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x86-64 Slackware Clone Released
Rob_Ogilvie points out that another distribution for x86-64 (AKA AMD64) has been released: "This time it's Slamd64. Slamd64 10.1 is based off Slackware 10.1. Developer Fred Emmott ported Slackware to AMD64 in his spare time, trying to keep the distribution as close to Slackware proper as possible (even keeping binary compatibility for many existing packages). Finally x86-64 users have some real viable choices out there!"
The past few weeks have been fantastic for PC operating system developments. Between the new Fedora release, this, the release of open source Solaris, the release of FreeBSD 5.4, Mac OS X on Intel machines, and the upcoming release of BeOS, things have really been happening at an amazing pace. We are truly coming up to a time of great innovation and change in the PC desktop/workstation landscape.
Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
Great news indeed.
Well done, even the site looks like slackware.com
I've always liked slackware because it is small and simple.
I've been using slack since 1995, then I tried all the other distros but I always go back to slack when I want something simple to build from: the CD is quick to get you to shell where you can chroot, the installation is quick and takes the minimum amount of space (why would you need >500MB for bash + ls?!! Fedora anyone?), etc
It will definitely have a place on my x86064 systems - if not as the main system, as a backup at least. Good work!
Only regret: where's the torrent? the mirrors aren't up to date yet..
TODO: 753) write sig.
All recommendations I've seen are to hold off using WinXP 64 and wait until Longhorn.
On the conpiracy theory side... Microsoft's slow adoption may strictly be at the bequest of Intel (who know they don't really have anything that can compete with AMD right now).
By delaying "good" support for 64bit, Microsoft is actually helping Intel in making sure the 64bit revolution doesn't take off in a massive way... gives Intel more time to catch up. Most Intel shops are pure Microsoft shops (e.g. Dell.. well.. Dell does give Linux some lip service, but it's just a marketing thing).
Finally x86-64 users have some real viable choices out there!
Viable? In what sense is a one-man fork of what is essentially a one-man operating system viable?
For historical reasons Slackware has a special place in the hearts of many in the Linux community, granted. And it may even be a decent choice for enthusiasts and roll-your-own professionals. But any serious enterprise would be beyond foolish to entrust their IT center to an OS developed, packaged and supported entirely at the whim of just a couple of guys with no real infrastructure behind them. One of whom has had some bizarre health problems of late, probably immune system related (no slight intended to Patrick).
The word you're looking for is "interesting" or maybe "fun," not viable.
Why is this news?
Well, it's slackware working in another architecture
Why not Debian/*buntu/Fedora/yadda?
I don't like [package] management getting in my way, that's why.
It's outdated!
Get some fresh source or search slackware-current or linuxpackages
If I wanted to compile I'd get gentoo!
Your choice.
I see 57005 people
the two real issues are drivers and 16 bit userland code
It is not the drivers, it is the bloody applications hard coded to the OS versions. I've got a AMD64 system with a handful of HDD's for testing software. Just got done giving the first rounds of testing with Win2003-64 (still beta I think) and the GA version of WinXp-64. Since I am using an Nforce4 mainboard and Nvidia video card, I've got drivers for all of the on-board kit of a fully loaded box. The Adaptec controllers got picked up by the OS as well.
The real fun started when I started trying to run applications. Being clever, Microsoft thought to default the 'program files' to something like 'program files (64-bit)'. The parenthesis caused several installers (take steam for instance) to give grief. Rational Application Developer had all sorts of trouble trying to spin up, and the DVD burning software was a total loss. I've got a free copy, and I won't mess with it again for a few months.
+++ UGUCAUCGUAUUUCU
The difference is that the code in slamd64 is optimized for Athlon64/Opteron, a feat which is entirely doable by anybody who knows how to compile a kernel and their own software.
Well, it is a little more painful than that since quite a few packages don't compile or run cleanly on AMD64 without patching.
all I had to do was compile a kernel and recompile Apache/PHP/MySQL/Sendmail/UW-IMAP
I notice you didn't put java anywhere on that list. I have had no end of java pains on AMD64 - half the packages sort-of-work on blackdown, the other half on sun 1.5, but sun 1.5 messes up all kinds of dependencies in general. For what should be the most portable language there is, it certainly gives me lots of pain...
I for one trust it (and use it). Pat serves as the same sort of benevolent dictator as Linus does on the distribution level. He has constructed a rock solid concept that could survive him, as Linux would survive the loss of Linus.
The point is that Pat has put together a system with a strong guiding philosophy holding it together, and as a result it has a lot of devotees who wouldn't let it go under.
IT pros who use it utilise it do so because it's not tied to any sort of BS abstraction layer (ie dependency checking systems), and as a result it gives administrators more flexibility for configuration.
As for viability, lets go down the list:
Red Hat-- Pay a lot for Enterprise, or use the (newly created) user community.
Suse-- Same RPM hell, albeit now with different corporate flagging (Not that Novell is bad, but there is an added complexity layer.)
Mandriva-- Strength through consolidation?
Debian/Ubuntu/Xandros-- Which community or corporation do you want making your decisions for you?
The point is, Slackware is as stable a choice (check longevity and changes to structure) as any Distro, if not the MOST stable.
Yeah, it's interesting and fun too, because it makes "viability" a whole hell of a lot easier for those with a clue...
Acquiescence leads to obliteration
don't compile or run cleanly on AMD64 without patching.
:/
One of the strength of Slackware (and for me, reason I stayed with it) is policy not to patch sources. Except some extreme cases, like broken glibc.
By applying patches, Slamd64 ruined Slack
:wq