Any roadmap/plan for newer packages and kernels in 13.1?

Hello, just a quick one regarding 13.1: is this tied to a specific kernel version, I mean if we stick with 13.1 openSUSE will we ever get a let’s say a 3.15 kernel? Or will there be any KDE 5 updates for 13.1?Is this information posted somewhere, exactly what a “Evergreen edition” means from the software versions point of view?

Evergreen does not in general move up versions it just keeps things patched.

Tumbleweed moves a head at almost factory level.

Factory is now producing rolling releases so I’m not sure of tumbleweeds future???

13.1 to 13.2 has been and will be a longer then normal release cycle I doubt that newer kernels or desktops will come to the normal repos in a couple of months 13.2 will be here.

Thanks for clearing this up!

No. Each openSUSE release is tied to a particular kernel version, i.e. 13.1 only ever has 3.11.x. Fixes are being backported though.
The same applies to other software, official updates are bugfix/security related only, they don’t include newer (feature) versions of software (except for some selected packages like Firefox, as backporting the security fixes would be too much work).

That said, there are talks about switching to Kernel 3.12 for openSUSE 13.1 as well (to ease maintenance, because the next SLE will use 3.12 as well I think). I’m not sure if and when this will done though.

Or will there be any KDE 5 updates for 13.1?

No.

Is this information posted somewhere, exactly what a “Evergreen edition” means from the software versions point of view?

Evergreen means extended bug-/security fix support for longer than the normal ~18 months.
But Evergreen is the exact opposite of Tumbleweed/Factory. So (normally) no version upgrades either, fixes will be backported.

You can get newer software versions for the released 13.1 by adding repos from OBS though.
F.e. there is Kernel:stable for the latest kernel (3.16), there’s KDE:Current for the latest KDE (4) version (4.14), and there’s KDE:Frameworks5 for Plasma 5.
See:
http://en.opensuse.org/Additional_package_repositories
https://en.opensuse.org/SDB:KDE_repositories

Btw, if you are interested in trying out “KDE 5”, the standard packages will force you to uninstall KDE 4’s desktop (kdebase4-workspace).
I have created Plasma 5 packages that are co-installable with KDE 4, see here for more information:
http://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/499607-KDE5?p=2654365#post2654365
:wink:

I better disable the kernel repository if openSUSE is tied to 3.11.x, after I revert back from the 3.16.1-4.1.g8fc81d3 I am currently running without any problems.

Yes I see 3.11.10-21.1-x86-64 under versions.

But the one is independent of the other.
If you use the Kernel repo, it doesn’t matter at all which kernel openSUSE includes, that’s the point of adding the repo… :wink:

If the standard kernel works fine for you, there’s no need for an extra repo of course. But you can if you want to and use a newer kernel. That’s your choice then.

And just to clarify, openSUSE 13.1 is tied to kernel 3.11 (maybe 3.12 in the future). Factory (i.e. 13.2) already has 3.16, and Tumbleweed 3.15.8.

Ufff, I will upgrade than as usual to 13.2 and so on… I can’t find the right ballance: a rolling distro is too much (instability that is) and a LTS becomes boring too soon. So I have to upgrade as always; but almost never a direct upgrade didn’t work well for me, neither for openSUSE nor Fedora, my fav desktop/notebook distros. Doing this for almost 10 years with way too many distros… maaan I am old…

IMO upgrades are a pain so since they are I just do a new install. I keep 2 partitions for root. and alternate them. Since there is almost always some pain with upgrades. I just accept the pain and re install any apps I need and use. Note this does also tend to clean out little or never used programs I loaded and just looked at LOL. With the 2 partitions I can initially install a new version without mounting my home and test it to see if all is well before mounting home and moving to the new OS. Essentially I have a perfect fall back in case the new version does not like my hardware or other problems. I avoid going back the older version, once I make the full move, since newer stuff can have new config options which the older stuff does not know or like. My scheme has the advantage that I can solve any hardware or driver problems before committing to the new OS at my pleasure and still have a running system.

And an added bonus is that you have the old configuration files (in e.g. /etc) at hand to see how it was done in the earlier version. Just mount the old root partition (readonly, to prevent mishaps) in /mnt/oldroot or the like.

Yep I forgot that little bonus.

Hi

I’m using for a specific machine openSUSE evergreen 11.4 which got released with kernel 2.6.37 but with the evergreen effort it got updated to a 3.0.X kernel (it’s rock solid) which is the same one as in SLES 11 and for this reason I hope that the same will be done with 13.1 and we can get 3.12 which is a nice LTS kernel and I think it’s better for the community to stick with a SuSE maintained kernel so that the enterprise products get a much wider testing coverage - even it’s only the same kernel.

It all depends on you needs and wants.

If you need or want a very stable OS for an extended time scale maybe in a business setting then Evergreen is the answer.
If you want to live on the cutting edge and get the most shine stuff Tumbleweed is it. But remember when riding the cutting edge be prepared to bleed.
If you went to help test then factory is it. But remember it is beta!

Otherwise stick with the standard 6 month update path.

It’s mentioned on Evergreen that 13.1 is the next Evergreen plattform and therefore I was thinking that it make sense to use kernel 3.12 as a stable kernel base and there are two other software projects which should stick to a longterm release: Firefox 31 ESR and Thunderbird - only for the simple reason to lower the burden of the evergreen maintainers and supporters. Evergreen is great for a system were stability is needed but paid support not requested/wanted and due to that factory is now a rolling release I do not really know how thumbleweed fits in??

and…which is the fear to rollin release? …

I like that openS is playing in the big leagues!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_release

There is nothing wrong with a rolling release. That in essence is what tumbleweed is. But some people are looking for long time stability not cutting edge. It is all in your point of view. .

//youtu.be/koSbb8ciEeA

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Blasphemy! No Suse - Tumbleweed. You’re fired!

:eek: