{"id":12739,"date":"2025-07-17T10:23:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T17:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/?p=12739"},"modified":"2025-07-17T10:24:02","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T17:24:02","slug":"a-timeless-legacy-celebrating-slackwares-32nd-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/2025\/07\/17\/a-timeless-legacy-celebrating-slackwares-32nd-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"A Timeless Legacy: Celebrating Slackware\u2019s 32nd Anniversary"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This is a great distribution which I ran for over a year as my main OS in the the early 2000’s. Though, you eventually reach a point that you want fuller repositories and less compiling. But it was extremely stable. These days I prefer Arch or Debian for big repositories, with Arch getting the nod for more up to date packages, and AUR<\/a> with scripts for easily compiling additional software that are packaged for Arch with better system integration. And AUR has come in handy recently for using the XLibre X11<\/a> packages on my Arch laptop. But congratulations to Slackware for 32 years of Linux goodness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/ostechnix.com\/celebrating-slackware-linux-32nd-anniversary\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
Slackware’s Enduring Legacy: 32 Years of Linux Stability<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

By sk <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yesterday, 16 July 2025<\/strong>, is a truly special day in the history of open source software. It was the 32nd anniversary of Slackware Linux<\/strong>, a name that resonates deeply with anyone who appreciates stability, simplicity, and a hands-on approach to computing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"32nd<\/a>
32nd Anniversary of Slackware Linux<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For me, it\u2019s not just an anniversary; it\u2019s a celebration of an operating system that truly changed the landscape and continues its steadfast journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Birth of Slackware<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The story of Slackware began in late 1992 with Patrick Volkerding<\/strong>, affectionately known by many as “The Man” and Slackware’s “Benevolent Dictator for Life” (BDFL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Patrick<\/a>
Patrick Volkerding – Founder and Maintainer of the Slackware Linux Distribution<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Patrick, who earned his BS in Computer Science in 1993, first encountered Linux when seeking an affordable LISP interpreter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He started using SLS Linux from Soft Landing Systems, but like many early adopters, he found himself fixing bugs as he went along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eventually, he decided to merge all his bug fixes into his own private distribution for himself and his friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This personal project quickly gained popularity, leading Patrick to name it Slackware and make it publicly available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Official Announcement for Slackware Linux 1.00<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The official announcement for Slackware Linux 1.00<\/a> was made on 16 July 1993<\/strong>, though it was “initially released to the world on July 17, 1993”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Official<\/a>
Official Announcement for Slackware Linux 1.00<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This launch heralded the beginning of what is now known as the oldest Linux distribution still maintained<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right from the start, Slackware aimed to make things easier for users by introducing a user-friendly installation program based on a menuing system<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patrick also pioneered the concept of package management<\/strong>, allowing users to effortlessly add, remove, or upgrade software on their systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Enduring Philosophy: Simple, Solid, Slackware<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What truly sets Slackware apart and explains its remarkable longevity is its core philosophy. As the saying goes, it’s “Still simple. Still solid. Still Slackware”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slackware distribution does not attempt to mimic Windows<\/strong>; instead, it strives to be as Unix-like as possible<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means you won’t find fancy, point-and-click graphical user interfaces (GUIs) covering up processes. Instead, Slackware puts you, the user, firmly in control, allowing you to see exactly what\u2019s happening beneath the surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its development process is equally distinctive: versions are not rushed to meet deadlines<\/strong>; instead, “each version comes out when it is ready”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This commitment to readiness over arbitrary dates is a significant factor in Slackware’s renowned stability and simplicity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has earned a strong reputation as a solid server and a no-nonsense workstation<\/strong>, powering businesses and serving in nearly every capacity a server can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The People Behind the Slackware Project<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While Patrick Volkerding is the founder and BDFL, Slackware’s journey has also been shaped by other dedicated individuals. For instance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • David Cantrell<\/strong> worked full-time on Slackware for several years, handling the SPARC port, technical support, testing, and new package development. He also developed the autoslack<\/code> and protopkg<\/code> utilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Chris Lumens<\/strong> also dedicated several years full-time to the project. He was responsible for porting Slackware to the Alpha platform (known as Slackware64\u2122) and played a significant role in the Slackware Linux Essentials<\/em> book, including its formatting. Chris also contributed to PHP and MySQL projects.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    A Legacy That Changed Lives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    For many users, Slackware wasn’t just another operating system; it was a foundational experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Numerous users recall it as their very first Linux distribution, describing it as “hard AF for total newbie” but incredibly rewarding, making them “feel like a total hacker”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Imagine the dopamine hit of discovering the startx<\/code> command to load KDE3 without easy internet access, or installing a modem driver entirely from the console.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    These challenging but formative experiences created lasting memories, with some users stating that Slackware and Linux “totally have changed my life – for better or worse”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Even though the original 1.0 release is largely considered “lost to time” with only the beta and 1.01 versions known to exist, its impact is undeniable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Slackware isn’t for everyone, but it continues to attract those who “enjoy learning and tweaking their system to do exactly what they want”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Its stability and simplicity<\/strong> are why people will continue to use it for years to come. And speaking from experience, I can tell you that Slackware users are truly among the most satisfied Linux users<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s to many more years of this incredible, enduring Linux distribution!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    This is a great distribution which I ran for over a year as my main OS in the the early 2000’s. Though, you eventually reach a point that you want fuller repositories and less compiling. But it was extremely stable. These days I prefer Arch or Debian for big repositories, with Arch getting the nod […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tech"],"blocksy_meta":[],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Jason","author_link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/author\/jturning\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12739","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12739"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12739\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12741,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12739\/revisions\/12741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12739"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12739"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12739"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}