> thanks. Well, somebody care to give me a quick reply to my OP, while I'm
> searching for the needles in the hays...?

Slackware packages (.tgz) are normally used for binary releases although they do very often include some development files (include headers) to help build related-software.

Slackware packages don't normally include full source, tar.gz/bz2 are frequently used instead. Although, they too (tar.gz/bz2) can include binaries but are not true Slackware packages.

The .tgz format is essentially the same as tar.gz, the change in extension helps distinguish it as a Slackware package. Most of the time, they should contain an install directory with a package description including version/author/website/build-flags, etc; listing of any essential/optional dependencies; in addition to a script, if needed, to create symbolic links & remove files, etc.

The links posted above by flux and myself should be a little more descriptive and helpful, hopefully.

documented on: Jun 03, 2007, pingus

> The links posted above by flux and myself should be a little more
> descriptive and helpful, hopefully.

Definitely! thanks a lot for your detailed explanation too, pingus!

I quickly skimmed through all the urls listed above, but haven't noticed where the slackware upgrading & versioning is covered.

FYI, as for the upgrading & versioning in other distros,

documented on: Jun 05, 2007, xpt

Slackware have major releases (version 10 or 11) with a fair few number of changes but is more evolutionary than revolutionary. Subsequently, after the major release, sometimes several point-releases (version 10.1, 10.2) are issued that build upon the prior release.

I find the release schedule to be not too frequent and similarly not to distant either.

There is also the slackware-current repository which contains the very latest in slackware packages. Beware since it frequently updates and hence the occasional package is subject to glitches. Although, these isssues are quickly reported and resolved in virtually no time.

Most users will find the slackware-current repository to be perfectly stable or they can patiently wait for a new release, what ever suits them best.

The following is a small collection of package-management related software:

..in addition to numerous absent others. documented on: Jun 05, 2007, pingus

http://www.slax.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=88550#88550

place scripts named with 'S' as startup scripts in the appropriate runlevel ie runlevel 3

/etc/rc.d/rc3.d/S90.somestartupscript

*make sure this file is executable* ie

chmod +x

to address the kdm/gui runlevel4, I simply create a symlink ie

ln -s /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/S90.somestartupscript /etc/rc.d/rc4.d/S90.somestartupscript

S90 is part of the script name to help sequence scripts .. ie S01.a, S02.b will execute in the right order upon startup

some sample lines I like to have in my startupscripts

#!/bin/bash
echo running $0 $*
#commands to run

for shutdown scripts use scripts named with a K instead (Kill?) ie K90.shutdownscript

scripts should be published with a module, but if file permissions are not relevant, you can use the rootcopy feature of slax …

I just looked at page 1 of the "slax5 look here first" and found a startup module example listed as well http://www.slax.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18759&start=0

documented on: 2007-08-27, guest - csmith

It is "K" for shutdown. Uselivemod from Slax6rc4 launches all scripts found under rc.d while for slax 5 it must be in rc3.d

documented on: 2007-08-29, rattata