slackware-current/ANNOUNCE.14_0

    Yes, it is that time again!  After well over a year of planning,
development, and testing, the Slackware Linux Project is proud to
announce the latest stable release of the longest running distribution
of the Linux operating system, Slackware version 14.0! 

    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 14.0 brings many updates and enhancements, among which 
you'll find two of the most advanced desktop environments available 
today: Xfce 4.10.0, a fast and lightweight but visually appealing and 
easy to use desktop environment, and KDE 4.8.5, a recent stable release 
of the 4.8.x series of the award-winning KDE desktop environment.  
These desktops utilize udev, udisks, and udisks2, and many of the
specifications from freedesktop.org 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.  Slackware's desktop
should be suitable for any level of Linux experience.

    Slackware uses the 3.2.29 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.  Note that on
x86_64 (64-bit), all the kernels are SMP capable.


Here are some of the advanced features of Slackware 14.0:

- Runs the 3.2.29 version of the Linux kernel from ftp.kernel.org.
  The 3.2.x series is well-tested, offers good performance, and will be
  getting long term support from kernel.org.  For people interested in
  trying out newer kernels, we've provided sample configuration files
  for Linux 3.4.11, 3.5.4, and 3.6-rc4 under the /testing directory.

- System binaries are linked with the GNU C Library, version 2.15.
  This version of glibc also has excellent compatibility with
  existing binaries.

- X11 based on the X.Org Foundation's modular X Window System.
  This is X11R7.7, a new release, with many improvements in terms of
  performance and hardware support.

- Installs gcc-4.7.1 as the default C, C++, Objective-C, 
  Fortran-77/95/2003/2008, and Ada 95/2005/2012 compiler.

- Support for NetworkManager for simple configuration of wired and
  wireless network connections, including mobile broadband, IPv6, VPN,
  and more.  Roam seamlessly between known networks, and quickly set
  up new connections.  We've retained full support for the traditional
  Slackware networking scripts and for the wicd network manager,
  offering choice and flexibility to all levels of users.

- Support for fully encrypted network connections with OpenSSL,
  OpenSSH, OpenVPN, and GnuPG.

- Apache (httpd) 2.4.3 web server with Dynamic Shared Object 
  support, SSL, and PHP 5.4.7.

- USB, IEEE 1394 (FireWire), and ACPI support, as well as legacy PCMCIA
  and Cardbus support.  This makes Slackware a great operating system
  for your laptop.

- The udev dynamic device management system for Linux 3.x.
  This locates and configures most hardware automatically as it
  is added (or removed) from the system, loading kernel modules
  as needed.  It works along with the kernel's devtmpfs filesystem
  to create access nodes in the /dev directory.

- New development tools, including Perl 5.16.1, Python 2.7.3,
  Ruby 1.9.3-p194, Subversion 1.7.6, git-1.7.12.1, mercurial-2.2.2,
  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 13.37 to 
  Slackware 14.0 (see UPGRADE.TXT and 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 will help you build and maintain
  your own packages.

- Web browsers galore!  Includes KDE's Konqueror 4.8.5, SeaMonkey 2.12.1
  (this is the replacement for the Mozilla Suite), Mozilla Firefox 15.0.1,
  as well as the Thunderbird 15.0.1 email and news client with advanced
  junk mail filtering.  A script is also available in /extra to repackage
  Google Chrome as a native Slackware package.

- The KDE Software Compilation 4.8.5, a complete desktop environment.
  This includes the Calligra productivity suite (previously known as
  KOffice), networking tools, GUI development with KDevelop, multimedia
  tools (including the 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-2.10.6,
   gimp-2.8.2 (with many improvements including a single window mode),
   gkrellm-2.3.5, xchat-2.8.8, xsane-0.998, and pan-0.139.

- A repository of extra software packages compiled and ready to run
  in the /extra directory.
  
- Many more improved and upgraded packages than we can list here.  For
  a complete list of core packages in Slackware 14.0, see this file:

    ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.0/PACKAGES.TXT

     
Downloading Slackware 14.0:
---------------------------

    The full version of Slackware Linux 14.0 is available for download 
from the central Slackware FTP site hosted by our friends at osuosl.org:

   ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-14.0/

If the sites are busy, see the list of official mirror sites here:

   http://mirrors.slackware.com

    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 14.0 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 14.0 release on one 
side, and the 64-bit x86_64 Slackware 14.0 release on the other.  Both 
sides are bootable for easy installation, and includes everything from 
both releases of Slackware 14.0, including the complete source code 
trees.

    The 6 CD-ROM release of Slackware 14.0 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 14.0 x86 6 CD-ROM set is $49.95 plus shipping, or 
choose the Slackware 14.0 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.  There are still some 1337 T-shirts left,
and we'll also be unveiling a brand new T-shirt design soon for this new
release.

    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    <volkerdi@slackware.com>

Visit us on the web at:  http://slackware.com