From b76270bf9e6dd375e495fec92140a79a79415d27 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Patrick J Volkerding Date: Wed, 19 May 2010 08:58:23 +0000 Subject: Slackware 13.1 Wed May 19 08:58:23 UTC 2010 Slackware 13.1 x86_64 stable is released! Lots of thanks are due -- see the RELEASE_NOTES and the rest of the ChangeLog for credits. The ISOs are on their way to replication, a 6 CD-ROM 32-bit set and a dual-sided 32-bit/64-bit x86/x86_64 DVD. We are taking pre-orders now at store.slackware.com, and offering a discount if you sign up for a subscription. Consider picking up a copy to help support the project. Thanks again to the Slackware community for testing, contributing, and generally holding us to a high level of quality. :-) Enjoy! --- ANNOUNCE.13_1 | 212 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 212 insertions(+) create mode 100644 ANNOUNCE.13_1 (limited to 'ANNOUNCE.13_1') diff --git a/ANNOUNCE.13_1 b/ANNOUNCE.13_1 new file mode 100644 index 000000000..b64686582 --- /dev/null +++ b/ANNOUNCE.13_1 @@ -0,0 +1,212 @@ + + Yes, it's that time again! After many months of development and +careful testing, we are proud to announce the release of Slackware +version 13.1! + + We are sure you'll enjoy the many improvements. We've done our best +to bring the latest technology to Slackware while still maintaining the +stability and security that you have come to expect. Slackware is well +known for its simplicity and the fact that we try to bring software to +you in the condition that the authors intended. + + Slackware 13.1 brings many updates and enhancements, among which +you'll find two of the most advanced desktop environments available +today: Xfce 4.6.1, a fast and lightweight but visually appealing and +easy to use desktop environment, and KDE 4.4.3, a recent stable release +of the new 4.4.x series of the award-winning KDE desktop environment. +We continue to make use of HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) and udev, +which allow the system administrator to grant use of various hardware +devices according to users' group membership so that 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. New to the desktop framework are ConsoleKit +and PolicyKit. ConsoleKit handles "seats", things like dealing with +devices when switching from one user to another. PolicyKit is a system +for fine-grained access control, allowing a non-root user to run certain +tasks with elevated privilege, but more securely than if the entire task +were simply run as root. + + Slackware uses the 2.6.33.4 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. + + There are two kinds of kernels in Slackware. First there are 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. + + +Here are some of the advanced features of Slackware 13.1: + +- Runs the 2.6.33.4 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 2.11.1. + This version of glibc also has excellent compatibility with + existing binaries. + +- X11 based on the X.Org Foundation's modular X Window System. + There's been much activity in the X development world, and the + improvements in terms of performance and hardware support are + too numerous to mention them all here. + +- Installs gcc-4.4.4 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) 2.2.15 web server with Dynamic Shared Object + support, SSL, and PHP 5.2.13. + +- 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 5.10.1, Python 2.6.4, + Ruby 1.9.1-p378, Subversion 1.6.11, git-1.7.1, mercurial-1.5.2, + 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 13.0 to + Slackware 13.1 (see CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT). The slackpkg tool 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 4.4.3, + SeaMonkey 2.0.4 (this is the replacement for the Mozilla + Suite), and the immensely popular Firefox 3.6.3, as well as + the Thunderbird 3.0.4 email and news client with advanced + junk mail filtering. + +- The KDE Software Compilation 4.4.3, a complete desktop environment. + This includes the KOffice productivity suite, networking tools, GUI + development with KDevelop, multimedia tools (including the amazing + Amarok music player and K3B disc burning software), 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-2.7.0, + gimp-2.6.8, gkrellm-2.3.4, gxine-0.5.903, xchat-2.8.6, xsane-0.996, + and pan-0.133. + +- A repository of extra software packages compiled and ready to run. + This includes the Java(TM) 2 Software Development Kit Standard + Edition, an MPlayer browser plugin, and 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 13.1, see this file: + + ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-13.1/PACKAGES.TXT + + +Downloading Slackware 13.1: +--------------------------- + + The full version of Slackware Linux 13.1 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-13.1/ + ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-13.1/ + +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 DVD: +-------------------------------------- + + Or, please consider purchasing the Slackware Linux 13.1 six CD-ROM +set or deluxe dual-sided DVD release directly from Slackware Linux, and +you'll be helping to support the continued development of Slackware +Linux! + + The DVD release has the 32-bit x86 Slackware 13.1 release on one +side, and the 64-bit x86_64 Slackware 13.1 release on the other. Both +sides are bootable for easy installation, and includes everything from +both releases of Slackware 13.1, including the complete source code +trees. + + The 6 CD-ROM release of Slackware 13.1 is the 32-bit x86 edition. +It includes a bootable first CD-ROM for easy installation. The 6 +CD-ROMs are labeled for easy reference. + + + The Slackware 13.1 x86 6 CD-ROM set is $49.95 plus shipping, or +choose the Slackware 13.1 x86/x86_64 dual-sided DVD (also $49.95 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 for a reduced subscription +price ($32.99 for the CD-ROM set, or $39.95 for the DVD) plus shipping. + + For shipping options, see the Slackware store website. 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 + + +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 + -- cgit v1.2.3