Compare Gentoo and Slackware 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Small-Business (46.9% of reviews)
Small-Business (44.4% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
No pricing available
Gentoo
Star Rating
(33)4.1 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (46.9% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about GentooSlackware
Star Rating
(30)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (44.4% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about SlackwareSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- Users report that Slackware excels in ease of setup with a score of 7.3, while Gentoo struggles significantly with a lower score of 4.5, making Slackware a more user-friendly option for those new to Linux.
- Reviewers mention that Slackware has a higher ease of use rating at 7.5 compared to Gentoo's 6.3, indicating that Slackware provides a more intuitive experience for everyday users.
- G2 users highlight that Slackware's quality of support is rated at 7.5, slightly better than Gentoo's 7.4, suggesting that users may find more reliable assistance when using Slackware.
- Users on G2 report that Slackware has a better overall product direction with a positive rating of 5.8, while Gentoo's rating of 5.2 indicates some concerns about its future development and updates.
- Reviewers say that Slackware's RAM management is more efficient, which is crucial for performance, while Gentoo users have noted challenges in this area, impacting system responsiveness.
- Users report that Slackware's backup and recovery features are more robust, providing a smoother experience for data backup compared to Gentoo, which has received mixed reviews on this functionality.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Gentoo
No pricing availableSlackware
No pricing availableFree Trial
Gentoo
No trial information availableSlackware
No trial information availableRatings
Meets Requirements
8.6
29
8.8
22
Ease of Use
6.3
29
7.4
22
Ease of Setup
4.5
22
7.3
15
Ease of Admin
7.3
20
7.9
14
Quality of Support
7.4
25
7.5
20
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
7.6
16
8.5
11
Product Direction (% positive)
5.2
27
5.4
23
Features by Category
Memory Management - Operating System
Not enough data
Not enough data
Device Management - Operating System
Not enough data
Not enough data
Backup and Recovery - Operating System
Not enough data
Not enough data
Error Detection - Operating System
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Gentoo and Slackware are categorized as Operating System
Unique Categories
Gentoo has no unique categories
Slackware has no unique categories
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Gentoo
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Slackware
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Computer Software
18.8%
Computer & Network Security
18.8%
Information Technology and Services
15.6%
Consulting
3.1%
Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
3.1%
Other
40.6%
Information Technology and Services
22.2%
Computer Software
7.4%
Computer Networking
7.4%
Writing and Editing
3.7%
Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
3.7%
Other
55.6%
Most Helpful Reviews
Gentoo
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
i like the simplicity of the user interface
Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
legacy console, thus powerful working on the said environment due to less resource required to run gentoo on a specific H/W or VM.
Slackware
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Igor M.
Verified User in Writing and Editing
Unix-like philosophy, very high security, speed, straight forward, doc pages, stability
Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User in Gambling & Casinos
It has little to offer of its competitors
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
i like the simplicity of the user interface
Igor M.
Verified User in Writing and Editing
Unix-like philosophy, very high security, speed, straight forward, doc pages, stability
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
legacy console, thus powerful working on the said environment due to less resource required to run gentoo on a specific H/W or VM.
Verified User in Gambling & Casinos
It has little to offer of its competitors
Discussions
Does Gentoo come with a GUI?
1 comment
GR
Yes and no, it's your own decision to install an X server and a window manager such as KDE or Gnome or i3 or work without.Read more
Gentoo has no more discussions with answers
Why Slackware?
2 comments
OL
To me, that's the best choice. I wanted to spread it as much as I could, even installed it on my sis's notebook knowing she's too far from IT. Slackware is...Read more
what is the best way to have OS selection Startup with slackware on the list ?
1 comment
MZ
Lilo if your BIOS supports it or UEFI ...Read more
Is Slackware still relevant 2020?
1 comment
MM
It is relevant. However, it will depend on your use case. For instance, application service providers/vendors will indicate which distribution of Linux their...Read more
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