Hello all !
Somewhere I read,that the booting-option “Default” is 32-bit,and the “Desktop”-option is
the 64-bit system.Is that true,or what is the real difference between the options?
Greetings !
lostinspace
AFAIK the Desktop kernel is PAE enabled while the Default kernel is not
No. Both 32 bit and 64 bit default are optimized for servers. It has to do with the size of time slices.
No it’s not true, you were misinformed. Those are different types of kernel that can both be used on 32bit and 64bit machines. The default kernel’s features have to strike a balance between those needed for machines running servers and those needed for desktop machines. The balance favours the server. However, the desktop kernel is optimized for desktop use, and features that aren’t necessary for that environment are disabled.
For example, the desktop kernel provides for lower latency, which facilitates the recording and playback features of multimedia applications.
So running the Desktop-kernel,what server(activitie)s can’t be used?
Greetings !
lostinspace
I hope you enjoy reading. Please start your research with this Wiki document: Kernel. From there you can link to “view the exact options each flavor includes the configuration files…”.
Enjoy. 
Hi consused !
Of course,I love it!
But for short,the Desktop-kernel will not disable Emailing ?
Greetings !
lostinspace
It won’t disable emailing which is a common desktop application. The feature differences between the kernels are much lower level and technical. If your main interest is in running applications such as multimedia, graphics (including photos), internet browsing, email, and office suite applications, the desktop kernel will be a good choice. It’s usually the one now that gets installed by default.
Everything you can install can be run, regardless of the kernel flavor. It’s more a question of favoring typical desktop apps or typical server apps when sharing resources (processor time).
OK,got it!On one of the recent openSUSE-distros,I think 11.2(?),there you could choose between
Desktop or Server,among the failsafes of course,in the Grub-menu.That will lead you to the
right one for your system,if you are not a kernel-freak.
Greetings !
lostinspace
That’s not strictly true. Serious audio applications as well as needing enough hardware resources for recording, also need a low-latency kernel. I get by with the desktop kernel, whereas I didn’t with the default kernel, and more serious or heavier audio work would probably require a real-time kernel with even lower latency. Latency being the delay between audio signal input and output normally measured in milliseconds.
Oops! You’re right, of course. I meant the app would run, you wouldn’t see a message like “this app can’t be run in this kernel flavor” if it run in another same-kernel-version flavor. The app performance, however, is another issue, as you say.
Normally you wouldn’t, but there is always an exception. In the days before the desktop kernel (and a different timing mechanism), I remember Rosegarden (midi/audio sequencer) refusing to run on the default kernel and throwing the message that a low latency or real-time kernel was required.
Perhaps the OP was thinking about PAE support in just 32bit installations
?
You mean before desktop kernel arrived, you had a choice between default kernel and PAE kernel? Although OP mentioned 11.2 which did have a desktop kernel, so perhaps before that.
Well, not really.
I mean perhaps it was just about the PAE support in -desktop and not -default in 32bit.
It doesn’t really matter anyway. I think enough info is here now.