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SuSE Linux 9.2 Professional Released
InnerPhalanx writes "Today, SuSE 9.2 Professional Edition has been released. SuSE writes: 'It combines a fast, secure operating system and more than 1,000 popular open source applications. It is the first complete Linux package to harness both the improved Linux kernel 2.6 and the recently enhanced GNOME 2.6 and KDE 3.3 user desktop environments. Ideal for Linux enthusiasts and developers, SUSE LINUX Professional 9.2 improves support for mobile users and delivers a host of essential tools.' More information at the SuSE website. The price is $89.95. The update version is $59.95. A live DVD image is also available on the SuSE website, for use by DVD. Have fun, SuSE Pro users!" Reader tannhaus submits an early review.
It's something I have always wondered. Do I not need to worry until they release v10? Or do I not even need to worry then because I can use apt to get the updates they make to Yast et al?
Or will the packages for 9.2/10 be in a different repository than those for 9.1?
i saw the baby, and the baby looked at me
You may be interested in this then:
9 07083_mz054.htm
Last January the borough of Newham in London reversed course on a planned change to Linux after a consultant's report said Windows would cost $600,000 less to support each year. The Finnish city of Turku also changed its mind about dumping Windows after a three-year experiment with Linux showed employees resisted the switch. There are reports of glitches and cost overruns from other Linux adopters, including Munich and the German Parliament, which had to revert to Windows servers temporarily in mid-October when a third of its 5,000 PC users couldn't access the Internet or get e-mail.
From http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_45/b3
Read it for additional information.
Reently I had to decide on a linux platform for my company. In evaluating the possibilities, I was seeking a distro that had both a lot of readily-available support, and the benefits of F/OSS.
Suse and Redhat, while perfect on the former count, DO NOT OFFER THE FULL BENEFITS OF F/OSS SOFTWARE.
Both RH and Suse offer certain configurations of their software which you cannot get without paying. I don't have anything against paying someone for software I use, if it's also available for free. But I do have a problem with software that you can't even look at unless you pay.
"Many eyes make bugs shallow." The more a peice of software costs, the less people will see it and contribute to it. The fewer bugs will exits in the end -- the better the software will be.
So I picked Debian. And I dig it.
I've always run RedHat and Slackware at home. We've been using RedHat at work for years. But with the new RedHat price structure, I decided it was time to look around more. I bought SuSe 9.1 Professional and installed it at home. Between things I was reading on the net and the positive experience we had with two Penguin dual Opteron servers that came with SuSe EL 8 preinstalled, I was psyched.
What a nigtmare.
The graphical installer refused to recognize the S3 card; I had to use text install. When initially installed, I could only find KDE. I reinstalled per something I found on the net-- installing just Gnome, then adding KDE after configuration.
My directory is automounted from a RH8 system. I can't get KDE or Gnome to work properly, so I go back to ctwm. Eventually I get both Gnome and KDE working, but Gnome is never quite right now on either the RH8 or the SuSe9.1Pro system. Works fine for root, but not for other users. ( realize the Gnome issues may not be SuSe's fault, exactly, but they did choose the version to include on the CDs.)
Overall, most things are slower, from booting and shutdown to popping up a new window. Yast2, in particular, takes forever to initialize. Granted it does some things the RH config tools don't, and it's much more consistent, but it's definitely slower. Maybe I wouldn't notice this on a new, fast system, but on my 400MHz and 500MHz systems at home, there's a clear difference.
Yast2 does a bunch of cool stuff, but that makes some of the missing things even odder. Why, for instance, is there no entry for a Logitech PS2 Mouseman when configuring a mouse?
I'll grant you things look really nice in SuSe. But I prefer substance over appearance. In some cases it has the substance, in others it doesn't.
To top it all off, my emails to SuSe support went unanswered.
I'm almost certainly going to switch back to RedHat (or possibly some other distro) at home. And SuSe is not at the top of my list for consideration art work.
I know there are lots of happy SuSe customers. I was one based on the Penguins. But 9.1 left a bad taste in my mouth.
Does 9.2 resolve any of these issues? Not that I'm really considering tossing another $60 at SuSe to upgrade...
For those of you that live around Bloomington, IN. Suso Technology Services will give away free copies of the live CDs (Gnome and KDE) versions. They should be ready later today like around 5pm. We'll be open til 7pm.
Pick them up at:
Fountain Square Mall, Suite 008B
101 W. Kirkwood Ave.
Bloomington, IN
Additionally while SuSE doesn't distribute their "professional" version in cd image format, net installs are of the professional distribution and are very easy to do. They offer a boot cd image (or a floppy disk set) to get the net install started. There are a lot of mirrors around the world and the net installs are usually pretty speedy.
I use SuSe 9.1 (downloaded) on an Inspiron 5160 here at work. Everything worked except the integrated Broadcom wireless (802.11g). I had to perform an unnatural act to get it working.