Slackware64 Released

[Posted May 20, 2009 by ris]

From:		Alan Hicks <alan-AT-lizella.net>
To:		editor-AT-lwn.net
Subject:		Slackware64 Released
Date:		Tue, 19 May 2009 19:36:13 -0400
Message-ID:		<20090519193613.1047a222@raven.lizella.net>


======================================================================

Ready or not, Slackware has now gone 64-bit with an official x86_64
port being maintained in-sync with the regular x86 -current branch.
DVDs will be available for purchase from the Slackware store when
Slackware 13.0 is released. Many thanks go out to the Slackware team
for their help with this branch and a special thank you to Eric
Hameleers who did the real heavy lifting re-compiling everything for
this architecture, testing, re-testing, and staying in-sync with
-current.

We've been developing and testing Slackware64 for quite a while. Most
of the team is already using Slackware64 on their personal machines,
and things are working well enough that it is time to let the community
check our work.

We'd like to thank the unofficial 64 bit projects for taking up the
slack for us for so long so that we could take our time getting
everything just right. Without those alternatives, we would have been
pressured to get things out before they were really ready.

As always -- have fun!

Pat and the Slackware crew 


-- 
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise,
Than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:5

to post comments

Slackware64 Released

Posted May 20, 2009 17:16 UTC (Wed) by pr1268 (guest, #24648) [Link] (2 responses)

This is good to hear. As a longtime Slackware user, I'm happy to see that Patrick V. and team are still producing state-of-the-art releases of a fine distro. Now if I only could afford some new 64-bit hardware... :-\

Slackware64 Released

Posted May 20, 2009 18:40 UTC (Wed) by elanthis (guest, #6227) [Link] (1 responses)

Get some old 64-bit hardware. ;) Used 64-bit-capable Sempron CPUs can be had for under $5 at a lot of computer expos, and getting mobos and RAM to go with isn't much more expensive at those places. If you don't need to run high-end games or other super-CPU-intensive crap, you can usually build a whole perfectly-usable PC for less than many people spend on just their video cards.

Slackware64 Released

Posted May 20, 2009 20:11 UTC (Wed) by ableal (guest, #57174) [Link]

Only inconvenient may be not having the latest virtualization support.

In case people are not aware of how cheap you can buy: with AMD CPUs and chipsets, one can re-fit very nicely an existing case for less than $200 - an $80 motherboard (with capable ATI integrated video), a $60 CPU (dual 64 bit cores, 2.7+ GHz) and $50 of RAM (4GB DDR2/800MHz).

Slackware64 Released

Posted May 20, 2009 18:55 UTC (Wed) by s52d (guest, #2199) [Link] (3 responses)

Great news, I've been using slamd64 on two PCs.

How is with 32 bit compaitbility? Can I use 32 bit packages
on 64 bit system? Works for me on those Slamd64 systems.

Beside few 64 bit CPUs, I have one Slackware box running on 32 bit PC: Pentium 133:
Linux linux 2.0.37 #1 Fri Aug 13 17:42:07 CEST 1999 i586

works, serves, no need to upgrade.

BR
Iztok

Slackware64 Released

Posted May 20, 2009 21:27 UTC (Wed) by Camarade_Tux (guest, #51944) [Link] (2 responses)

You can't. Slackware64 is multilib (it uses "lib64" rather than "lib") but the 32bit libs aren't provided.

Slackware64 Released

Posted May 20, 2009 22:59 UTC (Wed) by s52d (guest, #2199) [Link]

Thanks!

Rome was not build in one day: I just hope it is on to_do list.

BR
Iztok

Slackware64 Released

Posted May 21, 2009 1:21 UTC (Thu) by drag (guest, #31333) [Link]

Well think about it. It's slackware.

Just install 32bit versions of the libraries you need from 32bit Slackware. No dependency system to screw around with.