Slackware 12.2 comes with enhancements

Slackware 12.2 combines Slackware’s legendary simplicity (and close tracking of original sources), stability, and security with some of the latest advances in Linux technology. From the beginning, Slackware has offered a stable and secure Linux distribution for UNIX veterans as well as an easy-to-use system for beginners. Slackware includes everything you’ll need to run a powerful server or workstation.

Here are some of the advanced features of Slackware 12.2:

  • Support for fully encrypted network connections with OpenSSL, OpenSSH, OpenVPN, and GnuPG.
  • Apache (httpd) 2.2.10 web server with Dynamic Shared Object support, SSL, and PHP 5.2.8.
  • Runs the 2.6.27.7 version of the Linux kernel from ftp.kernel.org. The 2.6.x kernel series has matured into a stable kernel, and provides reliable performance for your desktop or your production server.
  • System binaries are linked with the GNU C Library, version 2.7. This version of glibc also has excellent compatibility with existing binaries.
  • X11 based on the X.Org Foundation’s modular X Window System. There’s been much activity in the X development world, and the improvements in terms of performance and hardware support are too numerous to mention them all here.
  • Installs gcc-4.2.4 as the default C, C++, Objective-C, Fortran-77/95, and Ada 95 compiler.
  • PCMCIA, CardBus, USB, IEE1394 (FireWire) and ACPI support. This makes Slackware a great operating system for your laptop.
  • The udev dynamic device management system for Linux 2.6.x. This locates and configures most hardware automatically as it is added (or removed) from the system, and creates the access nodes in /dev. It also loads the kernel modules required by sound cards and other hardware at boot time.
  • New development tools, including Perl 5.10.0, Python 2.5.2, Ruby 1.8.7-p72, Subversion 1.5.4, git-1.6.0.3, mercurial-1.0.2, 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 12.1 to Slackware 12.2 (see 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 (in extra/) will help you build and maintain your own packages.
  • Includes KDE’s Konqueror 3.5.10, SeaMonkey 1.1.13, and Firefox 3.0.4, as well as the Thunderbird 2.0.0.18 email and news client with advanced junk mail filtering.
  • The complete K Desktop Environment (KDE) version 3.5.10, including the KOffice productivity suite, networking tools, GUI development with KDevelop, and more.
  • A collection of GTK+ based applications including pidgin-2.5.2, gimp-2.4.7, gkrellm-2.3.2, gxine-0.5.903, xchat-2.8.6, xsane-0.996, and pan-0.133.
  • Large repository of extra software packages compiled and ready to run. This includes various window managers, the Java 2 Software Development Kit Standard Edition, libsafe (buffer overflow protection for additional security), and much more (see the /extra directory).

The full version of Slackware Linux 12.2 is available for download from one of the mirror sites.

Don't miss