I’ve just had a genius idea: I’m going to install os11.0 on my external HDD, which would mean I only have to use the SSD when I’m on the move! My goodness, I surprise even myself sometimes…
Oh wait…
Do it with KIWI 
A few thoughts from a ‘distro junkie’:
First, let’s freshen up our knowledge of Linux
‘distros’, by visiting ‘distro-watch’:
DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.
If you scan your eyes down the upper-right-hand
side of that page, you’ll see all the ‘contenders’
for ‘favorite’ Linux distro.
Here’s their CURRENT ‘top-15’ hit-parade:
1 Ubuntu 2355>
2 openSUSE 1556>
3 Fedora 1402>
4 Mint 1343>
5 PCLinuxOS 1278<
6 Mandriva 934<
7 Debian 889>
8 Dreamlinux 716>
9 Sabayon 700<
10 **** Small 667=
11 FreeBSD 568=
12 MEPIS 543<
13 CentOS 534=
14 Slackware 524=
15 Kubuntu 517=
Ok, a few basic concepts and facts:
First there are the two MAJOR desktops:
KDE and Gnome. In case you’re not familiar,
#1 and #15 are an artificial separation of
a single ‘distro’…namely, Ubuntu (Gnome-based)
and ‘Kubuntu’ is just ‘Ubuntu for KDE-lovers’.
So, mentally, those two really need to be
mentally consolidated into one choice.
Secondly, another major ‘classification’ is
based on ‘packaging’ form: i.e. whether
the distro’s packages are ‘RPM-based’ (i.e.
descending historically from Redhat), or
‘DEB-based’ (descending from Debian).
This is (in my opinion) a MAJOR determining
factor…I’ll admit that I favor DEB-based
distros over RPM-based. (Hint: Thus,
openSUSE is NOT [yet?] my favorite distro…
Yast-package installation has historically
been QUITE clunky and slow, tho the newest
‘zypper’ in 11.0 has come a LONG way in
removing most of the clunkiness, and the
‘Smart’ package-manager can alleviate most
of the clunkiness present in Yast in 10.1, 10.2, 10.3). Debian’s cmd-line package-manager,
‘apt-get’ is the impressive standard-bearer, who
behavior was no doubt the goal of the designers
of ‘Smart’.
Currently, I run (well, OK, evaluate) FOUR
distros: Debian(Lenny/experimental), Kubuntu (8.04), Mepis (7.0), and openSUSE (11.0).
Note: All four of these can/do run the new
KDE-4.x, which is NOT-YET-READY-FOR-PRIMETIME
(in my opinion, and in most opinions). For
gory details, read:
KDE 4 and how much it sucks… - MEPISlovers Forums
and
Deian lenny will be shipping with kde 3.5.9 - MEPISlovers Forums
[Note: Kubuntu 8.04 also ships with KDE-3.5.x as
the default]
So, if you prefer KDE to Gnome, and you’re installing
openSUSE 11.0 (and want a production-quality
system), it is highly-recommended that you
make sure that KDE 3.5.x is installed and working.
Enough said. If you REALLY want to figure out
which distro is right for you, you’ll want to
carve your disk into about six partitions
(one for Windows, one for Linux’s ‘/home’, and
the others to install your four
contenders for the title of ‘My Favorite Linux Distro’.
[Hint: Learn to IGNORE distro-watch’s hit-count
as an indicator. e.g. my favorite distro is
NOT in the CURRENT top-10 hit-counts. It
edges out the others, on the single-criterion
of ‘distro mostly likely to run all your hardware
right from the Live-CD’ (without needing to
install device-drivers). That said, it’s
kernel is the oldest/out-of-date (i.e. 2.6.22) in my
fav-4 list (tho they have a ‘beta’ package of a newer
kernel available). If you have a non-hardware-bleeding-edge
laptop, and/or must have easily-working WIRELESS-connectivity,
then go burn the LiveCD of Mepis 7.0 and
see if you have Internet connectivity and all
your hardware works, right from the LiveCD-session.]
Hope this helps…
Dave
Great posts guys. So if i was to install OpenSuse 11 on this EEEC laptop what are the major things i would definately need in a working environment and working out of office? There are loads of apps to tick which i would like. Could someone give me a rough idea of what apps I would need.
thanks.
I would say actually that of course it should fit, I used to net install 10.3 @ 1.5gb with office and media stuff unchecked from the software install.
Problem with quick replies is you can’t edit by the looks.
I just thought… I think you cannot edit the software in 11.0 before install which is a naughty thing in my eyes, I may be wrong though.
Then again, my install Gnome live cd was only 650mb so you should be fine.
Sorry for posting one after another. Just trying this quick reply feature.