yaUs - yet another Ubuntu switcher

[steffen13]

Hello,

although I am registered in these forums since some time (I used the registration for searching without the spam-prevention), I am now finally in the state where I consider a change: switching from (K)Ubuntu to OpenSuse.
Reason: Kubuntu Karmic is no OS which is worth to be mentioned...

To prepare for the switch I have installed OpenSuse 11.1 64 Bit in a virtualbox (I wanted to install the 11.2 RC but it gets stuck during install all the time) and fiddled around with it a bit. I also tried it as Live CD (11.2 RC again got stuck).

But there still are some questions and I hope that you would answer them

I want to install OpenSuse 11.2 64-bit on a Laptop: Lenovo 3000 N200. Does anyone have some experience with this device? Does OpenSuse run well on it? Ubuntu did, so I asume that there will be no issue with OpenSuse?

In Ubuntu, the graphics driver (the Lappy has a Nvidia 7300 GO graphics card) has had a stupid bug:
the screen could start to flicker from one moment to another and only a restart stops it. There are workarounds for that, but it still could occure.
Anything similar known for OpenSuse? I know, its the same driver in both OS'ses but maybe something is still different in OpenSuse?

Then some questions regarding using and operating OpenSuse:

- are there major differences between 11.1 and 11.2 in terms of using the special tools like Yast? I have seen some pics of the 11.2-yast but without using it, I can not tell the difference

- as I want to use 64-bit: are there any limitations regarding software, codecs, drivers, whatever, compared to 32-bit?

- as I fiddled around with 11.1 in virtualbox I saw a lot of firewall stuff, AppArmor and so on, for configuration in Yast. Ubuntu does not have any configuration thingys installed by default for the security stuff. So my question: do I have to care about this or is it sufficient when I choose the pre-defined security settings in Yast --> local security?

and as my questions are mainly based on the 11.1 release, are there any major differences in using 11.2 in general?

any answer would be very much appreciated

thanks
Steffen

[Knurpht]

- NO. Yast is still for configuring a linux system
- From 6 years of 64bit experience: Nope (some exotic games)
- Predefined settings are OK.

- Lots of changes and yet the same old feeling: very OK.

[TaraIkeda]

The major differences between 11.1 and 11.2 will be what is included and what kernel goes inside.
But one can still use 11.1 after 11.2 comes out, it is far from its EOL.
Me I am remaining on Ubuntu for now, OS 11.1 gave me quite a number of issues and Ubuntu 9.04 worked pretty well for me after some tweaks.
But I have my eye on both OS 11.2 and Ubuntu Karmic 9.10, both seem very solid even in beta/ alpha status.

[steffen13]

thanks guys, for your answers.

I was considering 11.1 too, but I "need" KDE 4.3 and ext4 without tweaking

Now an additional question came to my mind:

From time to time during travelling I use my mobile phone as a GPRS-modem to surf the internet. This is no problem at all with the Gnome Networkmanager which is used in Ubuntu Jaunty.

As I saw/learned, OpenSuse uses a different Networkmanager in the KDE version. Can it handle mobile broadband connections as well? Or do I need additional software for that?

Thanks

best regards
Steffen

[oldcpu]

Originally Posted by steffen13

- are there major differences between 11.1 and 11.2 in terms of using the special tools like Yast? I have seen some pics of the 11.2-yast but without using it, I can not tell the difference

11.2 has some improvements with YaST. For example in software management under 11.1, after one has completed updating some software, the software management would close. I believe in 11.2 it is supposed to stay open (in case one wishes to install more software).

In 11.2 YaST the graphics/monitor menus have been removed and are no longer maintained. This is a reflection of 11.2 having more automatic graphic card recognition built in. But if that (auto configuration) does not work, it is still possible to boot to run level 3 (ie boot to an ascii / text full screen mode) and run the program "sax2" with various options ( "man sax2" will provide some of the options) and then sax2 will create a custom /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. If that file exists in 11.2, it will over ride the auto config settings.

11.2 YaST also purportedly has partitioner interface enhancements

11.2 purportedly has other YaST enhancements (yast to QT4)


Aside from YaST, 11.2 promises to have many other updates. As already noted, the update from 11.1's 2.6.27 kernel to 11.2's 2.6.31 kernel should provide :

• USB-3.0 support
• some speed/memory improvements, boot speed improvements
• improved drivers (better wifi support, bloothooth, ... )
• improved files system support (such as ext4, btrfs , encryped )
• improved ATI radeon kernel mode setting (KMS) support
• improved alsa/oss support (SB X-Fi, ... etc .. )
• new kernel debugging features
• other improved hardware support
• improved virtualization (KVR)
• improved drivers (graphics, scsi, sata, network/wifi, sound, usb, bluetooth ... )

11.2 provides Gnome-2.28 with its

• better social network client interfaces (facebook, twitter, Identi.ca, .. )
• new windowing and user interface (Sonar)
• various bug fixes
• Epiphany web browser switch from Geckto to WebKit
• new Bluetooth module

11.2 provides a more stable KDE with KDE-4.3.1 (with patches)

• includes better social network client interfaces (twitter,Identi.ca .. )
• improved Kmail
• firefox default browser
• improvements to plasmoids
• many bug fixes for improved stability.

Note KDE-3.5.10 is not included in 11.2.

Also, 11.2 provides

• Ext4 file system (by default)
• Newer application versions (firefox, openoffice, amarok, digikam, k3b, konversation, gimp, ... )
• Encyrption more feasible
• Semi-Auto graphic card detection/use
• Hybrid ISO's to install openSUSE from USB

In 11.2 the LiveCDs are to have more language, and packaged with printing drivers (as opposed to download needed)

However for the best 11.2 experience, IMHO one is best to wait for 2 to 3 months AFTER 11.2 GM version is released, ... ie with 11.2 being released in mid-Nov-2009, wait until Feb/Mar-2010 before installing 11.2. There are always many bugs that were missed by the testing team, that are not discovered until the masses jump into a new openSUSE release. Hence the time from Nov-2009 to March-2010 will be filled with many bug fixes, as the packagers make an effort to fix the many newly discovered 11.2 bugs.

Edit: Before I forget ... WELCOME to openSUSE forums !!

[consused]

Originally Posted by oldcpu

However for the best 11.2 experience, IMHO one is best to wait for 2 to 3 months AFTER 11.2 GM version is released, ... ie with 11.2 being released in mid-Nov-2009, wait until Feb/Mar-2010 before installing 11.2. There are always many bugs that were missed by the testing team, that are not discovered until the masses jump into a new openSUSE release. Hence the time from Nov-2009 to March-2010 will be filled with many bug fixes, as the packagers make an effort to fix the many newly discovered 11.2 bugs.

I guess you meant that warning for an everyday productive system. With 11.1, I installed it a few days after it GA'd but in a testing partition where it remained for many months, as bug fixes were fairly slow in coming. It eventually became so stable after applying updates that I just migrated real data onto it, and without a reinstall it became production. I will be doing the same with 11.2 KDE4.

BTW thanks for the 11.2 enhancement summaries. I expect there are a few small usability enhancements on the desktop as well.

[pontke]

Originally Posted by oldcpu

• USB-3.0 support
• some speed/memory improvements, boot speed improvements
• improved drivers (better wifi support, bloothooth, ... )
• improved files system support (such as ext4, btrfs , encryped )
• improved ATI radeon kernel mode setting (KMS) support
• improved alsa/oss support (SB X-Fi, ... etc .. )
• new kernel debugging features
• other improved hardware support
• improved virtualization (KVR)
• improved drivers (graphics, scsi, sata, network/wifi, sound, usb, bluetooth ... )

11.2 provides Gnome-2.28 with its

• better social network client interfaces (facebook, twitter, Identi.ca, .. )
• new windowing and user interface (Sonar)
• various bug fixes
• Epiphany web browser switch from Geckto to WebKit
• new Bluetooth module

11.2 provides a more stable KDE with KDE-4.3.1 (with patches)

• includes better social network client interfaces (twitter,Identi.ca .. )
• improved Kmail
• firefox default browser
• improvements to plasmoids
• many bug fixes for improved stability.

Note KDE-3.5.10 is not included in 11.2.

Also, 11.2 provides

• Ext4 file system (by default)
• Newer application versions (firefox, openoffice, amarok, digikam, k3b, konversation, gimp, ... )
• Encyrption more feasible
• Semi-Auto graphic card detection/use
• Hybrid ISO's to install openSUSE from USB

I apologize if this has been asked before, but is an upgrade from 11.1 to 11.2 sufficient for getting all of the new enhancements of 11.2 or is it better to do a full clean install? For example, will an upgrade give me EXT4 natively? Will speed/memory/stability improvements find their way in with an upgrade?

[oldcpu]

Originally Posted by pontke

I apologize if this has been asked before, but is an upgrade from 11.1 to 11.2 sufficient for getting all of the new enhancements of 11.2 or is it better to do a full clean install? For example, will an upgrade give me EXT4 natively? Will speed/memory/stability improvements find their way in with an upgrade?

I always do a clean install. If you do an upgrade, and if you have 3rd party packaged applications, you may have dependency problems. Its possible with average to advanced knowledge (and a fully populated 3rd party repository) to reduce these dependency problems, but there are no guarantees. Some apps may simply not yet be packaged for the new version. But when the dependency errors start popping up, it can be hard to determine why. A wrong decision could cause problems later and hours of wasted time sorting the difficulty.

Hence IMHO its simplest and ultimately quickest to do a clean install. Simply keep your /home partition (do not reformat that).

[Jonathan_R]

Originally Posted by pontke

I apologize if this has been asked before, but is an upgrade from 11.1 to 11.2 sufficient for getting all of the new enhancements of 11.2 or is it better to do a full clean install? For example, will an upgrade give me EXT4 natively? Will speed/memory/stability improvements find their way in with an upgrade?

Unless you are an expert in dealing with dependencies and so on, don't even attempt an upgrade. Doing a clean install is much safer. Don't get me wrong, an upgrade can be done. If you do, make a backup of your system, and I hope to G-d that you have /home on another partition. (just in case something does happen )

[pontke]

Sounds like the choice is obvious... clean install it is.

I have no problem doing a clean install. I've done it many times before. Thanks for all of the advice!