New Releases for Debian and SUSE 223
linuxbeta writes "With the recent SUSE LINUX 9.3 Live DVD ISO released, we get a sneak peek. (screenshots) of this much anticipated OS update. Cool updates in 9.3 includes Firefox 1.0, OpenOffice.org 2.0, Gimp 2.2, Beagle. Xen, VoIP client, and more." And while Debian's Sarge isn't here yet (give Branden Robinson a chance to find his plush new office!), wrochal points out that the fifth update to Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 ("Woody" ) has arrived. 3.0 (r5) "mainly adds security updates to the stable release, along with a few corrections to serious problems." Also, four packages were removed, three for license violations.
Grr. (Score:4, Insightful)
Multimedia (Score:3, Insightful)
This strategy will not "draw" in the crowds - most people give up before tinkering with the system. It has to work smoothly right out of the install (mostly).
I generally think Suse is one of the most polished distros out there, but it still has a way to go with multimedia, to get it to appeal to joe-computer user and Grandma who are scared of "breaking" things on the computer.
Linux is on the cusp from going from "hacker" OS to main-stream, but still has some catching up to Windows in certain things - mainly multimedia. Yes I know there are plenty of programs that work great - but the average user, I think, would not have the expertise to get it to work easily right off the DVD.
1+1=2 (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Multimedia (Score:2, Insightful)
At times, I feel we're always taking another step half way to completion. 5 years ago it was 50% there, later, 75%. Wasn't long until 87.5%... then 92%... the closer we get, the slower the refining a good desktop OS. the SuSE multimedia isn't too bad a problem all up, but as an oldbie I'm tired of fiddling. Ubuntu, Debian Sarge, Sid, Gentoo, FC3, Mandrake. None with show stopping bugs, but always something that doesn't work right and I have to chase down. A Graphics card not supported at full native LCD resolution. Sound not working how it should. Good, but not perfect. Five out of ten common media formats playing OK on one distro, 7 out of 10 on another, and a different 6 out of 10 on yet another. All work, but only across 3 distros and I just can't be bothered chasing down the exact reasons why to fix them, because I know they'll break (just a little bit, not even a great deal) in the next release.
What you've read are the rantings of a unix oldbie who is so frustrated with linux creeping ever so close to complete usability in my eyes, but never-quite-getting-there. My son in law uses OS X, and allows me to use his powerbook as I need. Never thought I'd say it, but I'm considering using a mac. Might even delete that terminal and sit in my rocking chair listening to DRM music and relax.
Hell, I can always come back to Linux when it's 'there' for me, right?
Re:Word usuage.. (Score:2, Insightful)
I can't see in screenshots if a application is the best to use, if it haven't bugs. Any search in google brings me a lot of screenshots. [google.com]
rats (Score:2, Insightful)
what about people without DVD? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Why screenshots? (Score:3, Insightful)
I too think screenshots don't do anything. How about a review of performance for the new apps rather than a change of the color of the title bar to the application?
Re:Multimedia (Score:5, Insightful)
Survey says?!? BZZZZT
I am, buy far and large, NOT a "Gentoo zealot". It just happens to be the distro of MY choice. I usually reccomend MDK or SuSE to people.
it's really freaking easy to run "apt-get install MPlayer"?
Can't the same be said for
etc.....