Introduce me to Suse, please ;)

English Open Chat
1

Hi there!

I’m new here and I’d like to ask some questions. Sorry if this is wrong place to do so.

I played with openSuse 11.1 and I think it’s really good distribution. Also, I try 11.2 RCs and I like it. So, I’m about to change my current system and openSuse is one of the best replacements. The things I like to know are:

  1. Is there any repo like “backports” Ubuntu? 8 month release cycle is great for base system but not for applications. So, I guess I’ll want to install new versions of some applications before next release of openSuse is available.

  2. Is there a way to compile my own kernel, but not to confuse package managment system? Something like “make-kpkg” on Debian.

  3. Does anybody know a way to run ndiswrapper with 2.6.31 kernel?

  4. I saw some projects, like KDE, releasing packages for openSuse on their own. So, will there be problems with upgrading to next version if I install those packages out of repoes?

Thanks for answering.
And sorry about terrible english. I hope you can understand this post :expressionless:

2

> I’m new here and I’d like to ask some questions. Sorry if this is wrong
> place to do so.

this is the wrong place…the title of the forum is the hint “no
support”, but since you are here i’ll try to answer…if you have
followup Qs i ask you to start over in one of the fora with ‘help’ in
its title…

> 1) Is there any repo like “backports” Ubuntu?

i do not know what that means…
do you mean can you directly install Ubuntu/Debian packages on to
openSUSE? no, but most popular programs are available in the openSUSE
repos, those that are not are usually available in rpm format
somewhere for easy install…

and, you can always use alien to convert a Debian package into an
rpm…plus, installing from source is easy, even if a little scary (the
first time)…

> 8 month release cycle is
> great for base system but not for applications. So, I guess I’ll want to
> install new versions of some applications before next release of
> openSuse is available.

several ways to do that…
see: http://en.opensuse.org/Concepts

> 2) Is there a way to compile my own kernel, but not to confuse package
> managment system? Something like “make-kpkg” on Debian.

sure (you can compile your own kernel in all Linux distros)…
but, i have no idea what “make-kpkg” means…

> 3) Does anybody know a way to run ndiswrapper with 2.6.31 kernel?

probably…but, i’m not sure…you might need to look in
http://forums.opensuse.org/network-internet/wireless/410319-getting-your-wireless-work.html
or
http://forums.opensuse.org/network-internet/wireless/391535-my-wireless-doesnt-work-primer-what-i-should-do-next.html

> 4) I saw some projects, like KDE, releasing packages for openSuse on
> their own. So, will there be problems with upgrading to next version if
> I install those packages out of repoes?

always best (and easiest) to install from the openSUSE repos…most
other ways require more technical understanding than you seem to exhibit…

> And sorry about terrible english.

your english is great…

-welcome-

–
palladium
Have a lot of fun…

3

Well if you are worried about “up to date” packages in Ubuntu you could try ppa’s, openSUSE also has community repos too for more up to date stuff.

4

plagijator,

Hope I spelled your name right.
1st welcome to OpenSuse & it its forum.
2nd your English is fine as good or better than some who write it natively.
If I read right you using KDE, & you were asking about backports.
Closest OpenSuse analogy is the Community , Playground & Factory repos. Sometimes there are problems in doing so, when that happens you can revert it with yast. About 85% of the time though there’ll be no problems.
Questions 2 & 3 I’ll leave for the real gurus.

5

@palladium:

this is the wrong place…the title of the forum is the hint “no
support”, but since you are here i’ll try to answer…if you have
followup Qs i ask you to start over in one of the fora with ‘help’ in
its title…

Well… These questions sound (to me, at least) like something that don’t belong in “technical support”. That’s why I didn’t post in that part of forum. Anyway, thread is (unfortunately) here and I don’t think it’s right to start another thread for the very same purpose. Moderators will move the thread (and hang me for making the mess :slight_smile: ) if they think it’s right.

i do not know what that means…
do you mean can you directly install Ubuntu/Debian packages on to
openSUSE? no, but most popular programs are available in the openSUSE
repos, those that are not are usually available in rpm format
somewhere for easy install…

and, you can always use alien to convert a Debian package into an
rpm…plus, installing from source is easy, even if a little scary (the
first time)…

I don’t mean to install .deb packages on openSuse. Converting it with alien (or similar tool) is as bad as using .deb based package on .rpm based system. I highly recommend NOT to use alien, too.
Compiling source is the way to go (at least for FLOSS software). But (there’s always a but) it can be time-consuming and it can be difficult if You have to resolve dependencies. Scary? Nope (I have just few binary packages installed - almost everything on my system is built from sources, and I’m not scared at all :slight_smile: ).

What I meant to ask is exactly what Sagemta understood.

sure (you can compile your own kernel in all Linux distros)…
but, i have no idea what “make-kpkg” means…

:smiley:
I can grab a kernel tree and compile it, of course. But this is the thing: After compiling the kernel and removing the old one package managment system will be confused – all it can “see” is missing kernel! Also, if I install some kernel-related package it will be refered to old kernel as the only present kernel on the system.
make-kpkg is Debian tool which compiles kernel and makes proper .deb package so it can be installed using dpkg. After running it new kernel is compiled and installed, and .deb package is recorded as a regular update of old kernel package - everybody wins :wink:
So, I’m asking about a tool that will compile kernel and make a proper .rpm package so it can be installed as a old kernel replacement. However, I can live with two kernels installed. This is not a big deal.

@TaraIkeda: No, I’m not using Ubuntu. I don’t really like it.

@Sagemta: That’s exactly what I need. I believe “Factory” is unstable branch with new packages and I can use it to make “mixed” system.
Yes, it’s about KDE but it’s also about other applications. Rolling-release userland is great stuff, unfortunately very few Linux distributions use that approach.

Thank you all for answering.

6

Personally, I side with you on this one… This seems a lot more like general chitchat than support. But hey, no harm done. :wink:

I can grab a kernel tree and compile it, of course. But this is the thing: After compiling the kernel and removing the old one package managment system will be confused – all it can “see” is missing kernel! Also, if I install some kernel-related package it will be refered to old kernel as the only present kernel on the system.
make-kpkg is Debian tool which compiles kernel and makes proper .deb package so it can be installed using dpkg. After running it new kernel is compiled and installed, and .deb package is recorded as a regular update of old kernel package - everybody wins :wink:
So, I’m asking about a tool that will compile kernel and make a proper .rpm package so it can be installed as a old kernel replacement. However, I can live with two kernels installed. This is not a big deal.

There was a factory kernel repo. Might be this…

Index of /repositories/Kernel:/HEAD/openSUSE_Factory/i586

I guess that would provide you with proper RPMs.

Your English is awesome. :slight_smile:

7

i am truly sorry i attempted to help you, i will not make that error
again.

-ploink-

–
palladium
Have a lot of fun…

8

That’s possibly a bit over the top…?

I don’t think anything plagijator wrote could be construed as rude to you or anything…

baffled

9

@Confuseling: Thank You for the link. I take a look at some repositories hosted there and packages I found are mostly up to date.

@palladium: I’m truly sorry if I insult You in any way. I didn’t mean to do that. :\

10

I wouldn’t worry too much - I don’t think he was being unduly serious. That may be what -ploink- means. :wink: