1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
|
The openSUSE project has delivered the final version of openSUSE 11.3, which brings a new Linux kernel, countless app updates and newfound focus on the KDE desktop.
While openSUSE has been somewhat maligned in the past for its association with Novell, the latest release comes on the heels of a new mission statement that seeks to create a bit of distance from Novell's commercial projects.
The openSUSE project's new <a href="http://en.opensuse.org/index.php?title=Documents/Strategy/Community">community statement</a> calls for the creation of an openSUSE Foundation to help foster a more open, active community of contributors.
Although Novell technically only sponsors the openSUSE project, three of the five board members are Novell employees and historically openSUSE rarely strays too far from the stated goals of Novell's commercial, SLED distribution. Clearly, the openSUSE project would like to be seen as more than a proving ground for SLED and with Novell busy with the new MeeGo netbook distribution, there seems to be little resistance to openSUSE's recent assertion of autonomy.
Given that the latest release of openSUSE includes the Fedora-developed open Nouveau driver to improve support for NVIDIA graphics cards (shipping with Fedora 13), an RPM-based package manager and a similar commercial derivative coming from it, the openSUSE project is clearly taking some inspiration from the Fedora project.
But while the other changes -- assuming they happen -- could end up transforming openSUSE into something a bit more like Fedora, for the 11.3 release openSUSE still primarily feels like a typical openSUSE release -- in both good and bad ways.
One place openSUSE differs from Fedora, Ubuntu and other popular distros is its love of KDE. Last year the openSUSE developers formally <a href="http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-project/2009-08/msg00548.html">announced</a> that KDE would be the default openSUSE desktop.
However, despite the emphasis on KDE, openSUSE remains one of the most desktop agnostic of all Linux distros. The 11.3 release offers the same live DVD as previous release, including the GNOME, KDE and XFCE desktops, as well as just about every package under the sun. The only difference is that the DVD now selects KDE by default during the install.
If you haven't got the bandwidth (or time) for the 4.7 GB DVD download, there are live CDs with either GNOME or KDE.
While Linux installers have improved across the board, openSUSE's live install process has been always been a step above most distros. With an option to auto partition your system with separate partitions root, system and home, as well as automatically apply any available updates before you boot into your new desktop, openSUSE 11.3 is one of the smoothest installations we've done.
Underlying openSUSE is the latest Linux kernel, 2.6.34, which was still a release candidate when we tested openSUSE 11.3 RC2, though it will hopefully have reached final release stage by the time openSUSE does likewise. Among other improvements, 2.6.34 adds some basic support for more recent Radeon graphics cards.
We tested both the GNOME and KDE desktops and found that, unlike Ubuntu, where the Kubuntu distro feels a bit behind the GNOME version, in openSUSE the KDE desktop is definitely the focus.
If you'd like to try openSUSE 11.3, we highly recommend installing the KDE desktop. Not only is openSUSE shipping with KDE 4.4.4, there are several potentially nice customizations, including the KSuseInstall app, which purports to automatically fetch needed software -- Amarok codecs for example.
Unfortunately, KSuseInstall is sometimes more hassle than help. For example, when Amarok starts up it will helpfully remind you that openSUSE doesn't ship with mp3 codecs installed. That will kick in the KSuseInstall app which will tell you it can automatically install them. Sadly, it can't.
You'll need to go through a total of six dialog boxes and one YaST module to add the necessary repositories before you have the mp3 codecs installed. Of course, the hoops aren't openSUSE's fault, they exist because of legal issues, but to offer what appears to be a one-click install tool that turns out not to be seems a bit like false advertising. The truth is no linux distro is ever going to make installing mp3 codecs a one-click process and it's probably high time they stopped trying.
Aside from some hiccups with KSuseInstall, KDE 4.4 brings a few nice new features like the ability to group multiple windows in a single window. Billed as way to streamline your workflow, window groups make it possible to, for example, bind together a Dolphin window, a terminal session and chat client all in the same window.
That's great news for power users, but it also means it's easy to end up with tabbed windows within tabbed windows -- potentially very confusing for newcomers. Luckily the window groups feature is hidden away in the right click menu so unless you go looking for it, it won't get in your way.
While KDE may be the focus, GNOME is still around and according to openSUSE's own statics roughly a quarter of users install the GNOME desktop. OpenSUSE may be using KDE as the default, but it hasn't neglected GNOME, though the GNOME version of openSUSE feels vaguely KDE-like with only a single bottom toolbar by the default and the "<a href="http://en.opensuse.org/GNOME/Slab">Slab</a>" menu.
The Slab menu functions much more like the "start" buttons in KDE or Windows 7. Fans of Mint Linux will be familiar with what's possible with Slab -- easy access to everything in your system from one, unobtrusive panel.
However, the openSUSE version of the Slab menu is not nearly as powerful as what you'll find in Mint. In fact, aside from a three-button interface that allows you to see a limited number of apps, recent documents and the usual places menu options, the Slab doesn't have much to offer.
In Mint Linux, searching, clicking the "more applications" button or any other Slab buttons will load the new content within the menu. In openSUSE clicking those buttons will just open a new Nautilus browser window on your desktop, making the Slab menu of dubious usefulness.
No matter which desktop you opt for, one place openSUSE really excels is the number of included packages. On the GNOME side you'll find extras like the Liferea RSS feed reader, gFTP and even the XChat IRC client. OpenSUSE also includes the helpful GNOME control center which gives quick access to just about every GNOME setting available, all from one convenient panel.
Overall openSUSE 11.3 is a solid release with all the usual extras you would expect from a project that feeds into a commercial, enterprise Linux distro like SLED. If the openSUSE project can achieve it's goals and establish its own identity separate from Novell and SLED, openSUSE may end up as popular and well-loved as Fedora and Ubuntu.
|
