OpenSUSE is Novell's all-purpose distro for everybody. Version 10.3 is the latest in the long and illustrious line of SUSE Linux - one of the world's longest-running and most popular Linux distros. This month's Linux Magazine DVD comes with 32-bit, 64-bit, and live versions of OpenSUSE 10.3 on a double-sided disc.
OpenSUSE 10.3 runs on Linux kernel 2.6.22.5. On the desktop, you'll find KDE 3.5.7, along with preliminary versions of some KDE 4 games and tools. Also included is a special version of the Gnome 2.20 desktop with what the developers call "SUSE polished additions."
New 1-Click Install lets you manage access to package repositories, and re-designed YaST modules provide easier configuration for virtualization tools, network cards, and other devices. 1-Click also offers easy install for multimedia codecs. Other multimedia improvements include better MP3 support.
New artwork includes a new rendition of the SUSE green theme, as well as several other rebuilt themes and effects. A new application called The Giver offers fast and easy local file sharing. KiWi lets you roll your own system images.
Kernel patches and updates to init boot scripts yield improvements in boot time. Developers have also fixed bugs and optimized preload lists for additional boot improvements - tests indicate potential boot time improvements of up to 50% for some configurations.
OpenSUSE continues to improve its support for virtualization, adding new tools and updating several popular virtualization utilities. Version 10.3 comes with Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) support. You'll also find support for Xen 3.1, QEMU, and VirtualBox, as well as some handy tools for virtual machine installation and management.
The ZMD package-management system is replaced with the libzypp system. The developers insist that libzypp is faster and more reliable, and the new system provides greater compatibility with package tools such as yum and smart. Two new package management applications accompany these improvements. Zypper is a versatile command-line tool for installing and managing packages from the terminal window. OpenSUSE Updater is a GUI-based utility that notifies you about software updates. You can still use SUSE's famous YaST configuration tool for installing and managing packages.
OpenSUSE remains one of the world's most popular Linux distributions, and new tools and improvements offer faster performance, better virtualization, and easier package management.
| Double-sided DVD |
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This month's openSUSE DVD is a double-sided disk, with 32-bit and live versions on one side and a 64-bit version on the opposite side. A DVD device always reads the side of the disk that is facing down. This DVD is labeled like a normal DVD - the label you see as you place the disk into the tray applies to the data on the opposite side. If you are installing the 32-bit version, the 32-bit label should be facing up in the tray. |
| System Requirements |
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Processor: Pentium 1-4 or equivalent. Memory: At least 256 MB; 512 MB recommended. Hard Disk: At least 500 MB for a minimal system; 2.5 GB recommended for a standard system. |
| Help & Support |
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See http://support.novell.com/forums/2su.html for a summary of Novell-sponsored support forums. See also the SUSE Forums website http://www.suseforums.net/ and http://en.opensuse.org/Communicate. The openSUSE.org project maintains its own Help resources, including the openSUSE support database http://en.opensuse.org/SDB:SDB and the openSUSE documentation page http://en.opensuse.org/Documentation. |
| Highlights |
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Linux kernel 2.6.22.5 KDE 3.5.7 Gnome 2.20 glibc 2.6.1 OpenOffice 2.3.0 KOffice 1.6.3 GIMP 2.2.17 Firefox 2.0 Thunderbird 2.0 AmaroK 1.4.7 Kaffeine 0.8.5 Banshee 0.13.1 K3b 1.0.3 Apache 2.2.4 Bind 9.4.1 Samba 3.5.7 Perl 5.8.8 Python 2.5.1 PHP 5.2.4 |
| Additional Resources |
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[1] openSUSE project: http://www.opensuse.org [2] Bug reports: http://en.opensuse.org/Submitting_Bug_Reports [3] Novell documentation: http://www.novell.com/documentation |