Trying Out Slackware

[chopin1810]

I'm going to give the latest Slackware a try. I do run FreeBSD so I'm at least somewhat used to doing near everything through configuration files. I don't really mind doing this. However, I have some questions about it before I go on here. I have read the Slackware FAQ posted here, by the way.
1.) Assuming that Slackware defaults to a shell environment (something like in FreeBSD), how do I get X Window to run with something like KDE or GNOME? In other words, how do I get Slackware set up to the point that I can just turn on the machine and have everything start up like it would in the Debian Sarge default setup, for example?
2.) How do I get a dial up connection running in Slackware? Is there anything like KPPP included or do I need to initiate the connection through the shell?
3.) Which boot loader does Slackware use? Is it installed during the main setup or do I need to install it manually? Where is the configuration file located? Anywhere special?
Get as detailed as you care to in this. I want to learn here in the process.

[Vergil83]

1.) Assuming that Slackware defaults to a shell environment (something like in FreeBSD), how do I get X Window to run with something like KDE or GNOME? In other words, how do I get Slackware set up to the point that I can just turn on the machine and have everything start up like it would in the Debian Sarge default setup, for example?

all you should need to do is startx. To make it boot into x by default follow http://www.slackbook.org/html/x-window-system-xdm.html

2.) How do I get a dial up connection running in Slackware? Is there anything like KPPP included or do I need to initiate the connection through the shell?

I don't know if it comes with kppp. You can use pppsetup (a cl tool)
http://www.slackbook.org/html/networ...p.html#AEN1954

3.) Which boot loader does Slackware use? Is it installed during the main setup or do I need to install it manually? Where is the configuration file located? Anywhere special?
Get as detailed as you care to in this. I want to learn here in the process.

It uses lilo by default. It is installed during the install.

[bidi]

The best thing to do with Slackware is to read the SlackBook. They do emphasize quite a bit Slackware's start up sequence is based on BSD, so you might already be a setup ahead there.

[Weedman]

the slackware community has linuxpackages.org for slackware packages. There you can get the grub package if you want. I run grub with slackware and it works perfectly.

[borromini]

And slacky.it is also a good resource for packages. You need some basic knowledge of Italian though .