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From: mjoh...@morse.net (Michael R. Johnston)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.announce
Subject: COMMERCIAL: Slackware Professional Linux 2.1
Followup-To: comp.os.linux.misc
Date: 13 Nov 1994 15:25:39 +0200
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Keywords: Slackware Professional, commercial, distribution, CD-ROM
LONG BEACH, NY, November 12th
Introducing Slackware Professional Linux 2.1
Ready-To-Run
Morse Telecommunication and Patrick Volkerding are pleased to announce
Slackware Professional Linux 2.1, the followup effort to the immensely
popular Slackware Professional Linux 2.0.
Provided on 3 CD-ROMs in the popular "Ready-To-Run" format, Slackware
Professional Linux constitutes a complete and unabridged version of the
Linux operating system, a mostly POSIX compliant, Unix(R) clone with a
host of features not found on proprietary versions of Unix costing hundreds
or thousands of dollars.
Slackware Professional Linux 2.1 is the most comprehensive and economical
means of upgrading your personal computer to its full Unix-compatible
workstation potential. This product is ideal for active Unix professionals
who are looking to have a compatible environment on their home computer,
casual computer enthusiasts curious about Unix and even students looking
for a low-cost method of learning this powerful operating system to expand
their career horizons.
READY-TO-RUN
Ready-To-Run means that you can begin using Slackware Professional Linux
almost immediately after opening the box. A minimal installation requires
only seven megabytes of hard disk space, with the overwhelming majority
of applications and utilities residing on your CDROM drive. The required
files can even reside on your MS-DOS filesystem with absolutely no
cumbersome repartitioning requirements. Moreover, you don't lose the
ability to boot and run DOS.You can be up and running in as little as
10 minutes.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT SLACKWARE
As tens of thousands of devoted users can attest, Slackware Professional
Linux is clearly the safest, most stable and reliable version of Linux
currently available. Even the popular computing press has begun to take
note of Slackware's impressive features.
"We could learn to like this Slackware stuff." - INFOWORLD, 9/5/94
In August, 1994, LINUX JOURNAL went even further, calling Slackware, "the most
popular Linux distribution available on the Internet." The article goes on to
point out Slackware's "reliability", the observations that it is
"easy-to-install", as well as its' "large assortment of programs" as
chief advantages of the distribution.
PRODUCT PHILOSOPHY AND OVERVIEW
The major philosophy behind Slackware Professional can be summed up in just
a few simple points:
- To offer a Unix-like environment that is stable, reliable, and
one that ensures a high degree of filesystem integrity, while
at the same time offering leading edge features.
- To simplify installation of the operating system for first time
users while still offering flexibility for dedicated Unix
enthusiasts.
- To create a Unix-like environment that is familiar, friendly,
in line with traditional system layout, and comformant with the
currently evolving File System Standard (FSSTD). In short: No
surprises; Everything is where you would expect it to be
- To accompany the product with proper documentation, which can no
longer be viewed as an option.
- To offer full support for the operating system. As ever greater
numbers of users unfamiliar with Linux join the community, this
has become a clear-cut necessity.
Slackware Professional Linux accomplishes all these goals and more. Packaged
in an attractive, bookshelf style box with 3 CD-ROMs and a 600+ page
manual, this product contains the following major components:
Slackware Professional Linux (CD-ROM 1)
- Slackware Professional Linux distribution. Can be installed
to your hard drive or to run directly from the CD-ROM in as little
as 5 megabytes of hard disk space. Can also be optionally
installed to an existing MS-DOS partition, eliminating the
need to repartition your hard drive to accomodate Slackware Pro.
- The complete Slackware Professional Source Tree. Over 300 megabytes
of compressed source code which when compiled comprises Slackware
Professional Linux in its entirety.
- Microsoft Windows(tm) user interface which guides you through
the creation of the necessary boot disks WITHOUT requiring you
to read the manual first.
- Demonstration copies of commercial Linux applications.
- DOS tools. A collection of tools for manipulating DOS partitions.
Sunsite Linux Archives (CD-ROM 2)
- Sunsite's popular Linux archive. This is Linux A-Z.
- A complete TCL archive from ftp.aud.alcatel.com.
- Leading edge networking: sunacm.swan.ac.uk
TSX-11's Linux Archives (CD-ROM 3)
- TSX-11.MIT.EDU's large Linux archive.
- PREP.AI.MIT.EDU: The complete contents of the GNU source code
repository.
Slackware Professional Linux User's Guide
- The Slackware Professional Linux User's Guide is a comprehensive
600+ page, printed, bound copy of the collected works of The
Linux Documentation Project, including sections on the
following subjects:
Slackware Installation and Getting Started Guide
All the HOWTO files, including information on:
Busmice, CD-ROMs, Ethernets, DOS Emulator,
Floppy tape drives, Hardware Compatability,
Mail, News, SCSI, Serial Devices, Networking,
PCI, Sound Boards, Term, XFree86, And more....
A coupon for a free issue of LINUX JOURNAL
30 Days of One-To-One Technical Support
SOFTWARE HIGHLIGHTS
Slackware Professional Linux 2.1 offers all the features that users of
high-end implimentations of Unix are used to receiving. These are:
* A stable, multiuser/multitasking kernel.
. Based on Linux kernel 1.1.59
. All kernels since 1.0 also included all the way up to
version 1.1.61
* Full TCP/IP networking software. Internet Ready.
. Supports regular ethernet, dialup SLIP and PPP, NFS,
AX.25 (for amateur radio use).
. A complete suite of Internet tools including FTP, TELNET,
NETNEWS, SMTP Electronic Mail, World Wide Web tools, IRC
and much more.
* Communications
. X/Y/Zmodem Protocols.
. UUCP
. Dialup communications programs supplied for ascii
and X Window System displays.
* The X Window System
. Includes a complete distribution of X11R6 (XFree86 3.1)
. All binaries have been recompiled to take advantage of
the new X11R6 libraries.
. Also includes, for backward compatability X11R5
. Full X Window System development libraries
. Tcl/Tk
* Programming and Development Tools
. Languages: GNU C, GNU C++, and Ada compilers. Assembler.
Basic and Lisp interpreters. Fortran-to-C and
Pascal-to-C translators. Lisp Interpreter.
. Debugging tools for X Window System and regular ascii screens.
. Function libraries for development in all languages.
* Multimedia Extensions
. Image viewers (JPEG, MPEG, GIF, TIFF and more).
. Multimedia Email via The Andrew Toolkit.
. Supports a variety of popular sound boards and sound file
formats. (Consult hardware compatability listing)
. A wide variety of CD-ROM drives are supported (consult
hardware compatability listing) .
* User level applications
. Internet Electronic Mail Applications for ascii and X
Window System.
. Netnews reading programs.
. Editors (Vi, GNU Emacs, Doc, Ez)
. Spreadsheets
. Drawing programs
. Desktop publishing including TeX and Groff typesetting.
. Postscript-compatible interpreter to print Postcript
documents on your non-Postscript printer.
* Recreational Toys
. DOOM! for Linux.
. Asteroids, Tetris, a formidable Chess program.
. The classic BSD games pack including the venerable "Trek"
* Compatability Features
. Bootmanager called LILO provides ability to boot multiple
operating systems on same machine.
. Read/Write access to your DOS data.
. Run your DOS programs with the DOS Emulator.
. Read access to your OS/2 files
Slackware Professional provides a large collection of boot disks designed to
support a wide variety of hardware combinations and eliminate the possibility
of negative device driver interaction. With this approach you get to make an
intelligent choice and greatly enhance the probability that you will be able
to install the operating system the first time.
If you're the proud owner of leading edge hardware, don't feel you're
left out in the cold. Included are the latest ALPHA device drivers on
their own separate boot images. By doing this, reliability of existing
drivers is preserved without penalizing the high-end user.
MAJOR ENHANCEMENTS SINCE 2.0
XF86-3.1 (X11R6) is now the default windowing system. All X binaries
have been recompiled to use the new X11R6 shared libraries. X11R6 offers
added support for many new video chipsets and extends the reliability of
support for others.
Kernels up to 1.1.61 have been included. The default kernel is now 1.1.59.
"Setup" has now been modified to allow several different levels of
hard disk installation. The procedure to create a 'hybrid' Slackware
installation, where the user selects which packages are run from the
hard drive and which packages run from the CD-ROM has been greatly
improved.
Extended IDE hard drives are now properly detected.
Multisector IDE compatible drives are supported. This can result in
substantial performance increases when this feature is enabled.
Added support for PCI systems.
Additional software packages include: httpd (for Hypertext transfers),
DOSEMU, DOOM!
A brief listing of just some of the other packages included:
util-linux 1.10 utility collection; less version 237; GNU bash-1.14.2;
tcsh 6.04; jove 4.14.10; Term 2.1.4; Joe 2.2; GNU diffutils-2.7;
man pages 1.4; svgalib 1.12; JPEG Group's 5beta2 JPEG software;
ispell-3.1.08; tools 2.16; flex 2.4.7; GNU gdb 4.13; libf2c.so.0.10;
GNU m4 1.3; CLISP version 4-Jul-94; GNU Emacs 19.27; wu-ftpd 2.4;
BSD sendmail 8.6.9; 20 Feb 1993 Performance Release of C News; trn 3.5;
NTeX 1.2.1 TeX distribution (10 disks with complete source!); blt 1.7;
itcl 1.5; Tcl 7.3; Tk 3.6; TclX 7.3b; Loadlin 1.5; XFree86 3.1 (X11R6);
xfm 1.3; Andrew 6.3L2; DOOM!
HARDWARE COMPATABILITY
(Note: * means support is experimental and not assured)
SYSTEMS: 386/486/Pentium PC Compatible with ISA, EISA,VESA or PCI
bus architectures. (Microchannel Unsupported).
MEMORY: Minimum 2 Megabytes (4 Megabytes recommended. 8 or more
when using the X Window System).
DISKS: IDE,Extended IDE, MFM,RLL,ESDI, SCSI (With one of the
supported SCSI controllers listed below).
TAPES: SCSI tape drives (with supported controller); QIC-80
'floppy' tape drives: Colorado, Archive, Insight, Identity,
Connor, Summit, Wangtek, Iomega and AIWA. Irwin-80 drives
such as IBM's tape drive kit are unsupported.
CD-ROM: Sony CDU-31a, CDU-33a,531*,535*, Soundblaster CD-ROMS
(including the Kotubuki, Matsushita and Panasonic CR-5xx
driver), Mitsumi, Pro Audio Spectrum CD-ROMs, SCSI CD-ROMs
( with supported SCSI controller), NEC CDR-260*.
SOUND: Roland MPU-401 MIDI interface; AdLib; SoundBlaster
(version 1 and 2) and compatibles, including ThunderBoard and
ATI Stereo F/X; SoundBlaster Pro (version 1 and 2);
SoundBlaster 16; ProAudioSpectrum 16 (and the compatible
Logitech SoundMan 16); Advanced Gravis UltraSound (GUS);
GUS MAX (2.9 driver and later); Microsoft Sound System
(2.9 driver and later; disabled by default); Personal Sound
System (2.9 driver and later; disabled by default).
ACCELERATED VIDEO CHIPSETS:
8514/A (and true clones); ATI Mach8, Mach32; Cirrus CLGD5420,
CLGD5422, CLGD5424, CLGD5426, CLGD5428, CLGD5429, CLGD5430,
CLGD5434, CLGD6205, CLGD6215, CLGD6225, CLGD6235; S3 86C911,
86C924, 86C801, 86C805, 86C805i, 86C928, 86C864, 86C964;
Western Digital WD90C31, WD90C33; Weitek P9000; IIT AGX-014,
AGX-015, AGX-016; Tseng ET4000/W32, ET4000/W32i, ET4000/W32p
SVGA CHIPSETS: Tseng ET3000, ET4000AX, ET4000/W32; Western Digital/Paradise
PVGA1; Western Digital WD90C00, WD90C10, WD90C11, WD90C24,
WD90C30, WD90C31, WD90C33; Genoa GVGA; Trident TVGA8800CS,
TVGA8900B, TVGA8900C, TVGA8900CL, TVGA9000, TVGA9000i,
TVGA9100B, TVGA9200CX, TVGA9320, TVGA9400CX, TVGA9420;
ATI 18800, 18800-1, 28800-2, 28800-4, 28800-5, 28800-6,
68800-3, 68800-6, 68800AX, 68800LX, 88800; NCR 77C22,
77C22E, 77C22E+; Cirrus Logic CLGD5420, CLGD5422,
CLGD5424, CLGD5426, CLGD5428, CLGD5429, CLGD5430, CLGD5434,
CLGD6205, CLGD6215, CLGD6225, CLGD6235, CLGD6420;
Compaq AVGA; OAK OTI067, OTI077; Advance Logic AL2101;
MX MX68000, MX680010; Video 7/Headland Technologies
HT216-32; Diamond Viper cards are now supported.
SCSI ADAPTERS: Adaptec 1520/1522/1542/1740, 274x/284x(*) ; Always IN2000(*),
NCR 53c810/820, 53c710/720, 53c700, 53c700-66, 5380 series;
Buslogic BT-542B, BT-545S, BT-545D, BT-445S, BT-640A, BT-646S,
BT-646D, BT-742A, BT-747S, BT-747D, BT-757S, BT-757D, BT-946C;
Future Domain TMC-1660/1680, TMC-1650/1670, TMC-3260, TMC-885,
TMC-950; Pro Audio Spectrum SCSI; Seagate ST01/ST02;
Trantor T128/T128F/T228; UltraStor 14F, 24F, 34F;
Western Digital WD7000, WD7000-FASST2, WD7000-ASC, WD7000-AX,
WD7000-MX, WD7000-EX; DPT PM2011(*), PM2012A(*), PM2021(*),
PM2022(*), PM2122(*), PM2322(*)
PROTOCOLS: TCP/IP, SLIP, CSLIP, PPP, AX25, IPX
ETHERNET CARDS: Western Digital WD80*3; SMC Ultra; 3com 3c501, 3c503,
3c509, 3c579; AT1500 and NE2100 (LANCE and PCnet-ISA);
Cabletron E21xx; DEPCA; HP PCLAN; NE2000; NE1000;
SK_G16; Apricot Xen-II on board ethernet; D-Link DE600;
D-Link DE620; AT-LAN-TEC/RealTek pocket adaptor;
Zenith Z-Note; 3com 3c505(*), 3c507(*); EtherExpress;
AT1700(*), NI5210(*), NI6510(*);
Ansel Communications EISA 3200(*).
FILESYSTEMS: Minix, Linux Native (EXT2), XIAFS, MSDOS, /proc, NFS, ISO9660,
OS/2 HPFS (Read-only), UMSDOS, System V and Coherent.
ADDITIONAL: Parallel Printer,Logitech Busmouse,PS/2 Mouse,
C&T 82C710 mouse port ,Microsoft busmouse, ATIXL busmouse.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OFFERINGS
To enhance our One-To-One personal support, we also offer the following
services:
- Web Server: Hypertext access to our online support server.
http://www.morse.net/
- FTP Server and BBS: Download patches and updates to the system.
- Electronic Mail support: Address your queries to us.
All of these areas are accessable to you even AFTER your One-To-One
support runs out.
TRY BEFORE YOU BUY
Slackware remains freely available on the following major FTP sites:
ftp.cdrom.com:/pub/Linux/slackware
sunsite.unc.edu:/pub/Linux/distributions
tsx-11.mit.edu:/pub/linux/distributions
Many other sites mirror these major archives. Check the 'MIRRORS.TXT' file on
each site to determine another location which may be geographically closer to
you.
OUR SPONSORSHIP AND WHAT IT MEANS
In May of this year, Morse Telecommunication Inc. entered into an agreement
with Patrick Volkerding, creator and maintainer of the Slackware distribution,
whereby we agreed to underwrite continued development and institute support
for Slackware in exchange for the rights to distribute the official version
of the software.
The reasons for this are twofold. First, it is desireable to have a single
official version in which the integrity of the software can be guaranteed.
In at least one case, a distributor of Slackware has recently undertaken
modifications of the distribution which compromised the stability of the
software. This was neither endorsed nor approved of by Mr. Volkerding.
Second, and no less important, is that our sponsorship of Slackware means
that the project now receives funding and equipment necessary to further
the development efforts.
Put simply: When you purchase a copy of Slackware Professional Linux, you
are guaranteed a pristine, unmodified copy of the distribution. Your purchase
will help support the ongoing and extensive development efforts necessary
to maintain, improve and support the distribution in the future.
As with Slackware Professional Linux 2.0, a portion of the proceeds are
earmarked for direct redistribution back to The Linux Documentation Project
to help fund future versions of their work.
PRICES AND ORDERING
The full retail package of Slackware Professional Linux 2.1 carries a
suggested list price of $64.95 and contains all the items previously
described, including three CD-ROMs, a 600+ page printed and bound manual,
and 30 days of One-To-One technical support.
For users wishing to simply upgrade their existing Slackware distribution
to the latest version, we have now instituted an upgrade path through the
purchase of The Linux Quarterly, Fall '94.
In this package you will receive the Slackware Professional CD-ROM plus a
copy of Sunsite's Linux archives. The suggested list price of The Linux
Quarterly, Fall '94 is $29.95. No printed documentation or one-to-one
technical support is available with the Linux Quarterly. It is intended as an
economical means of upgrading an existing distribution, or for those not
requiring the full package.
In order to minimize the burden associated with shipping huge quantities of
product (as we experienced with the last release), and to ensure that our
staff will be dedicated to providing the support which we offer, we have now
instituted a policy of providing the product through three major distribution
points.
To place an order, call your local reseller. There is a good chance they
may already carry the product. If by chance they don't, please contact
any of the following distributors. All have large quantities of the product
on-hand and ready to ship:
North America
Just Computers!
PO Box 751414
Petaluma, CA 94975-1414
(800) 800-1648 (Toll free ordering)
(707) 769-1648 (International and local)
(707) 765-2447 (Fax)
Orders: sa...@justcomp.com
Info: in...@justcomp.com
ACC, Inc.
136 Riverside Avenue
Westport, CT 06880-4606
(800) 546-7274 (Toll free ordering)
(203) 454-5500 (International and local)
(203) 454-2582 (Fax)
Email: in...@acc-corp.com
Europe and Asia
Lasermoon, Ltd.
2a Beaconsfield Road
Fareham
Hampshire, PO16 0QB
United Kingdom
+44 (0329) 826444 (Orders and inquiries)
+44 (0329) 825936 (Fax)
Email: ord...@lasermoon.co.uk
UPDATES
Updates to Slackware Professional Linux are produced on an 'as-needed'
basis. What this means is that you are assured we will never release a
superfluous 'upgrade' with little or no change from the previous version.
As a result, we have no pre-set update schedule when in fact progress
in the free software arena cannot be predicted or guaranteed.
Critical bug-fixes can be found on our Web server and our BBS and there
are, of course, no charges for these fixes.
PRODUCT WARRANTY
Slackware Professional Linux from Morse Telecommunication, Inc. is
provided as-is with no warranties expressed or implied. No product can
be guaranteed to work on all machines, nor can it be guaranteed to be fit
for a given purpose. Every effort has been made to ensure that Slackware
Professional will work on the broadest variety of hardware possible, but
no guarantees of compatability are made.
It is up to the customer to determine the compatability and the proper usage
of the software. Morse Telecommunication, Inc. will not assume any liability
for the use or mis-use of this software.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The development of an entire operating system is a project of unparalleled
magnitude and extreme complexity. Slackware Professional Linux is such a
project and could not have even existed without the development
efforts of thousands of programmers and visionaries who wrote or inspired
many of the components of the operating system.
The by product of such a large undertaking is that it is virtually impossible
to acknowledge each and every one of those contributors without omission
or error. Because of this, we have decided that it would be wrong to
publish an incomplete listing of those who have helped make Slackware
what is it today.
Morse Telecommunication wishes to thank these thousands of individuals,
named or unnamed, whose dedication to the concept of free software has
made Slackware Professional a reality.
As a measure of our appreciation to individuals involved in the creation of
any aspect of Slackware Professional Linux we offer a free copy of the
package. To receive your copy of the software, simply send email to us
along with your shipping address and a short note indicating which portion
of the software you contributed. We will happily send a copy along to you.
TRADEMARKS
Slackware is a trademark of Patrick Volkerding. Windows is a trademark of
Microsoft, Corp. Unix is a trademark of X/Open. Slackware Professional
Linux installation scripts are copyrighted 1994 by Morse Telecommunication,
and Patrick Volkerding. Postcript is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc.
--
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