URPMI is your friend!
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| Author | Content |
|---|---|
| AnonymousCoward Feb 04, 2009 11:14 AM EDT |
Different names (like Synaptic https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto) apply to different distributions, but the principle is the same. Every system readily available today will do its own updates. |
| jdixon Feb 04, 2009 12:08 PM EDT |
> Every system readily available today will do its own updates. With at least one notable exception. :) But then it expects you to actually be responsible for your system. But even Slackware has additional programs which will do it for you, and one of them is included in the extras directory. |
| caitlyn Feb 04, 2009 1:49 PM EDT |
jdixon: Thanks for the clarification. Actually Slackware is not alone in this but it is the only major distribution that doesn't provide the functionality out of the box. Vector Linux 6.0 (now at rc4) includes slapt-notifier which pops up a little red icon similar to Fedora in the notification area of the desktop panel. That was written for Slackware so it could be used on the original distro as well. Updates in the new Vector Linux are point, click, done (except for the kernel). It couldn't be easier. and it should work for Slackware. |
| jdixon Feb 04, 2009 3:42 PM EDT |
Caitlyn: Slackware includes slackpkg in it's extra directory, and you can automate it in a crontab to check for and install updates as frequently as you wish. It's just not installed and enabled by default. And yes, slapt-notifier, being part of the slapt-get family of utilities should work with Slackware as well. |
| garymax Feb 04, 2009 3:53 PM EDT |
Finally, a reason for the masses to move to Slackware! |
| Steven_Rosenber Feb 04, 2009 7:35 PM EDT |
Caitlyn, what's the reasoning behind Slackware and/or Vector not pushing kernel updates? |
| gus3 Feb 04, 2009 8:02 PM EDT |
Security updates do get pushed, and occasional general-purpose kernel updates are available in -current. But since Patrick Volkerding doesn't patch the kernel as a rule, there's nothing stopping you from grabbing a vanilla source from kernel.org and building your own. You can start by taking the appropriate /boot/config, copying it into the new kernel source tree, and then run "make oldconfig". New IDE/SATA drivers should be built in, new filesystem (and other device) drivers should be modularized, and then you'll have a configuration very close to how it would appear in stock Slackware. Once the new kernel and modules are built and installed, just make sure you build a new init ramdisk; I've been burnt by forgetting that step. As a final tip, I suggest a new entry in LILO, rather than over-writing your old kernel and init ramdisk, so you can fall back if need be. Yes, that's somewhat abbreviated, but even casual Slackers probably understand what I mean. ("Casual Slackers." Is there such a thing?) |
| jdixon Feb 04, 2009 9:15 PM EDT |
> ...what's the reasoning behind Slackware and/or Vector not pushing kernel updates? A given version of Slackware only gets security updates. Any version updates are the administrator's responsibility. I can't speak to Vector. Of course, there are occasions where a security update requires a version upgrade, but they're fairly rare. As gus3 notes, you can always upgrade the kernel yourself, but unless you need some type of hardware support, there's seldom a reason to do so. |
| gus3 Feb 04, 2009 9:33 PM EDT |
In my case, "hardware support" means "I gotta have the latest shiny stuff." I get itchy that way. Sometimes I have to fight the urge to download the latest RC kernel. |
| jdixon Feb 04, 2009 9:36 PM EDT |
> In my case, "hardware support" means "I gotta have the latest shiny stuff." Ah, a user who defines the term bleeding edge. :) |
| theboomboomcars Feb 04, 2009 9:51 PM EDT |
So in slackware if you install a newer version of the kernel do security updates still apply? |
| gus3 Feb 04, 2009 11:01 PM EDT |
If those security updates are in applications, yes. If the security updates involve the kernel, then it's likely same-same. Updating the kernel using a the Slackware packages would be functionally equivalent to building the same kernel version by hand with "make oldconfig" as I explained above. Slackware kernels are stock, unpatched Linux kernels. (Disclaimer: IIRC, Mr. Volkerding did include a very necessary patch a couple years ago, due to a rather unpleasant kernel issue that hadn't yet been fixed in an official release, along with an explanation in the ChangeLog. As soon as the patch was incorporated into mainline, it was back to business as usual.) |
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