found in VL
including all the fonts, installed gnome-2.24.1, xfce4 and fluxbox and there

AFAIK we have all the same fonts Slackware does in our repo and then some.  We also have xfce4 and fluxbox.  GNOME 2.24.1 we don't have, of course.  A new GSB?

I copied the fonts from slackware 12.2 when I read that in VL-6*
there are some issues with fonts w/o looking if they are in VL repo.
xfce4 and fluxbox I got from the VL repo.

[caitlyn]

Just so you know:  There are two issues with fonts that I am aware of:

1.  VL Light doesn't include some fonts that Pathetic Writer (part of SIAG Office) expects to be there.  It's a bit disconcerting to select a font and have the program refuse to change to it.

2.  Font rendering issues and blurriness have been reported with some NVidia cards.  It's actually a driver issue and Vector has posted a solution.

All of our font packages are perfectly safe to use

[Pita]

I would  be interested in the packages you had to get from slackware that we did not have?

cheers,
Vec

There are not many. Hope I remember all.

"look" which I use frequently since I am on a war-path with spelling from the time I learned to write and using programs like dillo or joe which have no spell checker. 

"games" which includes 'fortune' which I enjoy with the -o flag. SSC 

"xcdroast" for old times sake. Using vburn now.

Newer versions for mailx, and others.

Regards