Slackware

Spotlight on Linux: Linvo GNU/Linux

Susan Linton — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:00:00 +0000

After an earlier quick look, it seemed Linvo GNU/Linux was worthy of a spotlight. Linvo is a Slackware-based distribution featuring GNOME 2.32 and is shipped as a live image. The desktop is pretty and features a handy set of applications. In addition, additional applications are available through a popular one-click format.

Linvo has been in development since early 2009 and was recently added to Distrowatch's distribution database. Slackware has long been known as rock solid and stable, and Linvo dresses it up and brings some advantages over Slackware itself.

Some advantages over Slackware might be:

1. Live image
2. GNOME desktop (for those users)
3. Easy graphical installation in live environment
4. Additional packages
5. More packages through one-click Web interface
6. Desktop customizations & eyecandy

The Live Environment

Linvo live boots quickly straight into its pretty GNOME desktop. (Slackware is known for providing applications and desktops just as the developers release.) It takes advantage of autoconfiguration of the X Server and renders an autoprobed resolution. In testing, this resolution tends to be on the safe side of optimal. NVIDIA drivers are available from Linvo, but no proprietary ATI/AMD drivers are listed.

Linvo plays it safe with GNOME 2.32 and its familiar typical setup. This usually, and does in Linvo, consist of an upper panel housing a few applets on the right and the three menus on the left. Below is the other panel for the application taskbar and desktop pager. In the application menu are applications such as GIMP, OpenOffice.org, Evolution, Chromium, Brasero, Totem, plus lots of accessories and tools.

The hard drive installer is quick and easy as well. It only asks a few questions in a compact user-friendly format. It does its job fast with no problems. The only complaint is that it installs a bootloader automatically without giving the user a choice or the choice in systems added. It adds an entry for every system available (as most would want).

The Installed System

The installed desktop is practically identical to the live environment minus the Install icon on the desktop. One icon one might notice instead is the Getting Started. This will open a browser to Linvo's Website where users can peruse information about Linvo, visit user support forums, or install extra applications through what some may call one-click links. The forum isn't really busy, but it appears questions are promptly answered.

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Spotlight on Linux: VectorLinux 6.0

Susan Linton — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

by Susan Linton

VectorLinux is one distribution that seems to hum along under most users' radar. This is a mistake because Vector has many of the characteristics that make Linux great while adding some that has often been heralded by competitors as not existing except with larger commercial distributions.

VectorLinux is based on Slackware Linux, which remains the oldest living distribution to this day. Vector is fairly old itself. Very few people realize this distribution has been around since the last century although little proof remains of these early versions. The Vector Website has a comparison chart that goes back to 1.8 and one archive of old mailing lists posts preserves a support question from August 2000 on 1.0.

While Vector is based on Slackware, its developers have been working slowly over the years to separate themselves from Slack. The larger part of Vector is now independently developed with only the inner core still being derived from Slackware.

Different Versions

VectorLinux comes in several versions which can be confusing for some. They have versions based on different desktops, different software configurations, and different costs. Probably most popular is Vector's KDE free download version. As the name implies it is based on a stable KDE desktop and is usually dubbed their SOHO Edition. 6.0, the latest stable version, features multimedia support, OpenOffice, proprietary drivers, and lots of handy applications.

Other versions are designed to be lightweight. These are the Light and Standard editions. The difference between these are the size of the download, specific window environment, and included software. Both are designed for older machines. The Light version, which features Fluxbox and JWM, is said to operate on processors as slow as the Pentium 166 and 64 MB RAM. The Standard Edition features Xfce and boasts the ability to run on the Pentium 200 and 96 MB RAM. The standard version as well as its accompanying second software CD can be downloaded for free or ordered for a nominal fee.

Some version come in a SOHO (small office, home office) Editions. These differ by concentrating on software believed to be of interest to those using their desktops for business purposes. Desktop publishers, word processors, spreadsheets, accounting, and graphic design are some of the business oriented categories addressed by these SOHO Editions. The latest stable versions of SOHO often ship with newer desktops and software. Two version are generally available in SOHO line, the free downloadable Standard and the commercial Deluxe.

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Spotlight on Linux: Zenwalk Linux 6.4 "Live"

Susan Linton — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:01:40 +0000

by Susan Linton

Zenwalk Linux is a Slackware based distribution introduced in early 2004 that aims to be fast, easy, modern. Zenwalk tends to have a very loyal user-base in addition to leaving most distro hoppers and reviewers impressed. Most agree with Zenwalk's latest tagline: It just works.

It is quite an ambitious project as it offers and maintains five different editions. The Standard Edition is the flagship version for the project. It's a complete system for desktops, laptops, and servers. The Core Edition is a basic version of Linux with no X server, no graphical environment, and no applications. It's for those who like to build their own system their own way. The Live Edition is the installable Live CD that will boot any of 12 common languages. And finally, there are the alternative graphical environment editions: the GNOME Edition and the Openbox Edition.

The default desktop environment of Zenwalk is Xfce. Xfce is a likable alternative to GNOME and KDE because of its customization options, lighter weight, higher performance, and its familiar elements. Zenwalk also ships with a handy software stack covering all the more common computer tasks. It includes the Totem movie player, Brasero media burner, OpenOffice.org, The GIMP, Icecat / Icedove, Pidgin, and Geany. There are lots of handy system tools too, some of which are original to Zenwalk. All this sits on Linux 2.6.33.4, Xorg X Server 1.7.7, and GCC 4.4.4.

Zenwalk has its own package management system called Netpkg. It can be used at the command line or through its easy GUI. The Zenwalk repositories contain many other popular and useful applications as well as security and application updates.

The installer isn't as complete as some others, but once the target drive is prepared with a partition for Zenwalk and a swap partition there is very little work left. Define the target partition, set up a user, and select a root password, Zenwalk does the rest. Zenwalk still uses Lilo which many don't like, but that step can be skipped.

Advantages of using Zenwalk are good performance, small but welcoming community, and an up-to-date system. It's easy to use, yet it's not run of the mill. It's different without being disconcerting. Hardware support is excellent for Linux supported devices and the desktop is attractive yet unobtrusive.

Disadvantages might be a few niggles here and there. For example, one report states that updating the system can be resource intensive. Another complained that there were no advanced options during installation for LVM, RAID, and disk encryption. But most reports had nothing but good things to say.

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Alien - Use Any Package On Any Distribution

Michael Reed — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:00 +0000

by Michael Reed

Sometimes, a utility or an application that you want to install is impossible to find in the format of your distribution. Alien is a utility that can convert one package type into another. It can get you out of a fix when you can't find a package for your distribution, and it is also useful for package maintainers who want to distribute packages for distributions that they don't run. It can work with Slackware, Debian and RPM packages as input and output types.

It's surprising how much stuff you tend to come across that is stuck in a single package format. Printer drivers are an example of software that is often abandoned without sourcecode. Occasionally, developers of special interest software only create packages for their own system and there is no one else willing to build for other systems. If you can get the source code, and it compiles, you might be better off using that to install it via the package manager by making use of Checkinstall (see our quick guide) rather than using Alien.

First a word of caution, Alien isn't guaranteed to work with everything that you throw at it. As good as it is, think of Alien as a last resort rather than a preferred installation routine. There is sometimes a significant difference between the different package formats and the organisational layout of source and target distributions that means that it won't work properly. When you're using Alien, you're generally travelling in uncharted waters, and the Alien website advises against the use of Alien to install system level components.

Alien is in the package repository of most of distributions, and once you have it installed, it's simple to use. The format for the command is

alien [options] file

Note that Alien needs root privileges to run. The most important options, for most users, are -r, -d and -t for .rpm (Red Hat), .deb (Debian) and .tgz (Slackware) package output format respectively. Alien can figure out the input package format on its own. So, to take the .deb of wxCam and convert it into an RPM use:

sudo alien -r wxcam_1.0.6_i386.deb

You then apply the standard package installation tools of your distribution and hope for the best.

The Alien package converter website.

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