Welcome to Gaia! ::

http://www.tuxvids.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23&Itemid=2 for a screencast video of the livecd.

Hello, I'm a GNU/Linux newb and in the last couple of weeks have tried Dapper Drake, Gentoo and now Zenwalk: http://www.zenwalk.org/

It's based on Slackware and run by some guy in France. They call it an "operating system" instead of a distribution because it comes with one of every kind of program and zero software choices are required during the install phase. I'm very happy with all the default programs so far and there is even more available via netpkg (plus you are more than welcome to request anything you desire). It is fast. It is lightning fast. It is really damn fast.

It's designed to be a quick and stable desktop. As an example of what to expect you get Firefox but no OpenOffice. v2.6 is designed for the XFCE desktop environment but I believe there are alternatives available for Gnome (check in their announcement forums) and KDE (via netpkg). netpkg is their system for getting updates and new or alternative supported programs. It has a gui or you can just do something like type netpkg upgrade-all in the command line and it will update your system really quick. "netpkg fox" might list several files such as mozillafirefox-1.5.0.4-i686-1z28.tgz.
((Currently the netpackage gui chooses to automatically overwrite config files when the option is given. Once you are set-up, config files rarely need to be updated via netpkg and it is mentioned in the changelog when they do.))

There are other deals designed for Zenwalk such as pkgtool (gui for easy newb-friendly installing of downloaded programs), networkconfig for interweb and videoconfig for video configuration wink
On my laptop I've had a much easier time setting up wireless, my 1280X800 widescreen resolution, sound (!) and other stuff than with Gentoo and Ubuntu.

The full-install is a 400mb iso and it requires a bit more than 2gb of space. Install is a fifteen to forty minute breeze, especially if you've already set-up your partitions before booting the cd. There's also a core iso file for making a custom desktop or server system. There are no release candidates. The administrators are friendly and contributing a lot to the messageboard. I dl'ed it because I wanted something that was fast, brainless and highly compatible and I certainly recommend it to others.

Cheers!

Zenwalk is actually Slackware-based, and netpkg is Slackware's package management program. Actually, I did a bit of digging, and found out that Zenwalk is the Minislack distro with a new name - same guys.

Truth is, I don't care if they call it an OS or not, it is still a distribution of linux.

Linux is the kernel written by Linus Torvalds, and is useless on its own. The rest of a linux-based system is actually GNU's OS tools, utilities, and everything. Thus a distribution of linux is simply this: The linux kernel + whatever programs, tools, and whatever else the packager decides to install with it, or provide for you to use. That's all. It *usually* but not always includes a package manager so that you can install new programs into the system in an easier manner...

But really, the reason Red Hat Linux and Zenwalk Linux and Gentoo Linux are all called linux is because they run the same kernel that controls the basic functions of the computer. Everything else is customized GNUWorld tools or stuff written by the distro's staff/community.

The only exception is Gentoo, which is also a philosophy and package management system which also installs onto other OSes... For example, there's a version of gentoo that installs on MacOSX, and FreeBSD, as well as linux.

Meh, everybody makes mistakes...

Looking back at the last 10 years of my life, I'd be my own laughing stock if I could be smile

People learn from those mistakes, though, if they're smart, and that's why I never put people down for making them. It's only when they don't learn from them that I get pissy...

But you've committed no crime yet, good sir, and in fact I'm more than happy to educate anybody on the subject... I learn something new every day, too, and hopefully you'll teach me something new in the process of getting to know you...

Not only am I a member of the Linux guild here, I'm also a member of the Gaian Grammar Nazi guild.

Trust me, you'll get corrected.... I'll guarantee it smile