Hi there!
I currently using debian but i was thinking openSUSE. I search some info but im a bit confused.
Whats the difference between major release and minor releases?
I noticed from wikipedia that in the past kernel was upgraded between minor releases.
Are packages upgraded?
Are new packages added?
Also from now on is openSUSE going to be the same with SUSE minus the support?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi, welcome to these forums.
The major releases of Leap #X share a part of their code base with SUSE’s #X , where the minor releases will share a part of SUSE’s annual service packs. Yet, openSUSE is definitely not SUSE without the support. F.e. openSUSE serves KDE as one of the main desktop environments, which SUSE doesn’t have at all.
With minor releases packages can be upgraded, new packages can and will be added, some will be deprecated.
Re. the kernel: we use the one SUSE uses, so no major kernel version jumps, but … SUSE’s Kernel Development Team does backport additions, fixes and so on from newer kernels into their kernel. The reason they do this, is mainly since their customers will not accept version jumps in the kernel of the products they use.
Tumbleweed is a completely different beast. In fact it is the base for future SUSE versions since (IIRC) somewhere last year. Tw’s rolling model is in fact not really diffrent from other released versions in the sense that it gets tested and released as a whole over and over again. So every time the user receives updates he/she in fact gets a dist-upgrade. After new packages have been built, iso’s are created and moved on to openQA, out automated testing environment. If the tests are succesful a new Tw version will be released.
I hope this has provided answers to your questions. Feel free to ask more, and last but not least, enjoy your openSUSE experience !!
First of all thanks for the fast answer.
So if i understand it
With major releases openSUSE gives code to SUSE and with minor releases SUSE gives code to openSUSE ( kernel fixes etc)
So openSUSE is like 1 year point release (since packages are upgraded etc and kernel gets bugs fixed)
On the other hand SUSE get once a year bugs fixes. I know im on a openSUSE forum but does SUSE on its service packs also upgrade the packages to newer versions?
Thanks again
Hi, you are not alone in being confused…
openSUSE uses basically the same “base system” that SUSE uses (the kernel, systemd, networking…)
openSUSE has a far wider collection of Desktops, applications etc. than SUSE, which has a relatively narrow collection of “supported” packages and some other choices less supported.
As an example, you may have KDE as your main “officially updated” desktop in openSUSE, whereas you only get Gnome as officially supported in SUSE (SLED), while you can install KDE “at your own risk” (even if it usually works.
Either way, you have regular bug fixes via the update channels in both distributions even between minor releases.
Hope this doesn’t add to the confusion 
No. Tumbleweed is used by SUSE as a starting point for their future releases. Leap gets the codebase from SUSE, where ever the devs/packagers/release managers think it’s appropriate and useful.
So openSUSE is like 1 year point release (since packages are upgraded etc and kernel gets bugs fixed)
yes, you could see the point releases as Service Packs.
On the other hand SUSE get once a year bugs fixes. I know im on a openSUSE forum but does SUSE on its service packs also upgrade the packages to newer versions?
Thanks again
I’m not using SUSE, but I bet there are package upgrades in their service packs.
On Wed 20 Jun 2018 01:56:02 PM CDT, Knurpht wrote:
upecchnb;2870516 Wrote:
> First of all thanks for the fast answer.
>
> So if i understand it
> With major releases openSUSE gives code to SUSE and with minor
> releases SUSE gives code to openSUSE ( kernel fixes etc)
>
No. Tumbleweed is used by SUSE as a starting point for their future
releases. Leap gets the codebase from SUSE, where ever the
devs/packagers/release managers think it’s appropriate and useful.
>
>
> So openSUSE is like 1 year point release (since packages are upgraded
> etc and kernel gets bugs fixed)
> yes, you could see the point releases as Service Packs.
>
>
> On the other hand SUSE get once a year bugs fixes. I know im on a
> openSUSE forum but does SUSE on its service packs also upgrade the
> packages to newer versions?
>
> Thanks again
I’m not using SUSE, but I bet there are package upgrades in their
service packs.
Hi
Just to clarify, for SLE if it’s available/present in Tumbleweed a
maintainer can build against SLE backports and push to SUSE Package Hub
where is can be installed in SLE without affecting SLE support of their
packages… For instance this is how Plasma is made available to SLE
users…
Generally there are no application package upgrades, just backported
security and bug fixes. There are exceptions since the move to
modules/extension repos where things like the toolchain have can
different releases over the lifetime of the SLE release and between
service packs.
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
SLES 15 | GNOME Shell 3.26.2 | 4.12.14-23-default
If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface,
please show your appreciation and click on the star below… Thanks!
I think a good part of the confusion has to do with somehow believing that there is a direct relationship between kernel versions and SUSE/LEAP/TW versions.
AFAIK, there is no solid relationship although kernel upgrades and improvements are always a good excuse to upgrade related packages.
The explanation about the practice of backporting kernel improvements upstream is accurate. I don’t know policy for other distros, but I assume they must be doing something similar… Upstream kernel releases are so frequent nowadays that I doubt any but the most bleeding edge distros like Fedora’s Rawhide would even consider rushing kernels out in lockstep, it’d be difficult to ensure application compatibility.
To the @OP,
I’d guess you’re more interested in how openSUSE might be similar or different than what you experienced using Debian.
LEAP is probably closest to what Debian does. Like most distros, LEAP periodically releases a new major version (approx 18 mths) when you will be encouraged to essentially re-install your whole system with the new version. In between these major version upgrades, small <updates> are pushed to you which are primarily bug fixes and new features. In general, these <updates> are incremental and shouldn’t have too much risk causing problems with your system and applications.
Tumbleweed on the other hand never incrementally updates, each update is actually what we call an <upgrade> which essentially a near system re-installation each time. Instead of LEAP updates which usually total in the tens or low hundreds of megabytes, the Tumbleweed dist-upgrade will typically be at least 800 megabytes, sometimes well over a gigabyte.
Tumbleseed is probably more like DebianUnstable which you likely never installed, which Debian’s own development distro.
HTH,
TSU
Thanks for the reply.
Im getting more confused.
If i understand it opensuse leap will get minor releases every 12 months not 18 months
Anyway as far as i can understand it OpenSUSE has multiple release cycles for different parts of the system.
The kernel seems to be upgraded every 2 years
The base system since opensuse leap 15 from now on will follow SUSE will get upgrades every 3 years (or 2?)
And the packages will get upgrades every 1 year.
I must say this looks quite complicated and im wondering about the stability of the whole system with all those moving parts
Slight misunderstanding here; AFAIK starting with LEAP15 openSUSE should have a minor release about every 12 months in sync with SLED/SLES, but the previous point release is going to be supported for another 6 months or so (for a total of about 18 months).
As an example, LEAP 15 was released at the end of may, but LEAP 42.3 is still supported.
The minor release cycle used to be about 18 months in the past though.
Anyway as far as i can understand it OpenSUSE has multiple release cycles for different parts of the system.
No, the release cycle is that described above AFAIK, although basic components and some tool chains might not receive major upgrades to ensure stability and compatibility between minor system releases.
The kernel seems to be upgraded every 2 years
AFAIK the developers try to ensure ABI stability through the point releases, or for about 3 yrs starting with LEAP15.
This might rule out a major upgrade to the kernel; but please be aware that the “4.4.x” kernel for LEAP 42.3 included some (mainly graphics) backports from 4.9.x, so it is not entirely true that it was not upgraded for 2 years.
The base system since opensuse leap 15 from now on will follow SUSE will get upgrades every 3 years (or 2?)
SUSE try to ensure system stability for at least 3yrs (one major release and 2 Service Packs); this might mean ABI stability in the kernel and no major change to basic components.
For instance, SUSE15 changed suse-firewall to firewalld in SLES/SLED15: you bet to still find firewalld 3 years from now, so you can retain all your firewall configs for at least 3 yrs. This doesn’t necessarily mean that firewalld will not be upgraded.
And the packages will get upgrades every 1 year.
Userland packages will not receive major upgrades within a point release unless there is a compelling reason to do that. But within the lifespan of a point release you still find all package versions released in the update channel and you may choose whichever version you like (at your own risk, of course).
I must say this looks quite complicated and im wondering about the stability of the whole system with all those moving parts
I might agree that it looks complicated, but I can assure you that everything is done to ensure optimal system stability.
Then if you like “the bleeding edge”, choose Tumbleweed, where you get a complete new release twice a week or so, but also the occasional glitches and incompatibilities that come with its rolling model.
Disclaimer: all of the above is the understanding of a common (although loyal) user. Those with insider knowledge of the actual development process might have a different view
Actually, for LEAP <Major> releases are announced every 18 mths.
Minor updates are pushed continuously and invisible, without fanfare.
New kernels are created upstream continuously, I’ve been noticing sometimes as often as few weeks.
I don’t know that SUSE/LEAP distributes a modified kernel on any set schedule, but definitely not as often as upstream kernels are available. Instead, as described, new features from upstream are more often backported to the current kernel which means that our SUSE/LEAP kernel gets incremented to a new minor version.
I also don’t know that SUSE/LEAP will change its base system on any set schedule, but what you read might have been a minimal assurance, so for example I would say 42.1, 42.2 and 42.3 and even 15 in large part has a common base which has far exceeded 2 yrs.
If your numbers are different, pls post references.
I’d be the first to admit what I observe and think what I know could always be incorrect.
Could also be a matter of definitions what is major and minor.
TSU
OK after all these questions i think i understood it.
I think you are confusing minor releases with security updates, bug fixes etc.
Major updates are supposed to happen every 36 months
Major updates contain a lot of upgrades. Version numbers change etc.
Minor updates happen every 1 year.
Minor updates probably contain security fixes bugs etc. and some versions upgrades if its easier to upgrade a package than make a patch for it.
Critical security updates and bug fixes happen all the time.
I made up my mind. For now I’m running openSUSE with qemu but i guess i will soon install it to all of my machine when i have enough time for the transition.
Right,
It seems that versioning has some new definitions when I wasn’t looking.
https://en.opensuse.org/Lifetime
IMO feature updates may not be mentioned but can be expected. I don’t know that bugfixes wait to be applied annually, it’s my impression that a lot of bugfixes are pushed with regular updates. But, it’s nice for all cumulative bugfixes and improvements be rolled up in an ISO regularly so that for new installs, the first online update isn’t so enormous and complex. So, without further confirmation, I might speculate that upgrading to the next minor version would do little more than change the name of the release.
If you’re running openSUSE virtualized, you don’t usually have to do it in QEMU unless you want to (or need special emulation support). Regular KVM or Xen should be good enough.
TSU
Well I dont really care using openSUSE on qemu. I just installed it there to check if it had all the necessary packages and to test it.
I want a really stable system with really good and up to date documentation.
I think it fits my needs.