I’m interested in giving openSUSE a try and was investigating the various downloads. At software.opensuse.org: Download openSUSE 11.3 there is the option for a 64 bit download that is 4.67 GB! At Index of /distribution/11.3/iso the size of the file I need for USB is about 681 MB. Before I download, what comes with the 4.68 gig download that is not included in the other that is so massive in size? Other than the iso and the md5, anything else needed to install openSUSE from USB (plan on using Unetbootin)?
Basically lots of the software in the standard repos. Nothing you can’t get on demand.
That’s what I wanted to know . Thank You.
The other difference is that the DVD is install only, no live CD feature. The CD can be used as a live CD or you can go straight into install.
Anecdotally I have found that the CD takes more RAM than just a straight install from the DVD, but if you have 1GB or above, this is not an issue.
Further to what ken_yap has noted, the DVD will give one the choice of 4 different desktops:
- Gnome
- KDE
- Xfce
- LXDE
while there is a separate CD for each of those 4 desktops (with Gnome & KDE on official Live CDs, and Xfce and LXDE on community produced liveCDs).
Also, typically a DVD installation also has more options than a CD installation. BUT as ken_yap also noted, the CDs are in fact liveCDs and one can boot to the liveCD without installing, and check out the desktop/distribution, to confirm basic compatibilty and maybe also get a user feel for the operating system.
I typically download both DVD AND CD. I first test with the liveCD part of the CD to provide confidence in basic compatibility. But when it comes to installing, I prefer to do so from the DVD due to the extra choices its installation provides.
I would recommend the DVD if your computer does not have access to the
internet. Because every additional package that is on the DVD is also
available from online repositories.
I think, the DVD contains KDE AND Gnome while the CDs have only one desktop.
On 2010-11-03 14:41, markaz wrote:
>
> I’m interested in giving openSUSE a try and was investigating the
> various downloads. At ‘software.opensuse.org: Download openSUSE 11.3’
> (http://software.opensuse.org/113/en) there is the option for a 64 bit
> download that is 4.67 GB! At ‘Index of /distribution/11.3/iso’
> (http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/11.3/iso/) the size of the
> file I need for USB is about 681 MB. Before I download, what comes with
> the 4.68 gig download that is not included in the other that is so
> massive in size? Other than the iso and the md5, anything else needed to
> install openSUSE from USB (plan on using Unetbootin)?
It is a DVD for full install. It comes not only with the basic system
but with lots of software - but not all: all doesn’t fit on a single
DVD, there are lots more.
If you want a live for testing without installation, you need one of the
CD images. 8 centimetres below the dvd box in the web page 
Read the installation help pages before going ahead.
–
Cheers / Saludos,
Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” at Telcontar)