Review of SuSE 8.2 309
technoid_ writes "The Register has a glowing review of Suse 8.2. Wow, the Register can actually be nice?"
...there can be no public or private virtue unless the foundation of action is the practice of truth. - George Jacob Holyoake
Pronounciation (Score:4, Interesting)
Just curious. Maybe this is a lInix/lEEnix thing.
Re:Pronounciation (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Pronounciation (Score:2, Informative)
I could be wrong... (Score:4, Informative)
SuSE...
lets see what google says (note, I have no clue who these people in the thread are, so this isnt necessarily fact)
FROM: Frank Pawlak
DATE: 01/30/1998 23:22:19
SUBJECT: RE: [S.u.S.E. Linux] SuSE History
On Jan 30, 9:32pm, Jonathan Markevich wrote:
> Subject: Re: [S.u.S.E. Linux] SuSE History
>
>
> On 30-Jan-98 Frank Pawlak wrote:
>
> >> Can anyone tell us about the history of the SuSE company? How long has it
> >> been in busness? What does SuSE mean? And so on.
>
> A good question, more importantly, though, how do you pronounce SuSE! I like
> "Suzie", though someone else around here likes "Sooz". Ess-You-Ess-Eee has
to
> go.
Say like so: Sue-sa with a short a at the end. Like Sue-suh maybe.
Regards
Frank
Dear Suzy (Score:3, Funny)
Dear Suzy,
Congratulations on your new version 8.2! Your pics on the Register are hot. I think I'll install you on my new P4.
Love,
Linus
Re:Pronounciation (Score:2)
Re:Pronounciation (Score:2)
Re:Pronounciation (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Pronounciation (Score:5, Funny)
Thanks for the acronym and pronunciation information.
However, I don't feel ALL dumb because at least I didn't mispell the word proNUNciation (although I probably mispelled others).
Okay, now I feel like a pud again for spontaneously turning into a grammar officer.
Dammit SuSE! Why couldn't you have been easy to pronounce in the first place and saved me all this shame?
Re:Pronounciation (Score:3, Funny)
Who's scared of the BSA, governemnt, multinational corporations, the CIA, or terrorists? You should be scared of the FSF!
Re:Pronounciation (Score:4, Informative)
BTW, suse used to be an acronym ("System und Software Entwicklung"), but no longer is. (in contrast to many things in the computing world which started out not being acronyms but later got expansions tacked on to them, like BASIC).
Re:Pronounciation (Score:2)
..Well, I got 20/20 in 180 seconds.
..so now what? (does everyone get 20/20?)
Re:Pronounciation (Score:2)
Re:Pronounciation (Score:5, Informative)
Ok, so the first part sounds like "Sue" or "Soo" with a sharp "S" - something like the first sylable in "soup" (like chicken).
The second part is "suh" or "ze", like the last sylable in "nose" (sphinx) or "hose" (gardening).
Note that in german you can read pronounciation even if you have never heard the word before. German pupils can usually read - if not very fluently - after 3 months in school!
I wonder if a semi-unification of writing and speech, like unifying the writing of sylables (something like "nite" instead of "night") would help the iliteracy problem in the US in any way.
To me personally the difference is very significant since both english and german are my mothertounge. I learned both at the same time along with all the advantages and disadvantages. One being that my spelling in both is not that good, whilst I'm able to pronounce third languages (such as maybe french or japanese) allmost accent free. I account this to the oral 'flexibility' you gain from growing up with a german mother and a texacan father, meaning two somewhat different languages in terms of pronounciation.
Re:Pronounciation (Score:2)
Re:Pronounciation (Score:2)
Re:Pronounciation (Score:5, Informative)
This did not happen (Score:5, Funny)
Re:This did not happen (Score:3, Funny)
This will be funny once or twice. After that I look forward to modding you DOWN, dude.
What about Natalie Portman? Is she registered?
Re:This did not happen (Score:4, Funny)
This is a good review (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=3163 [osnews.com]
Re:This is a good review (Score:5, Funny)
Re:This is a good review (Score:2)
Re:This is a good review (Score:2)
The only time you see a good review from her is when she copy-pastes them from other reviews (and she used to get pissed when people put her articles in slashdot in case of 'slashdotting').
Re:This is a good review (Score:3, Funny)
Re:This is a good review - yup (Score:2)
It seems more like... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: It seems more like... (Score:2)
I mean,
XWindows=Pam Anderson "Sucking A Big Cock"
Re: It seems more like... (Score:2)
Version numbers (Score:2, Funny)
NVidia and SAMBA (Score:5, Interesting)
SuSE (and other distros) sadly lack an easy way to share a directory under SAMBA. There are a few utilities to browse windows shares and mount them, but nothing to create a share with a GUI. I can't believe I've been mucking around with samba.conf since 5.X! Having it built into Konqueror would be great, but I dream. Has anyone found GUI tools for SAMBA that work well?
By the way, SuSE can't use the SMB Python library, so the killer SAMBA Python GUI isn't possible under SuSE. Such a bummer, because there already is a great tool written under Python. I don't remember the name off the top of my head though.
Re:NVidia and SAMBA (Score:4, Informative)
Re:NVidia and SAMBA (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.webmin.com
It will also let you perform a lot of other admin type stuff besides SAMBA.
I had webmin install with no problems on Debian (Woody testing) and Slackware 7.1
Xandros - GUI for Samba! (Score:2, Informative)
Re:NVidia and SAMBA (Score:2)
Red Hat 9 comes with an new Samba configuration tool (GTK2 based, like all redhat-*-config" tools). It's very spartan, but it works quite well and setting up a share takes only a few clicks. It'll also create users, set passwords and manage the samba deamon itself. You can probably rebuild the SRPM for SuSE without any trouble.
Today, I answer your prayers. (Score:3, Informative)
Behold, he is the Quizat Haderac
Re:NVidia and SAMBA (Score:2)
If only I had the time/knowledge to write something myself. I guess a good follow up to my query would be "Does anyone know of a comprehensive SAMBA util that needs non-programmer help?"
Updates are much better (Score:5, Informative)
With 8.1 the online updater always locked up or didn't complete. It only seemed to work if you mirrored the updates locally and then directed online update to run from your lan.
Re:Updates are much better (Score:2)
I really tried to work with SuSE on the updates last year, but they ignored me. I think they lost a lot of customers because of it.
One of the value added features distros can bring to the table is fast and reliable security updates. If you can't get the updates, you're dead. And this is the one piec
Re:Updates are much better (Score:2)
I have used the free "demo" up2date service, and it works fine for me, usually. Sometimes RHN temporarily denies the "demo" users access, but this is fairly rare.
"Second, Red Hat is rather gnome centric. . . . I find that gnome is much uglier than KDE."
That is purely a matter of taste, not to mention that it is fairly trivial to change the GNOME theme if you really want to.
"Third, Red Hat only supp
available for $3 (Score:4, Informative)
Re:available for $3 (Score:2)
Re:available for $3 (Score:5, Informative)
SuSE offers a live-evaluation disc image for free here [suse.com]. It's not a complete install but it'll give you an idea of what SuSE's all about.
You are allowed to do a full install via ftp (see instructions here [suse.com]). Sure it's not as easy but an FTP install will build some more of that character I'm always hearing about.
I have to say though, YaST is probably the best thing I've seen so far for a Migrating Windows User. It is powerful, flexible, and intuitive for anyone used to Control Panels. SuSE also automatically does some intelligent things like password protect single-user mode (unlike RedHat). IMHO, it's the best new user distribution. Sure, I use Gentoo on my machine but then I'm captivated by watching packages compile for 72 hours straight. -grin-
More reviews (Score:5, Interesting)
In the other hand, in Linux and Main [linuxandmain.com] they have a mostly negative review.
But, at least for me, it installed without problems in the systems I tried, and it looks more mature than 8.1, is not just a package versions upgrade.
Re:More reviews (Score:2)
I guess the problem he has is the serial mouse on Port one. I wouldn't be surprised if YAST2 thought it was a mouse, but for what reason that thing waited for a response for over 90 minutes is beyond me.
I had similar problems in old versions of Windows (when I still used windows) during modem installation.
Re:More reviews (Score:2)
This is an article about a specific installation problem. The real Linux and Main SuSE 8.2 Pro Review [linuxandmain.com] ends with "But again, once it's up and running, SuSE 8.2 Professional is great."
No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:5, Informative)
Suse FTP install [suse.com]
It is not as nice as having an ISO available, but I haven't installed *BSD from a CD in ages, and I hear Suse's FTP install is even easier and more reliable.
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:2)
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:4, Informative)
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:2)
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:5, Insightful)
Someone should tell your boss because that is not how informed decisions are made about what software to install.
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:2)
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:3, Interesting)
Not for those of us with only one computer. FTP is fine if you have another machine to mirror the tree to, but otherwise your only machine is tied up for god knows how long in an installer. Hmm maybe one of the distros should put in a web browser like you get in a Solaris install...then at least you can stay entertained.
The benefit to ISOs for people like me (living off a laptop at the moment) is that you just need to download o
Re:No ISOs, no testing, no install. (Score:2)
GPL is a wonderful thing (Score:2)
I run a consulting business, and I have at least one client who is looking to migrate servers and desktops to Linux in 6 - 12 months. SuSE will be my distro of choice when that time comes.
Re:GPL is a wonderful thing (Score:3)
Read the YaST license: "It is forbidden to reproduce or distribute data carriers which have been reproduced without authorisation for payment without the prior written consent of SuSE Linux AG or SuSE Linux."
SuSE 8.2 freezes (Score:3, Interesting)
Right now I'm communicating with the helpdesk and this is no big pleasure either. After my initial mail, I received the advice to reinstall the system with the safe settings (a boot menu option). I had already done this, since the normal settings wouldn't boot.
After saying that I'd already installed with safe settings, I was told that reinstalling really would help. So I did this and it (of course) didn't help.
The next idea the helpdesk had was to ask me to give them a list of the hardware in my computer (this list is also sent to SuSE when doing a support query, but apparently, they lost it). I provided the list and the next day I got an email asking me to check the computers memory and use a special boot option. The memory's ok and the boot option didn't work, so I'm now waiting for their next question.
However, when SuSE is installed, it runs quite well. But many applications are missing and a lot of hardware is not recognized, e.g. my pcmcia network card.
The new update checker is convenient but very buggy! It crashes a lot and after updating, the checker's icon still signals you to update.
So, in conclusion, I can say that I'll continue using SuSE (on the machine on which it does not freeze), at least until the end of the support period.
If you think SuSE is a nice distro for newbies: forget it. It takes ages until you've got it running smoothly. Once it works, it works, but it's not much different from any other disto. The install's horrible.
Re:SuSE 8.2 freezes (Score:4, Informative)
Re:SuSE 8.2 freezes (Score:3, Informative)
Try booting into runlevel 3 and see if that helps.
I'll also throw another theory out there.. Do you, by chance, have a VIA IDE chipset? If you do, you probably know they're really, REALLY buggy but you can work around that. Anyhow, if you do have a via chipset, how do you have your system configured (drives-wise)?
Re:SuSE 8.2 freezes (Score:2)
Actually I always considered SuSE's installer one of the best. Sorry you're having problems.
Re:SuSE 8.2 freezes (Score:2)
Re:SuSE 8.2 freezes (Score:2)
I haven't compiled a new kernel yet, but the previous version of SuSE (8.0) on this machine did not have the problem, neither does Mandrake 9.1, so a vanilla kernel should work fine, but it might not work well with the init procedures. I just want things to work without fiddling.
So SuSE shipped a rather unstable kernel and instead of trying to fix it quickly, the helpdesk asks me silly questions.
Yes, they can! (Score:2, Funny)
Thank goodness we can rely upon you to pick up the slack, though.
Re:Yes, they can! (Score:2)
Uhh... no, Michael did not say that, technoid_ did. Just because it's in the blurb doesn't mean that the editor wrote it.
Cheaper on linux-screws - not eval (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Cheaper on linux-screws - not eval (Score:2)
I know that is not good, but if someone complains, I just point that you can download/burn/install mandrake, redhat and more distributions CD images, if so
Re:Cheaper on linux-screws - not eval (Score:3, Insightful)
Linux Newbie (Score:5, Interesting)
I went out and picked up SuSE 8.2 last week and installed it under VMWare and I love it (despite the fact that I can't get VMWare tools to install!). I think that KDE 3.1 kicks the living snot out of Windows, period. I would even propose that my mother could use it without a problem.
As the article said, the installation was flawless and it picked up the virtual NIC automatically. I didn't encounter one problem (except as noted above) and I found that I started running the VM fullscreen despite the low resolution because I just enjoyed working with it.
I'm not ready to get involved on a command-line level as of yet and probably won't until I finish my MCSE (please don't flame me!), but it's definitely a tight package compared to other Linux installs that I've played with before.
Sadly, Linux doesn't seem to have much support for games and it's really the only reason that I haven't dumped Windows from my main machine and taken the plunge. I know that everyone talks a good deal about WINE, but I've heard that there are problems with it.
Oh well, just my two cents...
Re:Linux Newbie (Score:3, Funny)
A second 20 gig Hard Drive - ~$75
Being able to switch OSes with a simple reboot - Priceless
There are something money can't buy. For everything else, there is larger storage.
Re:Linux Newbie (Score:2)
You don't really need Windoze for MCSE. Linux has a whole host of Minesweeper-like games and even Solitaire games. You can get up to advanced skill with either/both in linux and never see a Windoze desktop!
Wireless LAN support? (Score:2)
OK, so maybe I'll give this "Linux" thing a try (Score:3, Interesting)
Now, I know this post might be a Karma burn, but what the hell. I don't post too much on Slashdot anyway. I just thought I'd ask for some opinions here.
I am a Windows developer in a Windows world. for the most part, I've really liked it (see, told you it was a Karma burn). I haven't found much that I hate about Windows at all. And I'm not the type of guy to invent reasons to hate an operating system (come on guys, life is too short for that!). I don't think I could ever use the term "M$" without slapping myself silly.
I've used other OSes, but I've never switched. Just hasn't been practical.
My income is currently tied to Windows. While somewhat "plain", I have enjoyed the Windows interface.
So, I guess the question here is... Is it time to try Linux again? What's different now? Slashdot seems to trumpet the arrival of even the most minor Linux upgrade.... Is this different?
Can I install Linux and be productive in less than 5 hours? Can I insert a CD and have the install routine work? Are there any games yet?
Here's a newbie (and odd!) question for you: Can I develop Windows applications from within Linux now? Or at least run VS or VS.NET?
Just wondering. Hope it wasn't too terrible a sin to post this...
Re:OK, so maybe I'll give this "Linux" thing a try (Score:2)
Re:OK, so maybe I'll give this "Linux" thing a try (Score:2)
This is semi-related, but the latest JBuilder lets you build native wrappers around your Java applications. So you can compile your Java app to a
Kinda neat.
Re:OK, so maybe I'll give this "Linux" thing a try (Score:5, Interesting)
Well, the install takes about a half hour. Maybe more, maybe less, depends on your hardware. This will install the OS, OpenOffice.org's office suite, multimedia stuff, etc. If you want a DVD player, thanks to our friend the DMCA, you'll have to go grab some rpm's and install them, about 5 minutes of your time.
Installing a copy of Tribes 2 or UT2003 will take a few minutes. There are other games. Does that answer the gaming question?
Of course, you'll want to install other stuff, and whatnot. Roughly setting up, timewise, is going to be a little less than setting up with windows.
Now, as a developer, who's done both Win and *nix development, you couldn't really find any way to put a nice spin on Windows development. And, by development, I'm not talking about writing some cute little VB database front ends.
I'm talking about writing backend stuff. Data handling stuff. Servers. Things where windows just doesn't do well. Need to share objects? COM? Who came up with that horrible idea. regsvr32? WTF is up with that?
Re:OK, so maybe I'll give this "Linux" thing a try (Score:2)
I dunno... as someone who learned the "windows way" secondary, I'm always amazed at how bad some "pure" windows folk are.
Ever see a VB coder not use Option Explicit? I sure have. Ever see odd variables defined in the scope of one loop then referenced waaaaay outside that loop in a VB program? I have. Does that work? Yes. Is that a good practice? No.
Not to say that you don't see that in other languages. You do. In some languages you dont' see that at all (Java), but those languages
Don't Bother (Score:5, Insightful)
There are many reasons to switch to Linux; the protection of our future rights and freedoms is not least (philosophical and political imperatives). Linux is more stable than XP in my experience, but not by that much (technical). MS-Windows still has all the games, though. (Although, I have to say: I would rather play a game on my PS2 than on my computer.)
Linux installs within about an hour. You should be productive within a couple of hours after that, but you will spend the next 20 years learning. (Of course, you better spend the next 20 years learning no matter what system you choose.)
If you want to develop MS-Windows programs, for God's sake, man, use MS-Windows! Don't drive yourself crazy trying to do some devilishly-complicated scheme, when the simple solution is, well, simple.
I believe it is dangerous to support Microsoft in any way. Their history has shown they will destroy any emergent technology simply to retain a lock on "innovation." If you are doing anything remotely interesting, they are likely to either buy you up (good for you), or kill you (bad for you). Either way, you benefit Microsoft more than yourself.
I also believe you are giving up your rights by using Microsoft products. Their EULA are becoming draconian; at some poing, you will have no rights at all.
Linux brings back the fun in computing, both at the systems level, and at the development level. I haven't had so much fun with a system since the old Apple ][ days. Of course, I've been using Linux for almost 10 years now, so it's been a long fun jag.
If these arguments do not appeal to you, then you probably have nothing to gain by moving to Linux. Stick with what you have. Don't kill yourself by attempting a switch.
However, if you'd like to see what the fun is all about, pull out an old PII computer and install away. Play with it, integrate it with your home network, start exploring the things that interest you. You can have the best of both worlds, you know. It's not an either/or proposition.
But, no matter what you do, have fun. Keep one eye on the future, but don't let yourself become blind to the present: have extreme amounts of fun.
After all, that's what life is all about.
Re:Don't Bother (Score:2)
Well said.
Re:Don't Bother (Score:4, Interesting)
Have you read Red Hat's service agreements for the new "Enterprise" line? It'll shock you. They're not much different any more. We just printed ours out yesterday to read the fine print.
Don't believe me? How about, by agreeing, you give Red Hat the right to walk into your building at take stock of all your software. How's that for "Microsoft-like?"
We're going to be cancelling our contract. Which, by the way, you MUST do in writing, 60 days before the end, or you WILL be held accountable for another year's worth of your agreement. How's that for "IBM-like?"
The lines are getting fuzzier these days, fellow geeks. Please vote with your dollars. I'm not against Linux companies making money, but when a company changes your terms IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TERM, then there needs to be some karmic retribution.
Re:Don't Bother (Score:2)
While if you want to run X you will need at least a decent computer, one of the great things about *nix is that it can run great on just about anything.
But of course it all depends on what you want from the OS. If you want to run X with all sorts of stuff then your going to need a decent computer. (Mind you I didn't say GOOD because really, even with a bunch of stuff turned on in X it's still mor
Don't forget apt! (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Don't forget apt! (Score:3, Interesting)
I use APT with SuSE and have found it to be excellent (although I can't compare it with other rpm distros that have apt-repositories).
I haven't used YaST to update since I installed APT4RPM [sourceforge.net], I get newer versions of important packages like Mozilla and KDE, I can update via a cron job and I dist-upgraded from 8.0 to 8.1 solely with APT, I also plan to upgrade from 8.1 to 8.2 this weekend or the next.
I've experienced very few problems using APT, although I imagine Debian's packaging works better with APT s
Re:ATI Radeon 9000 Pro (Score:2, Interesting)
Open up the drivers!
Re:ATI Radeon 9000 Pro (Score:5, Informative)
alias char-major-10-175 agpgart
options agpgart agp_try_unsupported=1
make sure you put a newline after or it may complain at boot
Re:ATI Radeon 9000 Pro (Score:5, Informative)
SuSE Linux comes with drivers for common cards including the following:
ATI: Radeon 9000/9500/9700
nVidia: GeForce 4, GeForce FX
Matrox: G450/G550
I have an 8500DV, which also works (though I haven't tried the special features like video-capture or firewire yet).
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2, Insightful)
Not that I subscribe, I just don't complain. -_^
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2)
If you love /., then throw down the $15 bucks for the subscription. It's well worth it. ...Or you could just go read some other news site without ads. If there are any left.
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2)
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2)
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2)
I think that may be more of a trick that Dell is
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2)
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2)
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2, Offtopic)
Re:The regsiter can be nice (Score:2)
i mean this is feedback to the company of what its users like
DON'T CLICK ABOVE LINK (Score:2)
Re:Lack of ISOs (Score:3, Informative)
This is not true! The source of YaST is included with SuSE and you're free to change and use it if you mark it as "modified version" and doesn't request money for it.
Re:Lack of ISOs (Score:4, Insightful)
Yeah, because KDE, XFree, OpenOffice, Mozilla, Gnome are all proprietary shit.
Oh wait, they're not. Oh and wait, SuSE actually contributes a great deal of code and resources to those projects. On par with RH perhaps?
But their installer! You gotta use that like once right? And it's closed source! Oh wait, it's not.
Oh man, just deal with it. It's a great distro, and NOTHING else available today is even close to it in terms of quality.
Re:Lack of ISOs (Score:3)
Yast tols aren't closed Source, source code is available, you just cannot take these Sources, improve them and ship with another product, nor can you sale them on for profit.