Oldest Active Linux Distro Slackware Finally Releases Version 15.0

Source: Slashdot

Overview

Created in 1993, Slackware is considered the oldest Linux distribution that is still actively maintained. After more than three decades, a new release—Slackware 15.0—has been announced, along with a Slackware Live Edition that can run from a DVD or USB stick.

Release Highlights

• Kernel: Slackware 15.0 ships with Linux Kernel 5.15 LTS (specifically 5.15.19), a significant jump from the previous 5.10 LTS used in the beta release. The kernel version was chosen after extensive testing and confirmation from Greg Kroah‑Hartman that it will receive long‑term support at least until October 2023, and likely longer.
• Hardware Support: Kernel 5.15 brings improved NTFS driver support, enhancements for Intel/AMD processors, initial support for Apple M1 chips, and added compatibility for Intel 12th‑gen CPUs.
• Philosophy: The Slackware team aimed to adopt modern improvements while preserving the distribution’s traditional character—“keep it familiar, but make it modern.”

Core System Updates

• Privileged Access Management (PAM): Integrated to replace pure shadow‑password support.
• Init System: Switched from ConsoleKit2 to elogind, aligning with XDG standards and simplifying support for software targeting other init systems.
• Audio & Display: Added PipeWire as an alternative to PulseAudio and introduced Wayland sessions alongside X11.
• Qt: Dropped Qt 4 entirely in favor of Qt 5.
• Programming Languages: Introduced Rust and updated to Python 3.
• Libraries: Numerous new libraries were added to support the above enhancements.

Desktop Environments

• Xfce 4.16: A fast, lightweight, and visually appealing desktop environment.
• KDE Plasma 5 (5.23.5 – “Plasma 25th Anniversary Edition”): Supports both Wayland and X11 sessions.

Mail Services

• Sendmail remains available in the /extra directory.
• Postfix is now the default mail handler.
• Retired imapd and ipop3d, replacing them with the more feature‑rich Dovecot IMAP and POP3 server.

Kernel Flavors

“As usual, the kernel is provided in two flavors, generic and huge. The huge kernel contains enough built‑in drivers that in most cases an initrd is not needed to boot the system.” — Release notes

Supporting Slackware

If you’d like to support the project, an official Patreon account is available.

Dedication

The release is dedicated to two members of the Slackware community who passed away in 2020:

• Erik “alphageek” Jan Tromp
• Brett Person, a long‑time collaborator who encouraged the original FTP upload of Slackware in 1993 and served as its original beta‑tester.

Their contributions are remembered fondly by the Slackware team.