OpenSUSE LEAP vs "regular" versions? Should I upgrade?

Hello, I’ve started using OpenSUSE 13.1 KDE 64 bit since about a month before 13.2 came out. I think 13.1 was by far the BEST linux distribution I’ve ever used. I was switching over from Linux Mint 17.1, disliked Ubuntu, CENTOS, Kali6, Lubuntu, Debian.

Just before support ended for 13.1(besides evergreen), I physically destroyed my laptop and took the opportunity to switch to 13.2 on a slightly newer laptop, right now I am debating upgrading to LEAP. I have exactly 1 week before my MSc starts, and I do need a very stable OS, preferably with accessibility to newest libraries.

While reading the list of bugs, and some of the threads, I’m not very sure if I want to upgrade. With 13.1 my CrossOver 13.1.0 worked flawlessly. On 13.2 I keep on getting X11 not working alert, and I simply cannot use CrossOver anymore. I bought the 3 months support package for Crossover, so, no, I cannot get some real help.

Also, Graphics on KDE4 has been glitchy, I am still having issues here and there. Overall, I found 13.1 and KDE3 most suitable for my ‘outdated’ laptops(2011) than OpenSUSE 13.2 KDE. I’m thinking maybe I should even downgrade to 13.1 with evergreen.

If I am seeking for an OS that is most stable, and have access to newer and older libraries for compatibility, would you recommend LEAP, downgrading to 13.1 or staying with 13.2?

You could always try testing openSUSE Leap on another partition or external HDD perhaps. CodeWeavers state that openSUSE is not a supported distribution

OpenSUSE is not a supported distribution so it does not see dedicated testing time in-house. However, we have a dedicated OpenSUSE community that test CrossOver and submits instructions for our FAQ.

but thankfully the openSUSE community do testing and this FAQ may be helpful to getting CrossOver running satisfactorily
https://www.codeweavers.com/support/wiki/linux/faq/OpenSUSE

FWIW, here’s some notes concerning openSUSE 13.2
https://www.codeweavers.com/support/wiki/linux/faq/OpenSUSE/OpenSUSE_13_2

Unfortunately, I don’t see staying with openSUSE 13.1 or 13.2 as being realistic options for you. Their supported lifetime is nearly up.

From your title: “OpenSUSE LEAP vs “regular” versions?”.
openSUSE LEAP 42.1 is a “regular” openSUSE vresion. Like openSUSE 13.1 (and earlier) and openSUSE 13.2 and openSUSE LEAP 42.2 (after it’s release). You must have some misunderstanding about the openSUSE versions.

Yes, you should use Leap. It’s built on SUSE’s code base, which is more on the conservative side.
For the rest: what Deano and Henk already said

Go with Leap.

I hesitated before going with Leap. I was concerned that Plasma 5 did not seem ready for prime time.

Well, Plasma 5 is still not quite ready for prime time, though it is getting better. But I am glad that I went with Leap. It is the best supported opensuse version thus far, probably because of the cooperative relationship with SLE.

If you’re considering Codeweavers,
Consider the script I reference in this Forum thread (also referencing another Forum thread) for installing Codeweavers on TW and likely LEAP.

https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/517941-Crossover-Office-Installation?highlight=codeweavers

If you’re installing on another version of openSUSE, let me know if you aren’t able to modify for your scenario.

TSU

Well, I am giving my secondary laptop an upgrade to leap following this:
https://www.unixmen.com/how-to-upgrade-to-opensuse-42-1-from-opensuse-13-2/

I’m not sure if I want to do all of the customizations again. It took me months to get everything in the “perfect” order that I want working before.

So far stable, and I’ve lost a lot of customization.

Quick question, are the screensavers gone?

This workaround might be of interest to you

https://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/kde/2015-April/014545.html
https://forums.opensuse.org/content.php/190-Alternate-Screensaver-in-KDE-Plasma-5

Quick question, what would be the difference between me staying with 13.2, and installing compatible-ish newer packages from Tumbleweed repo, and keep up with the Distro upgrade for the full support?

I mean, I am very well settled in with 13.2 on my work laptop right now, I also have kernel 4.14 on it, and few other new packages. My 2ndary was the original of my clone(to my work) laptop. So, these two were identical until last week.

My 13.2 runs very smoothly, and I managed to fix some minor things, and on the LEAP, I had to downgrade over 400 packages and most of the updates were on my latex libraries.

So far, LEAP 42.1 is smooth, but it’s the re-customization that will push things back. I may actually hold off LEAP upgrade to work laptop until Christmas time later this year.

Don’t mix TW repos with 13.2 repos. That would be a recipe for disaster.

So far, LEAP 42.1 is smooth, but it’s the re-customization that will push things back. I may actually hold off LEAP upgrade to work laptop until Christmas time later this year.

You have time, but eventually you’ll have to move to Leap if staying with openSUSE. From the sounds of it TW would bring you a world of constant upgrade pain, whereas you want as long-term support as possible. You’re almost a candidate for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop.

Well, Leap’s life time is equal to the SUSE version + Service Pack it’s based on.

It wasn’t a comment about lifetime, more about the stability/support that it might provide.

I will rephrase my question.

What would be the distinction between making distribution upgrade to individually upgrading packages on an operating system, as I get more option on what I wish to upgrade.

A colleague of mine has been poking fun at me for not going for Arch Linux because apparently that’s how he deals with the rolling upgrades over there.

-SJL

The diff more or less is that our rolling upgrade (Tumbleweed) is used more for testing and development so you get the very latest but at a cost of instability… things <will> break periodically until they get fixed (hopefully nearly immediately).

I don’t think Arch tests packages this way, the main Arch distro is a rolling release but the packages have been tested elsewhere.

So, it’s not whether the distro version is a rolling release or not but the amount of package testing.
He may be poking fun, but he may also know that it’s the packages, not the release schedule that’s important.

Although LEAP is a stable release, there is usually still a little bit of wiggle room for backwards compatibility for some packages (usually in the OSS) and forwards (by installing optional repos for the particular technology), it’s not often that you can install only one version of a package.

TSU

Well, at least from my secondary laptop, the re-customization is real pain, but it is something I guess I will have to go through, as 13.2 is on its way out. I do have to say that LEAP has fixed the graphics related issues. Which is a pretty big plus. As my classes start exactly next week, I’m debating doing the leaping on main laptop also until then.

I also have multiple presentations to prepare for, which I can technically move over to the windows drive.

Hello, how can I access desktop icons? I can’t get them to show up on “Desktop” at all!

Few more things:

-How can I, left click, and drag and make a box to select multiple items on the desktop?
-Can I opt not to use KWallet?

When asked to set a kwallet password leave it blank. You can rune kwallet and reset the password to blank. or zap the kwalllet directory in your home and it will re-ask and you leave the password blank

To set icons there are several desktop models in KDE ( I assume is what you use). Right click desktop select last item to set desktop layout and background. The most like Windows is the folder setting and you can point to any folder. Personally I use ~/ (ie my home rather then ~/Desktop). But you can point to any directory.

Also you can use widgets (FOLDER) to display one or more directories in defined areas on the desktop

You can use activities to switch define and switch to different desktop configuration

Selecting multiple is just like windows drag a box around them.
Click top left corner of the icon to select/deselect individual icons

So, the “Desktop Icons” activity is gone?

I have been using them from 13.1 and 13.2 for a very long time.