You've heard it all before, right? Every year some wannabe Nostradamus is running around telling anyone who will listen that we are going to bear witness to the year of Linux on the desktop. This is the year it will shine. This is the year it will destroy Microsoft. This is the year the pope will start using Ubuntu. This is the year I'll shave the hair off my palms. We've all heard these claims before... at least once a year, and I'm sure 2006 will be no different. I don't recall hearing it thus far, but the year is still young... either that or I've started to automagically filter the nonsense.
Either way, SUSE Linux is here today, and we're going to take it for a test drive. So before you start your parties, let's see where desktop Linux is at right now. After all, SUSE Linux is one of the top desktop distributions available today, and for good reason. They've consistently produced a great product from day one. A desktop for all others to be judged by. Will version 10.1 stack up to what's out today in terms of ease of installation, usage, look and feel, and overall polish? We're here to find out...
Features
Linux kernel 2.6.16.13-4
X.org 6.9.0 (XGL/Compiz included but not enabled by default)
gcc 4.10/glibc 2.4
GNOME 2.12.2, KDE 3.5.1 desktop environments
OpenOffice.org 2.0.2 productivity suite
Mozilla Firefox 1.5.0.3 web browser
Evolution 2.6, Mozilla Thunderbird 1.5 email clients
GIMP 2.2.10 image editor
F-Spot 0.1.11 photo manager
Integrated Beagle 0.2.3 desktop search
K3b 0.12.14 CD/DVD burning software
Banshee 0.10.9, Amarok 1.3.8 music managers
Gaim 1.5 instant messenger
NetworkManager dynamic connection manager
XEN3/YaST integration
AppArmor application profiling/access control tool
Installation
Linux has gained so much ground over the past few years in regard to installation that it's mind blowing. It really is. What once was immature and cumbersome almost all the way across the board has been fine tuned to the point where it's a non-issue for those trying to decide if they are ready to try Linux for the first time. That seems to be a common question and/or concern of most new users I've spoken to over the years... they always want to know if I think they can install it by themselves or maybe they're just concerned they won't understand the new terminology. No matter what the worry, Novell/SUSE is on top of their game in this area. Gone are the days we need to have intimate knowledge of the hardware that our software will be installed onto. The major distros have led the way in this respect and it's duly noted. Novell/SUSE isn't the only one of course, but they've helped pave the road, there's no doubt.
The SUSE Linux installer has been worked over yet again for the 10.1 release, and for the new users reading this column, let me assure you that you'll feel right at home. Everything (and I mean everything) has been documented and explained right down to the most mundane detail. If you feel you've lost your way at any point during the installation, or maybe just need a pointer or two, there's a little button labeled Help at the bottom left side of every step of the way. When you click it, the left “pane” of the screen turns into a help page. It can be toggled on and off on demand and is totally context sensitive, meaning that when you click Help, it will display detailed information on what is on the screen... right now.
Starting the SUSE Linux 10.1 installation
L to R: Desktop selection; installation summary
Providing your computer isn't an ancient 486DX2 clone with a 2MB video card onboard, the entire installation process is done in a cozy graphical interface, so everything will look and feel familiar to those who are comfortable with any modern desktop environment, such as Windows and OS X. As far as I'm concerned, it's far superior to the Windows XP installer by a long shot with regard to look and feel as well as how fluid the entire experience is. Let's face it, the Windows XP installer is not only done partially in text mode, it also has a serious flaw in that it doesn't collect all information at one time. The SUSE installer collects everything imperative to the proper operation of the system at one time. This makes all the sense in the world doesn't it? I certainly think so. I like to think of the SUSE installation as being done in three stages. I've outlined them below for you to give you a clear picture of how it all comes together.
Stage 1: Information collection
- Language selection
- License agreement
- Installation mode (new install, upgrade, or repair)
- Clock and time zone
- Desktop selection (GNOME, KDE, minimal, or text mode)
- Partitioning
- Software selection
Stage 2: System installation
- Partition hard drives
- Install requested software
