After having Fedora on my laptop for a while, I decided to yet again attempt another Linux install. Since the last install involved going with a non-current version of a distro, I thought I would try previous versions of other installs. This time around, I stuck to SUSE and Slackware.
SUSE
Suse 8.0 has a footprint possibly on par with WinXP. Granted, I'm running vintage hardware, but a text-based install running on a 10Mbs connection should be manageable. Perhaps it was YAST, perhaps the servers I connected too just all happen to suck, but whatever it was, trying to put SUSE on my little laptop was akin to attempting to shoehorn a gorilla into Mini, and about as useful. During the install, it began to chug on the package distribution reading. Chug, chug, chug for about 2.5 hours until I gave up and looked at slackware again.
Slackware
Sadly, Slackware had abandoned FTP installs for NFS several versions back. HOWEVER, thanks to the credited efforts of Juan F. Codagnone and Daniël de Kok, I can install Slackware 9.1 via most any ftp site I'd want.
It's relatively simple. Grab their version of the install.2 and the network.dsk images, write them to floppies along with bare.i, install.1, and pcmcia.dsk if you're like me and run your nic through such a card. Boot off the floppies as normal, then when you finish the install.2 dsk, pop in the network floppy, type "network" and load the module. Then press "f" to install the ftp kernal module. From there, you run "setup" and go through the install process as normal up until the install media. Then you see the almost tear-inducing "Install from ftp..." option.
Woo Hoo! After running the setup from that, you're off to the races. Now, I'm running Slackware 9.1 on the puppy, and rather speedy as well. Possibly faster than Fedora, even after I cut off all it's glimmer and shininess.
I haven't had much time with play with it yet, but I'm looking forward to doing some kernel crunching and CSC homework on the puppy in the coffeeshops again. Whee!!!
Posted by Jeffrey at December 13, 2004 4:33 PM