Announcing Slackware Linux 8.1! The first major release for 2002, Slackware Linux 8.1 continues the Slackware tradition of simplicity, stability, and security. It is the essential Linux distribution from the team that knows Linux inside and out. Among the many program updates and distribution enhancements, you'll find two of the most advanced desktop environments available today: GNOME 1.4.1 (with a large collection of pre-compiled GNOME applications), and KDE 3.0.1, the latest version of the award-winning K Desktop Environment. Slackware now uses the 2.4.18 kernel bringing you advanced performance features such as the ReiserFS journaling filesystem, SCSI and ATA RAID volume support, and kernel support for XFree86's DRI (the Direct Rendering Interface) that brings high-speed hardware accelerated 3D graphics to Linux. Additional kernels allow installing Slackware using any of the journaling filesystems available for Linux, including ext3, ReiserFS, IBM's JFS, and SGI's XFS. 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 8.1: - Runs the 2.4.18 version of the Linux kernel from ftp.kernel.org. Special kernels were prepared to support hardware such as SCSI controllers, USB keyboards and mice, parallel-port IDE devices, IBM PS/2 machines with the Microchannel bus, and even speech synthesizers providing access to Linux for the visually impaired community. The performance of the 2.4.x kernel series along with Slackware's track record of careful attention to system security make it the perfect choice for running your production servers. - System binaries linked with the GNU C Library, version 2.2.5. - XFree86 4.2.0 This version of XFree86 represents a major re-design, and brings with it many greatly anticipated new features, most notably support for hardware accelerated graphics using the Direct Rendering Interface supported by the 2.4.18 Linux kernel. The 3D performance rockets past anything you've ever seen before. Gamers, get ready. :) - Major enhancements to the printing system, which now uses LPRng for better performance and security. CUPS is also provided as an alternative in the extra/ directory. The Ghostscript interpreter has been upgraded to version 7.05, which brings with it several new printer drivers as well as support for the new IJS interface, which allows new printer drivers to be added to Ghostscript without requiring a recompilation. Two IJS servers are available in this release. HPIJS, which supports more than 60 HP Inkjet printer models, and Gimp-Print, which supports many printers from Canon and Epson. - Installs gcc-2.95.3 as the default C, C++, Objective-C and Fortran-77 compiler. gcc-3.1 is also included in the extra/ directory. - Support for fully encrypted network connections with OpenSSL and OpenSSH. - Apache 1.3.26 web server with Dynamic Shared Object (DSO) support, SSL, and PHP. - PCMCIA, CardBus, and APM support for laptops. (pcmcia-cs-3.1.33) - New development tools, including Perl 5.6.1, Python 2.2.1, and graphical tools like Qt designer, KDevelop, and Glade. - Updated versions of the Slackware package management tools make it easy to add, remove, upgrade, and make your own Slackware packages. The package naming system has been expanded to include the base name, version, architecture, and build number (like other packaging systems you may have seen before ;). The improved package tracking makes it easy to upgrade to Slackware 8.1 from Slackware 7.0, 7.1, or 8.0. - Web browsers galore! Includes Netscape Communicator version 6.2.3, Konqueror 3.0.1, Mozilla 1.0 (!!!), and Galeon 1.2.5. - The complete K Desktop Environment (KDE) version 3.0.1, including the KOffice productivity suite, networking tools, GUI development with KDevelop, multimedia tools, the Konqueror web browser and file manager, dozens of games and utilities, international language support, and more. - The GNU Network Object Model Environment (GNOME) 1.4.1. Includes a full range of GNOME packages such as abiword-1.0.2, evolution-1.0.7, gnumeric-1.0.7, nautilus-1.0.6, pan-0.11.3, sawfish-1.0.1, xscreensaver-4.05_gnome, and more. - Large repository of contributed software compiled and ready to run. This includes various window managers, support for 3Dfx gaming cards, XFree86 3.3.6 servers to support older hardware, OpenMotif-2.2.1, gcc-3.1, ISDN support, 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 8.1, see this file: ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-8.1/PACKAGES.TXT - Another Slackware exclusive: Slackware's ZipSlack installation option is the fastest, _easiest_ Linux installation ever. ZipSlack provides a basic text-based Linux system as a 38 megabyte ZIP archive. Simply unzip on any FAT or FAT32 partition, edit your boot partition in the LINUX.BAT batch file, and you can be running Linux in less than five minutes. The ZipSlack installation includes everything you need to network with Linux (including Ethernet, token ring, SLIP and PPP), and extend the system with additional software packages such as X. A ZipSlack system will even fit on a Zip(TM) disk, so you can carry a personal Linux system with you to run on any PC with a Zip(TM) drive. Downloading Slackware 8.1: -------------------------- The full version of Slackware Linux 8.1 is available for download from the central Slackware FTP site hosted by our friends at www.cwo.com: ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-8.1/ The ZipSlack version of Slackware can be downloaded from: ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-8.1/zipslack/ If this site is busy, see the list of official mirror sites here: http://slackware.com/getslack/ Purchasing Slackware on CD-ROM: ------------------------------- Or, purchase the Slackware Linux 8.1 four 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. - Fully installed bootable live CD-ROM -- just boot the second disc and run a full Linux system right off the disc, including networking, full development, and X with no installation necessary. Makes the ultimate Linux rescue disc! - The ZipSlack edition of Slackware Linux 8.1. - The entire source code used to build Slackware Linux 8.1. The price for the Slackware Linux CD-ROM set is $39.95 plus shipping. Slackware Linux is also available by subscription. When we release a new version of Slackware (which is typically once or twice a year) we ship it to you and bill your credit card $24.95 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. Ordering Information: --------------------- You can order online at the Slackware Linux store: http://store.slackware.com Email orders and reseller information: info@slackware.com Or, send a check or money order to: Slackware Linux, Inc. 3623 Sanford St Concord CA 94520 USA Have fun! :^) --- Patrick J. Volkerding Logan Johnson Chris Lumens David Cantrell Visit us on the web at: http://slackware.com