New to Salix, but not Linux

[Sasquatch]

I've had so many Linux distros I've lost count. Most have been Debian. Most recently, I had a Gentoo distro. What can I expect to be different about a Slackware distro like Salix?

I'm interested in getting deeper into Linux. I'm not afraid of the terminal, but I'm not yet fully comfortable with it either. I like compiling programs from source, but I get confused about how to organize things. Do I install programs to /opt or to /usr/local? How do I get new programs to show in the menu?

I have a very massive book on Linux. And it has helped me with the basics. But there is so much more to understanding how to tweak the appearance and function of a distro. I'll never be a hacker or IT pro. But I really would like to understand how to optimize my OS for my own needs.

So aside from a simple intro, consider this thread an opportunity to enlighten a novice in the ways of fine-tuning a Linux box.

I guess I should introduce myself while I'm at it. I'm Sasquatch- a big, hairy primate who isn't fond of interactions with humans. I was president of my highschool computer club back when BASIC was still a popular language and Apple had just released the II-GS. I'm not afraid of computers, nor am I unfamiliar with them. But I've spent the past sixteen years driving trucks across the country. So my kung-fu is weak. But I once built my own box and plan to do so again. So I'm eager to learn how to do things right. Somewhere around here I even have a "Linux from scratch" CD. I wouldn't mind creating my own distro at some point. I have a whole lot to learn before that happens.

My goal at this point is to create a server system for the house that my wife and I can access from our laptops. Something I could use as an entertainment system as well as an ordinary computer and possibly even a "smart house" control. Simple, right?

[mimosa]

Welcome to Salix!

Do check out the Salix Startup Guide:

http://guide.salixos.org

which is a basic intro but should still be a useful orientation.

To find out about the internals of SLackware as such, as opposed to Debian etc, the Slackbook is a good starting point; see also the Slackware forum on www.linuxquestions.org.

http://www.slackbook.org/

[Sasquatch]

The startup guide was the first page I bookmarked. Good information there.