Seems that so many changes have happened since my Aug 2016 TW install, updating is now borked, so today re-installed with a brand new NET Install download (20170403). I immediately noticed several new options although didn’t dive deeply into any.
Most prominent might be the Desktop options, now it’s only Gnome, KDE, Server and “Custom.”
Custom doesn’t lead to any new Desktop options, it simply allows moving forward to the standard “Patterns” software selection.
I haven’t determined if the problems installing less often seen Desktops this way causes the same problems commonly seen in LEAP 42.2 (Installing Desktops like LXDE, LXQt, Enlightenment and Mate result in semi-broken Desktops). In any case, I don’t know if a newbie will select the correct pattern for a Desktop (You have to select the full Desktop pattern and not the Base).
So, wondering if others think this is a step forward or a step backward eliminating the radio buttons to install lesser known Desktops?
And, wondering what the reasoning behind this change might be… I would think that <adding> radio buttons for Desktop options would be a nice feature, not removing them altogether.
Thx for the reference. Only about 5 posts, but very useful and relevant.
Still feel that for whatever the reason for the change, it’s a step backwards.
I don’t agree that the change implements “role based” selections either(as described in the mail postings)…
To understand what “role based” is, one would only need to install a CentOS or Fedora (Their role configurations used to make sense, not so much today) and apply mostly to Server configurations which we current support as Patterns. I don’t know what kind of common User roles might be… Gaming? Multimedia viewing? Development? Roles aren’t really related to the Desktop which is primarily the UI, roles are primary the functionality of the machine like providing various Server services (File, Mail, Web application, database, etc).
Compared to Fedora,
IMO we should <not> go down this road implementing some kind of role-based definitions, unless a good reason can be stated for <adding>, not modifying what has always existed. IMO retaining our traditional installation choices is a big, <positive> feature of our distro which is making competitors like Fedora less attractive… See my earlier post in these openSUSE forums about my recent observation about Fedora which no longer supports Desktop choice during the initial install… You’re stuck with Gallium, and only later can add something else. Is this what we will eventually evolve into as well?
If Desktop support resources is an issue, and especially in light of the direction Fedora is taking, IMO we should invite additional support from the Desktop projects themselves to make sure their Desktops are fully integrated and work well within openSUSE. And, that invitation should probably be extended beyond just the ones we’ve officially supported for many versions… I’d always be open to using a new Desktop that is willing to do what it takes to package and integrate into openSUSE, whoever they might be.
BTW - one of the mail postings had problems installing XFCE during the initial install. I was completely successful, but don’t know if it’s only because of my experience, knowing what is required.