2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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Yes, it's that time again! After many months of development and
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careful testing, we are proud to announce the release of Slackware
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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version 13.37!
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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We are sure you'll enjoy the many improvements. We've done our best
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to bring the latest technology to Slackware while still maintaining the
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stability and security that you have come to expect. Slackware is well
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known for its simplicity and the fact that we try to bring software to
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you in the condition that the authors intended.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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Slackware 13.37 brings many updates and enhancements, among which
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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you'll find two of the most advanced desktop environments available
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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today: Xfce 4.6.2, a fast and lightweight but visually appealing and
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easy to use desktop environment, and KDE 4.5.5, a recent stable release
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of the 4.5.x series of the award-winning KDE desktop environment.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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We continue to make use of HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) and udev,
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which allow the system administrator to grant use of various hardware
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devices according to users' group membership so that they will be able
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to use items such as USB flash sticks, USB cameras that appear like USB
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storage, portable hard drives, CD and DVD media, MP3 players, and more,
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all without requiring sudo, the mount or umount command. Just plug and
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play. Properly set up, Slackware's desktop should be suitable for any
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level of Linux experience. New to the desktop framework are ConsoleKit
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and PolicyKit. ConsoleKit handles "seats", things like dealing with
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devices when switching from one user to another. PolicyKit is a system
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for fine-grained access control, allowing a non-root user to run certain
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tasks with elevated privilege, but more securely than if the entire task
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were simply run as root.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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Slackware uses the 2.6.37.6 kernel bringing you advanced performance
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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features such as journaling filesystems, SCSI and ATA RAID volume
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support, SATA support, Software RAID, LVM (the Logical Volume Manager),
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and encrypted filesystems. Kernel support for X DRI (the Direct
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Rendering Interface) brings high-speed hardware accelerated 3D graphics
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to Linux.
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There are two kinds of kernels in Slackware. First there are the
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huge kernels, which contain support for just about every driver in the
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Linux kernel. These are primarily intended to be used for installation,
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but there's no real reason that you couldn't continue to run them after
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you have installed. The other type of kernel is the generic kernel, in
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which nearly every driver is built as a module. To use a generic kernel
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you'll need to build an initrd to load your filesystem module and
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possibly your drive controller or other drivers needed at boot time,
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configure LILO to load the initrd at boot, and reinstall LILO. See the
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docs in /boot after installing for more information. Slackware's Linux
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kernels come in both SMP and non-SMP types now. The SMP kernel supports
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multiple processors, multi-core CPUs, HyperThreading, and about every
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other optimization available. In our own testing this kernel has proven
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to be fast, stable, and reliable. We recommend using the SMP kernel
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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even on single processor machines if it will run on them. Note that on
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x86_64 (64-bit), all the kernels are SMP capable.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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Here are some of the advanced features of Slackware 13.37:
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- Runs the 2.6.37.6 version of the Linux kernel from ftp.kernel.org.
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Alternate 2.6.38.4 Linux kernels are also provided, as well as
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suggested configurations for using a 2.6.39-rc4 kernel, or the
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2.6.35.12 kernel which is supposed to be longterm supported. These
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kernels will provide reliable performance for your desktop or your
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production server. By the way, the Speakup driver, used to support
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speech synthesizers providing access to Linux for the visually impaired
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community, has now been merged into all of the provided kernels.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- System binaries are linked with the GNU C Library, version 2.13.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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This version of glibc also has excellent compatibility with
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existing binaries.
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- X11 based on the X.Org Foundation's modular X Window System.
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There's been much activity in the X development world, and the
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improvements in terms of performance and hardware support are
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too numerous to mention them all here.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- Installs gcc-4.5.2 as the default C, C++, Objective-C,
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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Fortran-77/95, and Ada 95 compiler.
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- Support for fully encrypted network connections with OpenSSL,
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OpenSSH, OpenVPN, and GnuPG.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- Apache (httpd) 2.2.17 web server with Dynamic Shared Object
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support, SSL, and PHP 5.3.6.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- PCMCIA, CardBus, USB, FireWire and ACPI support. This
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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makes Slackware a great operating system for your laptop.
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- The udev dynamic device management system for Linux 2.6.x.
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This locates and configures most hardware automatically as it
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is added (or removed) from the system, and creates the access
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nodes in /dev. It also loads the kernel modules required by
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sound cards and other hardware at boot time.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- New development tools, including Perl 5.12.3, Python 2.6.6,
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Ruby 1.9.1-p431, Subversion 1.6.16, git-1.7.4.4, mercurial-1.8.2,
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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graphical tools like Qt designer and KDevelop, and much more.
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- Updated versions of the Slackware package management tools make it
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easy to add, remove, upgrade, and make your own Slackware packages.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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Package tracking makes it easy to upgrade from Slackware 13.1 to
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Slackware 13.37 (see UPGRADE.TXT and CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT).
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The slackpkg tool can also help update from an older version of
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Slackware to a newer one, and keep your Slackware system up to date.
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In addition, the slacktrack utility will help you build and maintain
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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your own packages.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- Web browsers galore! Includes KDE's Konqueror 4.5.5, SeaMonkey 2.1b3
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(this is the replacement for the Mozilla Suite), and the eagerly
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anticipated update to Mozilla's immensely popular Firefox browser,
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Firefox 4.0, as well as the Thunderbird 3.1.9 email and news client
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with advanced junk mail filtering.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- The KDE Software Compilation 4.5.5, a complete desktop environment.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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This includes the KOffice productivity suite, networking tools, GUI
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development with KDevelop, multimedia tools (including the amazing
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Amarok music player and K3B disc burning software), the Konqueror web
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browser and file manager, dozens of games and utilities,
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international language support, and more.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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- A collection of GTK+ based applications including pidgin-2.7.11,
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gimp-2.6.11, gkrellm-2.3.5, xchat-2.8.8, xsane-0.998, and pan-0.134.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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- A repository of extra software packages compiled and ready to run.
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This includes the Java(TM) 2 Software Development Kit Standard
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Edition, an MPlayer browser plugin, and more (see the /extra directory).
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- Many more improved and upgraded packages than we can list here. For
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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a complete list of core packages in Slackware 13.37, see this file:
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-13.37/PACKAGES.TXT
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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Downloading Slackware 13.37:
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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---------------------------
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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The full version of Slackware Linux 13.37 is available for download
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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from the central Slackware FTP sites hosted by our friends at
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www.cwo.com and osuosl.org:
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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ftp://slackware.osuosl.org/pub/slackware/slackware-13.37/
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ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-13.37/
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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If the sites are busy, see the list of official mirror sites here:
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http://slackware.com/getslack/
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We will be setting up BitTorrent downloads for the official ISO
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images. Stay tuned to http://slackware.com for the latest updates.
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Instructions for burning the Slackware tree onto install discs may
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be found in the isolinux directory.
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Purchasing Slackware on CD-ROM or DVD:
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--------------------------------------
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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Or, please consider purchasing the Slackware Linux 13.37 six CD-ROM
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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set or deluxe dual-sided DVD release directly from Slackware Linux, and
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you'll be helping to support the continued development of Slackware
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Linux!
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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The DVD release has the 32-bit x86 Slackware 13.37 release on one
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side, and the 64-bit x86_64 Slackware 13.37 release on the other. Both
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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sides are bootable for easy installation, and includes everything from
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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both releases of Slackware 13.37, including the complete source code
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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trees.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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The 6 CD-ROM release of Slackware 13.37 is the 32-bit x86 edition.
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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It includes a bootable first CD-ROM for easy installation. The 6
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CD-ROMs are labeled for easy reference.
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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The Slackware 13.37 x86 6 CD-ROM set is $49.95 plus shipping, or
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choose the Slackware 13.37 x86/x86_64 dual-sided DVD (also $49.95 plus
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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shipping).
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Slackware Linux is also available by subscription. When we release
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a new version of Slackware (which is normally once or twice a year) we
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ship it to you and bill your credit card for a reduced subscription
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price ($32.99 for the CD-ROM set, or $39.95 for the DVD) plus shipping.
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For shipping options, see the Slackware store website. Before
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ordering express shipping, you may wish to check that we have the
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product in stock. We make releases to the net at the same time as disc
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production begins, so there is a lag between the online release and the
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shipping of media. But, even if you download now you can still buy the
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official media later. You'll feel good, be helping the project, and have
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a great decorative item perfect for any computer room shelf. :-)
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Ordering Information:
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---------------------
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You can order online at the Slackware Linux store:
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http://store.slackware.com
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Other Slackware items like t-shirts, caps, pins, and stickers can
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also be found here. These will help you find and identify yourself to
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2011-04-25 15:37:00 +02:00
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your fellow Slackware users. Check out the new limited edition 1337
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black Slackware T-shirt with the classic logo on the front and a custom
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LILO boot screen on the back (with references to a few famous fictional
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computers! :-)
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2010-05-19 10:58:23 +02:00
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Order inquiries (including questions about becoming a Slackware
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reseller) may be directed to this address: info@slackware.com
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Have fun! :^) I hope you find Slackware to be useful, and thanks
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very much for your support of this project over the years.
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---
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Patrick J. Volkerding <volkerdi@slackware.com>
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Visit us on the web at: http://slackware.com
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