Slackware 12.0 Released

Well folks, it’s that time to announce a new stable Slackware
release again. So, without further ado, announcing Slackware
version 12.0! Since we’ve moved to supporting the 2.6 kernel series
exclusively (and fine-tuned the system to get the most out of it),
we feel that Slackware 12.0 has many improvements over our last
release (Slackware 11.0) and is a must-have upgrade for any
Slackware user.

This first Slackware edition of the year combines Slackware’s
legendary simplicity (and close tracking of original sources),
stability, and security with some of the latest advances in Linux
technology. Expect no less than the best Slackware yet.

Among the many program updates and distribution enhancements,
you’ll find two of the most advanced desktop environments available
today: Xfce 4.4.1, a fast and lightweight but visually appealing
and easy to use desktop environment, and KDE 3.5.7, the latest
version of the award-winning K Desktop Environment. We have added
to Slackware support for HAL (the Hardware Abstraction Layer) which
allows the system administrator to add users to the cdrom and
plugdev groups. Then they will be able to use items such as USB
flash sticks, USB cameras that appear like USB storage, portable
hard drives, CD and DVD media, MP3 players, and more, all without
requiring sudo, the mount or umount command. Just plug and play.
Properly set up, Slackware’s desktop should be suitable for any
level of Linux experience.

Slackware uses the 2.6.21.5 kernel bringing you advanced
performance features such as journaling filesystems, SCSI and ATA
RAID volume support, SATA support, Software RAID, LVM (the Logical
Volume Manager, and encrypted filesystems. Kernel support for X DRI
(the Direct Rendering Interface) brings high-speed hardware
accelerated 3D graphics to Linux. We have switched from the older
one-piece X11 Window System to the newest modular X11 from X.Org,
which should be simpler to maintain and will likely speed up
development of new features for X (such as translucent windows and
a few other things that are on the horizon).

There are two kinds of kernels in Slackware–the huge kernels,
which contain support for just about every driver in the Linux
kernel. These are primarily intended to be used for installation,
but there’s no real reason that you couldn’t continue to run them
after you have installed. The other type of kernel is the generic
kernel, in which nearly every driver is built as a module. To use a
generic kernel you’ll need to build an initrd to load your
filesystem module and possibly your drive controller or other
drivers needed at boot time, configure LILO to load the initrd at
boot, and reinstall LILO. See the docs in /boot after installing
for more information. Slackware’s Linux kernels come in both SMP
and non-SMP types now. The SMP kernel supports multiple processors,
multi-core CPUs, HyperThreading, and about every other optimization
available. In our own testing this kernel has proven to be fast,
stable, and reliable. We recommend using the SMP kernel even on
single processor machines if it will run on them.

From the beginning, Slackware has offered a stable and secure
Linux distribution for UNIX veterans as well as an easy-to-use
system for beginners. Slackware includes everything you’ll need to
run a powerful server or workstation. Each Slackware package
follows the setup and installation instructions from its author(s)
as closely as possible, offering you the most stable and easily
expandable setup.

Here are some of the advanced features of Slackware 12.0:

• Runs the 2.6.21.5 version of the Linux kernel from ftp.kernel.org. Also included is a
  kernel patched with Speakup to support speech synthesizers
  providing access to Linux for the visually impaired community. The
  2.6.x kernel series has matured into a stable kernel, and provides
  reliable performance for your desktop or your production
  server.
• System binaries are linked with the GNU C Library, version 2.5.
  This version of glibc also has excellent compatibility with
  existing binaries.
• X11 7.2.0. This is the X.Org Foundation’s modular X Window
  System. You will notice many more X package than before, and it’s
  probably best to install them all. There’s been much activity in
  the X development world, and the improvements here in terms of
  performance and hardware support are sure to be only the
  beginning.
• Installs gcc-4.1.2 as the default C, C++, Objective-C,
  Fortran-77/95, and Ada 95 compiler.
• Support for fully encrypted network connections with OpenSSL,
  OpenSSH, OpenVPN, and GnuPG.
• Apache (httpd) 2.2.4 web server with Dynamic Shared Object
  support, SSL, and PHP 5.2.3.
• PCMCIA, CardBus, USB, IEE1394 (FireWire) and ACPI support. This
  makes Slackware a great operating system for your laptop.
• The udev dynamic device management system for Linux 2.6.x. This
  locates and configures most hardware automatically as it is added
  (or removed) from the system, and creates the access nodes in /dev.
  It also loads the kernel modules required by sound cards and other
  hardware at boot time.
• New development tools, including Perl 5.8.8, Python 2.5.1, Ruby
  1.8.6, Subversion 1.4.4, git-1.5.2.2, mercurial-0.9.4, graphical
  tools like Qt designer and KDevelop, and much more.
• Updated versions of the Slackware package management tools make
  it easy to add, remove, upgrade, and make your own Slackware
  packages. Package tracking makes it easy to upgrade from Slackware
  11.0 to Slackware 12.0 (see CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT). The slackpkg
  tool in /extra can also help update from an older version of
  Slackware to a newer one, and keep your Slackware system up to
  date. In addition, the slacktrack utility (in extra/) will help you
  build and maintain your own packages.
• Web browsers galore! Includes KDE’s Konqueror 3.5.7, SeaMonkey
  1.1.2 (this is the replacement for the Mozilla Suite), and the
  immensely popular Firefox 2.0.0.4, as well as the Thunderbird
  2.0.0.4 email and news client with advanced junk mail
  filtering.
• The complete K Desktop Environment (KDE) version 3.5.7,
  including the KOffice productivity suite, networking tools, GUI
  development with KDevelop, multimedia tools (including the amazing
  Amarok music player), the Konqueror web browser and file manager,
  dozens of games and utilities, international language support, and
  more.
• A collection of GTK+ based applications including pidgin-2.0.2,
  gimp-2.2.15, gkrellm-2.2.10, gxine-0.5.11, xchat-2.8.2,
  xsane-0.994, and pan-0.131.
• Large repository of extra software packages compiled and ready
  to run. This includes various window managers, the Java(TM) 2
  Software Development Kit Standard Edition, libsafe (buffer overflow
  protection for additional security), ISDN support, additional
  802.11 drivers, and much more (see the /extra directory).
• Many more improved and upgraded packages than we can list here.
  For a complete list of core packages in Slackware 12.0, see this
  file:

  
  ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-12.0/PACKAGES.TXT

Downloading Slackware 12.0

The full version of Slackware Linux 12.0 is available for
download from the central Slackware FTP sites hosted by our friends
at www.cwo.com and osuosl.org:

ftp://slackware.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/slackware-12.0/
ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-12.0/

If the sites are busy, see the list of official mirror sites
here:

http://slackware.com/getslack/

We will be setting up BitTorrent downloads for the official ISO
images. Stay tuned to http://slackware.com for the latest
updates.

Instructions for burning the Slackware tree onto install discs
may be found in the isolinux directory.

Purchasing Slackware on CD-ROM

Or, please consider purchasing the Slackware Linux 12.0 six
CD-ROM set directly from Slackware Linux, and you’ll be helping to
support the continued development of Slackware Linux! 🙂

This is the official release of Slackware on CD-ROM, and has
many enhanced features, including:

• Easy bootable CD-ROM installation. If your machine can boot a
  CD-ROM, just boot the first disc to begin the installation
  process.
• The source code used to build Slackware Linux 12.0.

The price for the Slackware Linux CD-ROM set is $49.95 plus
shipping.

Slackware 12.0 is also available on a single DVD for $59.95 plus
shipping.

Slackware Linux is also available by subscription. When we
release a new version of Slackware (which is normally once or twice
a year) we ship it to you and bill your credit card $32.95 plus
shipping. Shipping is $5 in the USA, Canada, and Mexico for First
Class. Overseas is $9 PER ORDER. There is an additional $3 COD
charge (USA Only). UPS Blue Label (2nd day) [USA Only] is $10 PER
ORDER, UPS Red Label (next day) [USA Only] is $15 PER ORDER.

Before ordering express shipping, you may wish to check that we
have the product in stock. We make releases to the net at the same
time as disc production begins, so there is a lag between the
online release and the shipping of media. But, even if you download
now you can still buy the official media later. You’ll feel good,
be helping the project, and have a great decorative item perfect
for any computer room shelf. 🙂

Ordering Information

You can order online at the Slackware Linux store: http://store.slackware.com

Other Slackware items like t-shirts, caps, pins, and stickers
can also be found here. These will help you find and identify
yourself to your fellow Slackware users. 🙂

Order inquiries (including questions about becoming a Slackware
reseller) may be directed to this address: info@slackware.com

Or, send a check or money order to:

Slackware Linux, Inc.
1164 Claremont Drive
Brentwood, CA 94513
USA

Have fun! :^) I hope you find Slackware to be useful, and thanks
very much for your support of this project over the years.

–Patrick J. Volkerding

Visit us on the web at: http://slackware.com