Info on Salix's philosophy

[releasedinjapan]

Hi,

I've heard about Salix OS on Distrowatch and now I'm running it in VirtualBox. Seems like exactly the distro I was looking for, so I have some questions on the project's goals (right now documentation is still sparse ).

I was turned off Slackware by it being sometimes "too" lazy and being developed in a too closed way. Nevertheless I like the "KISS" way of using non-patched software, not taking the user by hand, using only mature and well-tested software (no pulseaudio yet, no tracker/beagle).

Other Slackware-based distros departed too much from Slackware, so they infringed rule #1 of KISS : being lazy Zenwalk, GoblinX, Wolvix, etc, are more independent, incompatible distros with a completely different vision. Like other KISS distros, they often end up being less solid and less hacker friendly than Slackware. I was only looking for an "improved" Slackware. Namely :
- where development is more open
- where community is more involved
- which has better internationalisation
- which proposes more binary packages
- which has slightly better package tools (faster, maybe basic dependency checking)
- which has a slightly better installer (proposing installation modes like "Minimal", "Desktop", "Server", etc)
- where usage of UTF-8 or similar Unicode charsets is recommended
- which may include some nice branding

So far Salix is the only distro I know which is tracking and improving Slackware, and is fully compatible with it (I like the fact that Slackware users can use Salix repositories). Is this compatibility one of Salix's goals? Will it stay Slackware + improvements or are you planning to change core parts of the system? How do you choose software that go into the main repository? What are Salix's main goals?

Thanks for reading this far and for your answers!

[thenktor]

Hi releasedinjapan!

- where development is more open
- where community is more involved
- which has better internationalisation
- which proposes more binary packages
- which has slightly better package tools (faster, maybe basic dependency checking)
- which has a slightly better installer (proposing installation modes like "Minimal", "Desktop", "Server", etc)
- where usage of UTF-8 or similar Unicode charsets is recommended
- which may include some nice branding

You are looking for Salix In fact this is a good summary of what we want to have, too.

Is this compatibility one of Salix's goals?

Yes

Will it stay Slackware + improvements or are you planning to change core parts of the system?

We don't want do change core parts of Slackware as long as it is not really necessary. The Slackware core offers a solid, tested and stable base. So why should we want to change it?

How do you choose software that go into the main repository?

Are you talking about the ISO or our repository? While everything can go to our repository, the ISO software was chosen because we think it provides all the features but still is not overloaded.

What are Salix's main goals?

I think you already have written down our goals in your own words

[Akuna]

Hi releasedinjapan,

This is an excerpt of an interview we are preparing for an online magazine:

What is your philosophy?

Definitely KISS (Keep It Super Simple)!
1- Simple to develop. Being based on Slackware which transparently keeps all its internal system easily accessible via mere bash scripts, a real paradise for the hobbyist hacker who can personalize it to the nth degree. (This is why in spite of wouldbe detractors who do not find it modern or sexy enough, Slackware constantly & regularly serves as a base for new distros)
2-Simple to maintain. Again being completely compatible & in sync with Slackware, which is known for its unequaled stability & security, all the heavy handed work of security updates & bugfixes is taken care of upstream.
3-Simple to use. As great as Slackware is in many ways, an actual feature of its design which expects you to be in complete control & will not do things in your stead can be arduous for some folks. Especially the kind who seek a system that 'simply works' without getting their hands in the motor. This is where we want to serve as a relay, by providing fully localized system tools, package dependency management as well a vast repository of good quality packages.

Does the subtitle Bonsai indicate that philosophy?

Yes, a Bonsai is a miniature version of a venerable tree, though it is small & light, it takes infinite care for it to develop & flourish. Likewise, Salix is a small simplified version of the most stable & time-proofed distro out there, namely Slackware, and we are giving it our infinite care.