Since the release announcement in August I’ve been itching to get my hands on the new 64-bit version of my favourite operating system. Until now I’ve running a clunking old 32-bit OS that was getting kind of tired; the allure of 64-bit was really quite tempting.
Of course the initial challenge was making some space to install Slackware Linux on my hard drive. Windows XP Pro had been installed such that it took up the entire hard drive. Gparted to the rescue though! I went from an initial layout that had one huge Windows XP partition (with the usual Dell rescue partitions ‘cuz who bothers shipping CD’s these days!?) to hard drive that I could slice and dice any way I wanted.
The final layout left Windows in a primary partition but since Linux can boot from an extended partition I went with that for more flexibility. I didn’t allocate all the space to Slackware and I pushed the swap space to the end of the drive so I would room to either grow my Slackware install if necessary or setup another partition if I wanted to play with FreeBSD (perhaps in 18-years when my kids move out).
The installation went smooth as silk, and 64-bit really started to show as the installer flew through the packages. The only consideration is the 64-bit version (as opposed to the 32-bit version) only comes on DVD.
So far everything works great. I’m looking forward to replacing my HUGE kernel with a GENERIC one taylored to my system and perhaps even replacing XDM (if you’re not going to use KDE why bother with KDM) with SLiM and even trying out LXDE (I’m currently using Xfce).
What?! Did you think this was going to be another sycophantic Snowjob Leopard review?! Get over it fanboys – you’re all going to go blind pretty soon and then how are you going to get to the Apple store to pay for your next service pack!?
Cross-posted on Cameron-Schultz at The new OS is in the wild – SL 64-bit on the prowl!
Comments
5 responses to “The new OS is in the wild – SL 64-bit on the prowl!”
Cute, real cute!
Did you publish this from Linux with an actual working WiFi /network card? 😉 I'm really curious as to how many times you'll have to boot into Windows to do something. When I switched to Mac, I thought I'd need Parallels or VMWare all the time but since most of what I do is in the cloud and the fact that the Apple products really do a great job of looking after all my hardware issues like processing RAW images, working with my printers and of course syncing up the iPod and BlackBerry. I never actually used Parallels.
Like I said I'm really curious as to how you make out with Slackware or if you'll just slack off trying to get everything working or rolling your own drivers.
I think the only reason I'll have to use Windoze (other than work) is to download my phone bill and apply for QPIP benefits (I think you know all about this). Otherwise a lot of what I do is in Google (reader, e-mail, docs) and elsewhere online so as long as I've got Firefox I should be okay!
Hey Johnny boy, what do you do when the Internet cuts out, what do you do? (quick, what movie ripoff is this?)
I can still do work locally as I don't care so much- read trust- the cloud. Its too volatile and still too easily attacked and hacked (and that happens to all systems, don't fool yourself).
So Schulzter, any news as to when they will release a WoW version for Linux or are my options still limited to Windows or Mac? It would rock in 64-bit… 😉
I'm pretty sure that's from Speed, as the only Johnny on the panel, I thought befitting that I try to answer first.
As for working offline, Google offers Google Gears which allows you to go offline with your Google Docs, Calendar and even Gmail. That said the syncing before disconnecting feels way too much like Lotus Notes so I totally agree with Stephane here.
Schultzter, you can always call in the QPIP changes. That is what I do and then I always make a point of reminding them that forcing the tax payers to use Internet Explorer on Windows only platform in 2009 is not only pretty stupid but it must also break a few anti-trust laws or something legalese of the sort. Of course I've already filed my three official complaints on the whole process.
If you deicde to live in the Cloud, the OS should not be an issue. So you might as well use something simple, stable and most importantly looks elegant. You're man-lust for Slackware is confusing. I just don't understand the appeal. You have to roll your own drivers, the web site: http://www.slackware.com looks like it hasn't changed since 1995 and the OS itself look even more bland than the website: http://slackart.linuxpackages.net/index.php?alb… . Ubuntu has made incredible progress in terms of desktop usability and it's pretty. Why all the Hate? It's a Linux distro that the people actually like to use or is that the point: If you can easily use it, it must be below the Linux Geek's intelligence and therefore most be unworthy. Can't all you Torvaldian worshipers just get a long? (Now what movie is that from?)
I'm pretty sure that's from Speed, as the only Johnny on the panel, I thought befitting that I try to answer first.
As for working offline, Google offers Google Gears which allows you to go offline with your Google Docs, Calendar and even Gmail. That said the syncing before disconnecting feels way too much like Lotus Notes so I totally agree with Stephane here.
Schultzter, you can always call in the QPIP changes. That is what I do and then I always make a point of reminding them that forcing the tax payers to use Internet Explorer on Windows only platform in 2009 is not only pretty stupid but it must also break a few anti-trust laws or something legalese of the sort. Of course I've already filed my three official complaints on the whole process.
If you deicde to live in the Cloud, the OS should not be an issue. So you might as well use something simple, stable and most importantly looks elegant. You're man-lust for Slackware is confusing. I just don't understand the appeal. You have to roll your own drivers, the web site: http://www.slackware.com looks like it hasn't changed since 1995 and the OS itself look even more bland than the website: http://slackart.linuxpackages.net/index.php?alb… . Ubuntu has made incredible progress in terms of desktop usability and it's pretty. Why all the Hate? It's a Linux distro that the people actually like to use or is that the point: If you can easily use it, it must be below the Linux Geek's intelligence and therefore most be unworthy. Can't all you Torvaldian worshipers just get a long? (Now what movie is that from?)