I've been in the openSUSE Linux camp for several years now. My gui of preference is KDE (currently 3.5.9). openSUSE 10.3 has been pretty stable and I've not had major issues with it for a while.
Everyone remembers the YaST changes that threw a wrench into getting on-line updates. Well, that is in the past and everything is going swimmingly. YaST on-line updates has at times some 'speed' issues but openSUSE 11.0 has many MANY changes that will improve usability.
I will be reviewing GM openSUSE 11.0 64-bit edition. It's time to make the switch from 32-bit to 64-bit. Many things have changed and especially where virtualization is concerned, you need 64-bit to take full advantage of the built-in 'bare-metal' Intel VT- or AMD-V-enabled Intel and AMD 64-bit processors.
Along the way during the past several months I have been following closely at Planet SUSE the changes that are slated to be included in openSUSE 11.0. One of the 'big' ones is inclusion of KDE 4.
To be honest, I tried using KDE 4 on openSUSE 10.3 a few times and found in each case it had issues, so I returned to the sanctuary of KDE 3.5.9. But I thought, OK, give the KDE Folks time to work things out and everything will be fine by the time June 2008 comes around.
Based on feedback from others, I am not getting the sense that KDE 4 will be ready for prime time for quite some time. So, this time around I am going to 'pass' on it.
I'll be doing a 'clean install' of openSUSE 11.0 64-bit but staying with KDE 3.5.9.
I realize that KDE 4 has been a huge undertaking in terms of intellectual effort, but, if the KDE Team expect it to be successful, it should 'replicate' 100% of the functionality found in 3.5.9.
Otherwise, you'll have alot of Folk digging their heels in and either staying with 3.5.x or switching GUIs wholesale in avoidance of KDE 4.
Your thoughts?
Everyone remembers the YaST changes that threw a wrench into getting on-line updates. Well, that is in the past and everything is going swimmingly. YaST on-line updates has at times some 'speed' issues but openSUSE 11.0 has many MANY changes that will improve usability.
I will be reviewing GM openSUSE 11.0 64-bit edition. It's time to make the switch from 32-bit to 64-bit. Many things have changed and especially where virtualization is concerned, you need 64-bit to take full advantage of the built-in 'bare-metal' Intel VT- or AMD-V-enabled Intel and AMD 64-bit processors.
Along the way during the past several months I have been following closely at Planet SUSE the changes that are slated to be included in openSUSE 11.0. One of the 'big' ones is inclusion of KDE 4.
To be honest, I tried using KDE 4 on openSUSE 10.3 a few times and found in each case it had issues, so I returned to the sanctuary of KDE 3.5.9. But I thought, OK, give the KDE Folks time to work things out and everything will be fine by the time June 2008 comes around.
Based on feedback from others, I am not getting the sense that KDE 4 will be ready for prime time for quite some time. So, this time around I am going to 'pass' on it.
I'll be doing a 'clean install' of openSUSE 11.0 64-bit but staying with KDE 3.5.9.
I realize that KDE 4 has been a huge undertaking in terms of intellectual effort, but, if the KDE Team expect it to be successful, it should 'replicate' 100% of the functionality found in 3.5.9.
Otherwise, you'll have alot of Folk digging their heels in and either staying with 3.5.x or switching GUIs wholesale in avoidance of KDE 4.
Your thoughts?
Blog feed
Comments Feed
Is this blog limited to all things SUSE Dietrich?
I agree that KDE is not yet ready for prime time. However I will be using it sometime before it is 'feature complete'.
There are alot of people who are really being hard on the KDE devs concerning KDE 4. What people should remember is that what they are working on is very promising and a monumental undertaking.
We should keep these things in mind and be a little more understanding and support the great folks contributing to KDE 4.
My only real concern with KDE 4 is what appears to be the over simplification. One of the advantages of KDE has always been it's almost infinite configurability. It seems that the KDE folks may be trying to follow GNOME's KISS philosophy. (Keep It Simple Stupid)
If I actually wanted to have my choices limited and made for me I would be more interested in GNOME. I think there has been enough said about this issue on the web that the KDE folks have gotten the message.
KDE 4 shows huge potential. I believe it has the potential to be the best desktop UI on any platform.
While we all have our concerns we should support the KDE team and show our appreciation for their efforts.
T_Patterson
No it is not all things SUSE. If you have an interest any other Distro, (i.e.,Debian), and if you would like to participate in any aspect of furtherance of your 'special interests' I am open to suggestions on how that can be accomplished.
I have exercised care in characterizing the KDE4 project, being fully aware and appreciative of the intellectual effort behind such an undertaking and will continue to monitor their progress with great interest and trust that ultimately KDE4.x will reach a truely stable production status.
The risk is such that the KDE devotees at large might not follow (and switch GUIs) if there isn't 100% feature set replication and/or if they are constrained in any way from doing what they are accustomed to currently in 3.5.9, myself included.
Thanks Tim very much for your comments!
Best,
--dietrich
I wasn't implying that you were being too hard on the KDE folks. I have seen many people really trashing the KDE folks and that's just not right.
Part of the problem lies in the fact that KDE 4 was way over-hyped. Many people assumed that when KDE 4 shipped it would be a feature complete replacement for KDE 3.5.x. (anyone who followed the development knew better)
I have no doubt that KDE 4 will become nothing short of amazing.
BTW, Was that a misprint on your other article or was the new YaST installer UI rewritten using QT4? I thought Novell/SuSe was primarily now locked into GTK/GNOME.
Oh I know you weren't implying that and I agree that the trash-talk abounds.
>BTW, Was that a misprint on your other article or was the new YaST installer UI rewritten using QT4?
See the 'New Look' here:
http://news.opensuse.org/2008/06/05/sneak-peeks-at-opensuse-110-new-installer-with-stephan-kulow/
--dietrich
I must say that the new UI looks very nice and by all accounts is faster. Unfortunately you know my reservations concerning SUSE which I won't go into here.
You should run Debian lenny up on a test box and do a review for us here. If you do, contact me and I can share a couple of must-have tweaks.
BTW, nice site!
Yes, I'll be doing a full review of openSUSE 11.0 YaST on KDE 3.5.9. I only touched lightly on YaST in my openSUSE 11.0 review--it is, arguably, as easy to use as Ubuntu's Synaptic Package Manager.
>You should run Debian lenny up on a test box and do a review for us here.
I will take that under consideration.
Thanks Tim.
Best,
--dietrich