Vector linux installing programs ?

[abarbarian]

I wanted a os for my 32 bit Dell 4700 so I tried to install several os's. Thought I would try running a Slackware on one of the partitions as I have a Slax 64 bit running on a usb stick and a 8 GB usb hdd both of which run really well. So I thought I would go for a 32 bit Slax

However it would not start or even attempt to boot, tried from a usb and a cd/dvd. This happened with Salix also which I really wanted to try out as well as it uses Slackware stuff with no fiddling.

 

The only Slackware I could get running was Vector linux. Which has its own package system, which is not ideal for me at this time.

 

However Vector has one good thing going for it in that it runs a older version of FireFox. Now I need a older version of FF as I use RoboForm as my password filler and it no longer works with the newer FF's. So far so good. I also have MX-15 running on this box and it uses the newer FF's so I can not use RoboForm. It does have Keepass however which I am going to use for passwords instead of RF. Now I coul;d still use RoboForm but I would have to buy a license and keep my data on their servers to allow syncing with linux pc's which I do not want to do. I have been using RF with all data kept on my pc and it has served me very well, one master password and one click logins, very neat.

 

Problem is Vector does not have KeePass in its repos. So how can I easily install a version of KeePass on Vector ???

 

 

 

Vector seems to be based on Slackware 14.0. Below is one of the repos showing in the Gsplat program installer which Vector uses. I am guessing that i would need a slackware 14.0 version of KeePass but that is only a guess.

 

http://ftp.lip6.fr/pub/linux/distributions/slackware/slackware-14.0/

 

[Hedon James]

Looks like you can get it from this link:

http://vectorlinux.osuosl.org/veclinux-6.0/extra/x-apps/

 

which is referenced in the second post of this thread:

http://forum.vectorlinux.com/index.php?topic=7787.0

 

As I don't use Keepass, I don't know if this version is the latest & greatest, or if you even need/want the latest & greatest. For the latest & greatest, you could always compile from source:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/keepass/

[raymac46]

I've used VL quite a lot and to be honest it's never been that friendly to install or update anything beyond the basic distro apps.

I assume if you have added the development tools and relevant source files you can do something similar to this:

http://www.neiland.net/blog/article/install-keepass-on-slackware-14/

 

Good Luck. I think I'd stick with Manjaro or MX-15.

[securitybreach]

Personally I would recommend LastPass as I have been using it for a few years now (thanks to Fran's suggestion).

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Usually, when something is not in a Slackware repo or a repo of a Slackware derivative distribution, you'll either have to find someone who's compiled it from source and created a SlackBuild or you'll have to do it yourself.

 

There is a SlackBuild for KeePass available at slackbuilds.org --> https://slackbuilds.org/repository/13.37/misc/KeePass/

 

And I agree with Josh... Lastpass is the way to go.

[raymac46]

I used Vector Linux back in the very early days when I needed something that worked with a 1998 Compaq Armada Laptop. This was a Pentium II 266 with a massive 120 MB of RAM. Only VL 4.8 would work with the laptop's archaic APM protocol to keep the fan running. Otherwise I had a problem like Eric where the machine shut down after a few minutes.

I never upgraded anything and didn't install any new programs.

My experiences with VL led to an install of Slackware 13.37 later on, but I've never been all that comfortable with Slackware as my primary driver. Eric is the guru nowadays and Bruno certainly knew a thing or two about it.

I have an ISO of VL Light on a USB stick, and I'd like to try an install on an old netbook if I locate it in the basement. Have to get rid of some grandkids first though.

Edited March 16, 2016 by raymac46

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Vector can be a bit heavy for older machines. If you'l like to try a couple lighter Slackware derivatives, I would highly recommend Zenwalk and Salix.

 

You rattled some sentimental memories loose, Ray, when you mentioned about me being the local Slackware guru (not really true, but thanks for saying it) these days in the same sentence with Bruno. About a decade ago, I was investigating different Linux distros trying to find the one that fit just right for me. I started out with Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper Drake at the urging of friend Urmas, whom I knew from another place, Patty's Computer Haven Forums. I installed quite a few that first few weeks; not much sleep going on, either. I still remember being terrified by that ncurses installer in Debian 3.15 (Sarge). HA!

 

I was dragged here by Urmas kicking and screaming to "meet" Bruno. In one of our first exchanges on this forum, Bruno suggested that I try Slackware. He said, "You'd make a good slacker." Of course, I had no idea what he meant. Everywhere I went online I heard all the horror stories about Slackware being the best, but also the most difficult distribution for "newbies," that word that Bruno banned on this forum. I was at Jeremy's LinuxQuestions.org one night when I read someone there saying that if a person just wanted to try Linux, try Ubuntu; if they really wanted to learn Linux, run Slackware.

 

I became that Slacker that Bruno so accurately predicted. The rest, as they say, is history...

 

[securitybreach]

Speaking of.. it's been a long while since I seen Urmas here or in IRC... I hope he is doing well.

[raymac46]

I remember Urmas and Eric walking me through my first Slackware install - which wasn't as scary as I thought since I had experience with the text installer from Vector Linux. I know that SueD is also a big Slackware fan. Maybe it's because I never really liked KDE that Slackware never stuck with me or vice versa. Don't know.

Can't help thinking that Bruno would have been a wonderful advocate for Arch Linux. Fortunately we have our own guru for that as well.

[securitybreach]

Can't help thinking that Bruno would have been a wonderful advocate for Arch Linux. Fortunately we have our own guru for that as well.

 

Aww thanks, that means a lot to me. I am far from a guru though, I am just pretty good at finding answers...

[Hedon James]

Can't help thinking that Bruno would have been a wonderful advocate for Arch Linux. Fortunately we have our own guru for that as well.

 

I second that thought Ray! I've always felt that Arch was way above my paygrade, but in watching his diagnoses and paying attention to his responses and encouraging "can do" manner, I believe that I will tackle Arch someday and see what the fuss is about. If I can just find the time...

 

I've always been attracted to Arch's rolling release philosophy, early availability of newer software/technologies, and large knowledgeable user-base. While troubleshooting Ubuntu issues, I have to wade through alot of "how do I put an icon on my desktop" type of questions, which have already been answered in umpteen different threads; to be fair, those questions are valid ones for new(er) users, but I imagine the collective experience of Arch users is of a higher level of discourse. I like that. While I have no problems being a teacher and "paying it forward" with acquired knowledge, I much prefer being a student. I imagine I'd be a student in the Arch world.

 

I'm not sure Arch is the right distro for me, but I'm willing to be open-minded and give it fair consideration. Maybe it is. But until SB, Arch seemed like an unattainable elitist-distro for only the most knowledgeable; and maybe it is...but he at least makes it sound like I don't have to be as smart as I thought to give it a go. If/when I finally take the Arch plunge, it will be in a VM, and it will be because SB made it seem possible!

[securitybreach]

Wow thanks a lot Hedon

 

Honestly I find Archlinux easy to maintain for the most part. The installation process is a bit long only because you are choosing how you want your system setup after the initial install. When I say 'setup' I mean everything from the environment, the X server, the default set of applications, the bootloader, the network daemon, login manager, etc. Your not simply changing themes and setting fonts...lol

 

That said the wiki walks you through pretty much everything so its not hard really, just long. Now by long, I mean a couple of hours depending on if you run into any issues or not so it's not "gentoo long" but nothing is preconfigured for you like other distros do so you have to set everything up.

 

Think of it as starting with a blank slate and deciding what you want it to be versus a preconfigured environment where you remove applications, change defaults, etc. The actual installation only gives you a kernel, some basic utils and libs so you get to decide what you want installed and how you want your system to function. Now that may sound overwhelming but the way the wiki has it setup, you basically go through each step and you are given choices with pages that explain how to set it up. That said, there are meta packages so if you wanted to install kde plasma and use the default packages for kde, you would simply install the plasma-meta package.

 

All that said, there are unofficial installers for Archlinux. I do not mean derivatives but actual installers that will give you a vanilla Archlinux distro when they are done. Now I would always suggest a newcomer to do a normal installation to begin with so they get a feel and understand how a distro is put together (as this may give them better understanding of their setup) but the installers are useful to get a fast and easy setup. The installer I would recommend is called architect. It uses a ncurses menu to give you choices and walk you through the installation. This method should only take about 20 minutes depending on your internet connection (as it downloads the installation packages) https://sourceforge.net/projects/architect-linux/

 

As far as maintaining Archlinux.... as long as you read the output (it will give you any commands that need to be ran or other useful information after installing something) from pacman (the package manager) and subscribe (or check) the News on the frontpage of Archlinux.org, you generally will not have any issues. Even if you ran across a update that caused you problems... the way Archlinux and pacman works, you could easily rollback a package version and wait a day or two for an updated package to come out that fixed the issue. You do not see that on a non-rolling release cycle.

 

Since Archlinux uses only the latest, stable versions of packages straight from upstream without any patching, troubleshooting issues is a lot easier and most everything has been documented already. 99% of the time when I get an error I simply copy/paste the error with "Archlinux" in front of it and there are multiple threads about it with a fix. There are some very knowledgeable Archlinux users out there and since a lot of them are actual developers; there is some elitism in the forms. Like you mentioned about questions being asked multiple times...since this is a distro geared towards more intermediate users, people expect the users to have already tried to fix the issue themselves by searching the forums or doing a little googling so you may get a rude response on a question that has been asked many times. The same goes with the various IRC channels. You might get flamed if you asked a general question without any errors or other relevant information. There are other places like the Archlinux Community on G+, #archlinux-offtopic and others that are more friendly to new users. Honestly, I never even have to ask a question on the archlinux forums as everything has usually already been asked and solved so it's simply a matter of googling it.

 

All in all, Archlinux is pretty simple to use and maintain as long as you watch the News, the output messages when updating and can search for any rare issue that you run across. Plus you never have to do a reinstall or upgrade the version as it is continuously upgraded.

 

 

Abarbarian, sorry to hijack your thread man but I figured you wouldn't mind since it's Arch related.

[raymac46]

Yeah we've really stepped on AB's thread for sure. Too late to turn back now.

@HJ I have installed Arch with Josh's help and it isn't that tough for someone of your obvious geek expertise. If you'd like to get a taste of it try Manjaro which is really a lovely Arch based distro.

[securitybreach]

Just remember Manjaro and Archlinux are not the same and have different versions of packages and other changes are present. They are about as close as Ubuntu and Debian are.

[abarbarian]

Speaking of.. it's been a long while since I seen Urmas here or in IRC... I hope he is doing well.

 

He has popped up at the other place on the net and seems as enigmatic as ever. So I guess he is doing fine.

 

No problem about the hi-jack. I gave up on installing extra software on Vector a s I do not have the time. also I tracked down a version of keepassx for the correct slackware but he source is no longer available.There is a Slack Build .tar.gz which I have but am blowed if I can do anything with it as I need it to be a .tar or .tgz format. Could not figure it out so have come up with another solution to my needs.

I do like Vector though as it is a nippy little thing.

 

If I can (or could ) install and run Arch Hedon would find it a breeze.

[raymac46]

True but Manjaro uses pacman and other Arch tools. It'll give a painless introduction and I really like its style. Arch is the real deal and if you like Manjaro you'll move on eventually I think.

[securitybreach]

Yeah, I actually emailed Urmas yesterday and he replied back today. I was glad to hear that he is still doing well considering I had not talked to him in a long while.

[securitybreach]

True but Manjaro uses pacman and other Arch tools. It'll give a painless introduction and I really like its style. Arch is the real deal and if you like Manjaro you'll move on eventually I think.

 

Well besides using pacman, there are not many similarities IMO. For instance, AUR is included in the normal pacman repos (along with other manjaro specific repos)even though it is not officially supported on Archlinux, packages are held back and not updated at the same frequency as Archlinux, there are distro specific patches for Manjaro that are hard to diagnose as they differ from the ones in the arch repos, etc... There are other differences as well.

 

I wouldn't be so vocal about this if it were not for Manjaro originally claiming that they were simply 'an easy way to install archlinux' when in fact that was an outright falsehood. They only changed their tune when they were challenged by Archlinux users and developers. This is from the main developer of pacman: http://allanmcrae.com/2013/01/manjaro-linux-ignoring-security-for-stability/

 

It is a bit old but it is basically still true for the most part.

[raymac46]

I would never describe Manjaro as an easy way to install Arch Linux. The whole concept is different. With Manjaro it's a distro that installs, just the same as any other. You don't build it from the ground up the way you do with Arch. That said I didn't really find Arch that hard if you have a decent tutorial and you know a bit about how Linux is structured.

I find Manjaro to be a cool distro in its own right, the way that Vector Linux is a cool distro based on Slackware.

[securitybreach]

I would never describe Manjaro as an easy way to install Arch Linux. The whole concept is different. With Manjaro it's a distro that installs, just the same as any other. You don't build it from the ground up the way you do with Arch. That said I didn't really find Arch that hard if you have a decent tutorial and you know a bit about how Linux is structured.

I find Manjaro to be a cool distro in its own right, the way that Vector Linux is a cool distro based on Slackware.

 

I agree but that is what the Manjaro developers were originally claiming...

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Speaking of.. it's been a long while since I seen Urmas here or in IRC... I hope he is doing well.

 

He's at my Cabin every day or so.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

I remember Urmas and Eric walking me through my first Slackware install - which wasn't as scary as I thought since I had experience with the text installer from Vector Linux. I know that SueD is also a big Slackware fan. Maybe it's because I never really liked KDE that Slackware never stuck with me or vice versa. Don't know.

Can't help thinking that Bruno would have been a wonderful advocate for Arch Linux. Fortunately we have our own guru for that as well.

 

I miss Sue. She hasn't been to my Cabin in a long, long time.

 

Believe it or don't, Bruno wasn't an overly excited Arch fan. He didn't have anything against it, but wasn't hot on it either. Bruno's favs were Mandriva (his main OS), PCLinuxOS, and Slackware. The Arch guru here at Scots back when I first experimented with Arch was Steel (Louis). He helped me with Arch quite a bit back then; helped Josh with it, if I remember.

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Can't help thinking that Bruno would have been a wonderful advocate for Arch Linux. Fortunately we have our own guru for that as well.

 

Aww thanks, that means a lot to me. I am far from a guru though, I am just pretty good at finding answers...

 

Ten years ago, when we where fiddling around with Slackware, Gentoo, Arch, and Debian, did you ever expect to be called "guru" at some point in the future? H3LL! I was lucky back then to do an install of a distro without wiping my entire world away with a few clicks. Those were the daze.

[Hedon James]

True but Manjaro uses pacman and other Arch tools. It'll give a painless introduction and I really like its style. Arch is the real deal and if you like Manjaro you'll move on eventually I think.

 

Funny you would say that, as I saw Manjaro come out of nowhere and start climbing Distrowatch. I figured I'd check out the new guy and learned about its Arch lineage, so I did install it in a VM and liked it. I find pacman and octopi and yaourt(?) to be strange birds, but that's probably due to lack of familiarity. When I first started with Ubuntu, I was confused by the Software Center vs. synaptic vs. gdebi vs. apt-get vs. aptitude. Eventually, I learned they all did basically the same thing, but some were better choices than others under certain circumstances. I'm guessing it's the same in Arch. I think the analogy that Manjaro is to Arch as Ubuntu is to Debian is a great way to put it.

 

But I've digressed again. Your are right on Ray...I tried Manjaro (still playing with it!) and liked it. Between SBs encouragement and Manjaro's whetting the whistle, Arch doesn't sound near as scary as legends make it out to be.

[securitybreach]

Speaking of.. it's been a long while since I seen Urmas here or in IRC... I hope he is doing well.

 

He's at my Cabin every day or so.

 

Is he still into Linux? I was wondering why he disappeared from the forum and irc...I guess life takes us into strange places sometimes....

[V.T. Eric Layton]

 

 

Is he still into Linux? I was wondering why he disappeared from the forum and irc...I guess life takes us into strange places sometimes....

 

Oh, he's definitely still using Linux (Ubuntu, I believe). He actually disappeared from my Cabin for a while, too. I emailed him like you did and he started coming to visit regularly again.

 

Live does interfere with our Internet fun sometimes.

 

Umm... "Life" that is.

[securitybreach]

I remember Urmas and Eric walking me through my first Slackware install - which wasn't as scary as I thought since I had experience with the text installer from Vector Linux. I know that SueD is also a big Slackware fan. Maybe it's because I never really liked KDE that Slackware never stuck with me or vice versa. Don't know.

Can't help thinking that Bruno would have been a wonderful advocate for Arch Linux. Fortunately we have our own guru for that as well.

 

I miss Sue. She hasn't been to my Cabin in a long, long time.

 

Believe it or don't, Bruno wasn't an overly excited Arch fan. He didn't have anything against it, but wasn't hot on it either. Bruno's favs were Mandriva (his main OS), PCLinuxOS, and Slackware. The Arch guru here at Scots back when I first experimented with Arch was Steel (Louis). He helped me with Arch quite a bit back then; helped Josh with it, if I remember.

 

Yup, your right. Louis was one of the ones who got me to try out Archlinux, if I am not mistaken. I was actually a happy Slacker before I found Archlinux and I have not looked back since. Honestly the biggest reason for switching was having an actual package manager..

 

As far as Bruno, your right as well but I would like to think that he would of enjoyed it more if he was able to see how the wiki (documentation) has evolved to the point that it is a go to resource for other distros as well..Remember that Gentoo had the best wiki around until it went down and they didn't bother to make a backup (in 2008). Since that time, Archlinux has took off and become the best Linux wiki around for archlinux and other distros as well.

[securitybreach]

Can't help thinking that Bruno would have been a wonderful advocate for Arch Linux. Fortunately we have our own guru for that as well.

 

Aww thanks, that means a lot to me. I am far from a guru though, I am just pretty good at finding answers...

 

Ten years ago, when we where fiddling around with Slackware, Gentoo, Arch, and Debian, did you ever expect to be called "guru" at some point in the future? H3LL! I was lucky back then to do an install of a distro without wiping my entire world away with a few clicks. Those were the daze.

 

You got that right man.. Heck, I still have to pay attention as I may wipe so data accidentally.. Even us "Gurus" need to double check things before hitting enter....

[V.T. Eric Layton]

Fun memories, Josh! Crazy to think that we've been here for a decade+. I bet Scot never even dreamed this board would become such a fount of experience and knowledge; and have such longevity while doing so.

 

The sixth anniversary of Bruno's demise was just the other day. Can you believe that? It was still very difficult to read this thread...

 

http://forums.scotsnewsletter.com/index.php?showtopic=33084&st=0

[goretsky]