Linux distributions + Slackware and Salix >

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=connochaet
was http://connochaetos.org/

A (the) Free/Libre version of Slackware.

• 2020-11-19 — Abandoned: Became DeLi Linux, which is also discontinued, and connochaetos.org is abandoned.

• 2016-03-31 — They’re using Slackware 14.1, so they’re alive now. I’m not interested in checking them out though.

• 2015-05-15 — This was dormant/discontinued for some time and has only just starting to awaken. Nearly-non-existent community. Obviously needs love. “KISS” is for developers not users. Not enough magic.

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• https://web.archive.org/web/20150925115238/http://forum.connochaetos.org/

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• 32bit-only
• KISS principle (which means no systemd, for example).

• Retains full backwards compatibility with Slackware and Salix OS.

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• Built from Salix.
• The repo consists of a Slackware and Salix repo mirror, except the non-free parts, plus the slack-n-free repo which includes ConnOS-specific packages and free/libre replacements for non-free Packages in the upstream distros.
• Although ConnochaetOS is only available for 32 bit the slack-n-free repo comes in AMD 64 bit flavour as well. So if you are using 64 bit Salix/Slackware it is possible to transform it into a free distro with the slack-n-free repo
• Follows the Slack/Salix versioning scheme.
• uses slapt-get

• nonpae kernel

  • If you want to use a PAE and SMP enabled kernel boot hugesmp.s

2015-05-14 – 14.1 ∞

• https://web.archive.org/web/20150611041048/https://forum.connochaetos.org/viewtopic.php?id=17

  • Literally rose from the dead the day after I first checked it out.
• There is no hint as to what’s on the ISO. No window manager, etc. It’s 622MB though, so I guess this is not a light distribution.
• Using UNetbootin (Windows) for connochaetos-14.1.iso
• I left for a while. I returned over 20 minutes later and the USB write speed was so slow that it wasn’t anywhere near completed. I guess this USB stick is bad..

• My other stick isn’t even seen by Windows. What in the fuck is going on here?

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• Booted into Lubuntu 14.04 32bit liveUSB
• Tried Unetbootin (Linux) to prep the LiveUSB.
• Did not format my USB stick.

• Not bootable.

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• Performed a USB preparation using Slax, which demanded I nuked GPT off the stick.
• Booted into Windows, and now the stick is seen by it.
• Pursuing Unetbootin (Windows) to prep the LiveUSB.

• Ye gods the file decompression process will take a very long time. This is my good USB stick, so my previous thought that my other stick was bad is false. It’s good, just slower than this one. Something like 20 minutes for the LiveUSB preparation. Ugh.

During the 7zip unpack process, I got:

0   salix\basic\xorg-server-xephyr-1.14.3.i486-3_slax14.1.txz
1   The volume for a file has been externally altered so that the opened file is no longer valid.
2

(I had to manually type that, as 7zip has no ability to copy that text. bad, 7zip!)

I have no clue what that error message means. No that file was not opened or changed .. unless I have rogue malware.

• 20 minutes I could bear, but less than half way through it’s giving me 14 minutes elapsed 21 minutes remaining, and seems stuck. Something is fucked up with this ISO.

I would later learn that UUI takes forever with everything.

• Re-tried with UNetbootin. It took some time, but worked.
• The bootloader is basic. I’m guessing UNetbootin stitched it together, because that’s how it was labelled.

• I chose to boot “Default”

Input was encoded with settings that are not supported by this XZ decoder
VFS: Insert root floppy and press ENTER

Uh.

• Rebooted, booted into huge.s
• Basic textmode
• While this boots up, it gives me an installer. This is not a liveUSB.
• Only one motherfucking TTY. How am I expected to install safely without being able to double-check drives?!
• It was unusually awkward trying to exit the installer. Even more than other Slackware-derived distributions which use that awkward installer.

• I have no clue how to re-enter the installer. There is no text hint as there is in other similar distributions.

This distribution obviously needs love. This is perfectly understandable as this project just woke back up. Still, this means it’s not for me. Their “KISS” principle is meant for them, not the users and so I’ll give this one a pass.