An easy and smart install, abundant documentation and plenty of configuration options make SuSE 8.2 ideal for the desktop, LinuxJournal says.
SuSE Linux Professional 8.2 Review
About The Author
Eugenia Loli
Ex-programmer, ex-editor in chief at OSNews.com, now a visual artist/filmmaker.
Follow me on Twitter @EugeniaLoli
SuSE 8.2 rocks!
Enough said.
I’ve still got my original 8.0 installation on my own 400MHz Pentium II, and I’m glad to see that my original choice of distro has blossomed even more. I’d upgrade to 8.2 today, but I’m waiting for a couple of things, namely kernel 2.6 and KDE 3.2!
I also don’t have a problem paying $35-40 for retail packaging of a Linux distro because it’s still a bargain even if it ain’t free, and I can still share it with friends if I want and not violate any damned licencing agreement.
Now can anyone tell me if the default page size for the North American versions of SuSE is still A4, or have they kindly changed it to Letter size?
Rock on, SuSE!
I have never bought SuSE Linux but have done a number of ftp installs. I have always had font problems with these installs where by I have had to do some hacking to get them beautiful.
My question is: Do the fonts in a bought copy of SuSE Linux 8.2 need some hacking to get beautiful?
Cb..
I think the problem with SuSE (download) is that it’s only really set up for KDE. As soon as you stray in to non-KDE (or probably more accurately, non-QT), the font’s suck, back to the badly-aliased days.
SuSE is a great distro if you simply install and use it as is. As soon as you start mucking around (like using mozilla or firebird instead of Konq), it gets dingy. I suppose it could be just in the download version, but giving me a test drive version that doesn’t work right doesn’t encourage me to buy the real thing. (unless they said, “this stuff is fixed if you buy it: a, b, c, etc”)
Suse’s was the first Linux distribution I was actually able
to install. As a consequence, it carries a special place in
my heart. It’s biggest strength, aside from its tendency to
work, is its documentation. I hadn’t seen documentation
that good since using Allwrite in my TRS-80 days. I’m glad
to read that Suse is continuing this tradition.
Font’s work fine in 8.2, on both KDE or GNOME (I use GNOME myself). It didn’t take any extra work. I just chose the Bitstream fonts rather than the default one’s, but either worked well.
As for SuSE being KDE-centric, that is true. However, that is why you have http://www.usr-local-bin.org/! GNOME RPM packages for SuSE! Or for those that don’t really care, Ximian Desktop works as well.
I wouldn’t install Ximian desktop on anything…just so I can keep my sanity…
Glad to see SuSE getting more attention. 8.2 Pro must surely be the most convenient desktop distro out there (for the moment, at least). Great hardware support, perky performance, superior installer–does just about everything right. It’s also great for Windows converts. I’ve brought a number of new users over from the Dark Side with SuSE 8.2, and they find the desktop to be productive and non-intimidating.
As for me, I really appreciate the “all things KDE” orientation of SuSE. Runs Gnome fine and features a neatly orgainize unified menu, but I’m glad to be able to drop into KDE’s native menu on demand. SuSe also features nightly RPM builds of most KDE packages.
I just wish they’d bring their PPC release up from 7.3 so I can add it to my Macs.
Well done, SuSE.
The Mozilla which comes with 8.2 is not compiled with xft support, so the fonts are not anti-aliased. The evolution version is 1.2 which uses Gtk1, so the fonts are not anti-aliased for this either. The same goes for Gaim. The Gtk2 and KDE apps all look pretty with good anti-aliasing.
I found that the best solution is to download the Ximian Desktop, XD2. You get the latest Mozilla with xft support, Evolution 1.4, the Gtk2 version of Gaim, and all the other good stuff in Gnome2. Red-carpet is also a nice way of keeping the Gnome2 apps current. You can also obtain the bitstream fonts in this way. I don’t use the desktop, but I do use the above Gnome apps. XD2 actually functions excellent on 8.2.
One note, however. When you install XD2, the yast2 package management system reports conflicts with mozilla and some other things. These can safely be ignored.
SuSE’s KDE desktop is extremely nice. Yast2 is by far the best system admin tool out there for Linux, although it can in some areas use more polishing. Package management and software updates are much improved. The system is extremely stable.
I have been using SuSE from version 6.4
It was also the first distro I got to work with all my hardware. Since that time, I have tried bought copy’s of Red Hat, and Mandrake, but SuSE kept me coming back because of its ease of use, and reliability.
I do not mind paying for a copy of Linux, the kernel is free, but the distribution offers a very well put together package with no fuss.
I wish the press and Tech TV would get off the Linux is Red Hat or Mandrake kick, and include SuSE.
I run SuSE on 2 of my home PC’s and my Lap Top.
I also have built several machines for relatives new to computers and they have no problems, actually they have less issues then the relatives running WindBlows.
SuSE Rocks.
One of the first Linux os I bought back in 1999 when I had enough of windoze along with Mandrake 6.5 I bought soon after Suse 6.3 retail box. Suse was very impressive then and still is now. Even though still I am finding it hard to settle on one Linux distro. I love to try them all! Mandrake and Suse holds a special memory for me since it was my beginning and an end to M$. Go Suse!
… is a preview of SuSE 9.0.
As impressive as the install is it is disappointing that a Distro like Suse cannot manage to configure my onboard 3Com network card on my Asus A7N8X Deluxe when Mandrake and several other freely downloadable Distros have not problem with it. I dont expect them to be able to configure my Radeon 9700 pro with 3D support out of the box but there is nothing more important at install time than getting the network cards working.
9.0 is coming soon. From what I read, the Distro will be very interesting. New Kernel and with “Duden”, “the” german dictionary which is now finally available for Linux (as the whole Duden-Series will be).
I’ve been using SuSE Pro since 8.0 and I bought the boxed Pro versions 8.1 and using 8.2 now, I was never dissapointed. The documentation is stellar and the distro is very well crafted.
It would be interesting to see some preview on 9.0. It’s due in a couple of months I believe.
I re-installed with the option acpi=off and it found both network cards and I had networking before the install was finished. Now that networking is working I am much more impressed with SuSE 8.2. The updates are easy, installing new software is easy and the menue’s make sense for once. If I could just get Hardware acceleration on my Radeon 9700 I would be very happy.