Vector Linux 2.5 beta first look

by , 16 February, 2002

This is a first look at the Vector Linux 2.5 beta release, available for download and testing. I thought I'd pass along some of the highlights you can expect, as well as a request from , VL's creator, for volunteers. Robert is asking for help with both testing and documentation.

I've been a fan of Vector Linux since I stumbled across version 1.8. I'm using Vector Linux 2.0 as my everyday distro, and am also testing the 2.5 beta.

Install and config changes

Robert has decided to make a bit of a change in how things are done with VL. He has changed from the one file download, to what I think is better. You now have the choice of a base console-only install, an XFree86 3.3.6 version, or the XFree86 4.2.0 version.

The VL-2.5-base download is 44.3Mb, with a further 39.4Mb or 59.4Mb download for XFree86 3.3.6 or 4.2.0, respectively. The base with no X installs into about 200Mb, if you add X to the mix it comes in at just over 300Mb.

Vector Linux 2.5 features, the 2.4.17 Linux kernel, GCC 2.95.3, Sylpheed 0.7.0 (a nice X email client), and Robert has also added a couple of programs that I'd wanted to see in VL 2.0. WvDial and PortSentry are now part of the base install for Vector Linux. Thank you Robert. :)

IceWM and XFce are still there. AbiWord is there. One new thing I really like is that Robert has decided to go with Opera instead of Netscape Navigator, for the default X Web browser. This is the latest version of Opera for Linux available. Support has also been added for the Ext3 file system in the install.

Install and initial config

I did the base plus 3.3.6 X install and here's how it went.

You boot up into the install just the same as before. There are some significant differences once you get started though. First big change is the addition of both cfdisk (color version of fdisk) and parted in the install routine. You can add or delete partitions outright with cfdisk, or just use the parted program to resize them. If you make changes to your partition you will be asked to reboot to have those changes take effect.

Once your partitions are all setup, you have your choice of either the old reliable Ext2 filesystem, or the new journaling filesystem, Ext3. You can still go to another virtual console to do whatever and come back. If you already have a Linux and Linux swap partition created you can do the install from the same partition. This is a nice touch.

Once the base is installed you'll have a chance to install one of the X servers. Then it's time for some basic system configuration. Setting up your sound card, mouse, modem, all the standard sort of things you'd expect.

First boot

When you boot after the install is completed you'll find the usual login screen. One nice change though. Robert has added PAM to Vector Linux 2.5. What does this mean to you? Well, put plainly, PAM is a more secure way of handling logins than the standard Linux method. For one thing you're no longer limited to a maximum of 8 characters in your password. Ranges from 5 to 127 or something like that. This is one of the first programs I install, if it's not installed by the distribution.

Go ahead, login as root, set your password (with the passwd command), and then immediately add an everyday user account for yourself, with the adduser command.

Now that you've created a user account (still as the root user) type vasm to bring up the Vector Linux Configuration Menu. A couple of things to do immediately, are:

1. Go to the services menu, setup things like crond, atd, gpm (the console mouse daemon), and Port Sentry here. By default it starts out in "stealth" mode for TCP, and has its own log file already setup to keep its messages separate.
2. If you need to start a driver, like imm for the Iomega Zip Drive, there's an option here to allow you to edit the file for that.
3. If you haven't already done so you can do the PPP setup from here. Also, a new addition is a script to allow you to configure WvDial.
4. You can access the Lilo config script from here, as well as other things like network setup, etc.

Once you've finished with your system configuration, exit the menu, and from a terminal type mnsetup (Mail and News Setup). This script will ask a few questions (like which user to do this for) and when it's finished, the appropriate files get written to allow you to use fetchmail, the mutt email client, and tin, the default newsgroup client.

One thing to note is that you will need to login to your lowly user account and edit the ~/.fetchmailrc file, using either mcedit, or nano. The mnsetup script doesn't seem to put the mail server entry in. Not a big deal. Just so you know about it.

Type reboot, and on the next boot you should see those services you told it to start appear in the boot messages. Now to test out your email, login as root, type wvdial and you should be connected to your ISP.

Switch to another console, login as lowly user, type fetchmail and you should see your mail get pulled across. type mutt and test sending and receiving email. The idea here, isn't to turn you into a command-line junkie, but to simply test the sendmail functions.

Checking out X

Type startx and choose from IceWM or XFce from the menu that appears. Start the email program, do your configuration, and try pulling across mail with that, and sending it.

Start Opera and see what you think. A word of warning. If you require Java support you will have to install that yourself. Opera does have Javascript support though, and does a much nicer job with the graphics than Netscape Navigator. Or you can just get and install Netscape if you prefer. Up to you really.

Licq is included, I've not tried it yet other than to load it up. Couldn't find my ICQ info at the time. The graphical FTP client, gFTP, works just fine. Have used that quite a bit actually. That "thud" you heard was Laurence hitting the floor from shock... Bill using an X tool?! :)

Wrap-up

Well, since I'm going to be doing a review of the CD version I'll not be doing another review of the download version once it's hit final. This is a late beta and not many things will change that much, I'm sure.

Most important additions to VL 2.5 are:

PAM, Port Sentry, WvDial, Kernel 2.4.17, GCC 2.95.3, adding Ext3 support and, of course, splitting it up into a no X base which you need in any event, and still maintaining the support for both 3.3.6 and 4.2.0 X Servers.

Two thumbs up! :)

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