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Note from the Writer : Some readers
may view this page as Playderism. If you ever known about how open
the Linux community is about their opinions, you do now. There are
100s of websites that review SUSE LINUX. So if you read off of LinuxNews.org
or some of those first hits off Google, will you call those sites, Playderism?
They don't list their sources neither. While I should list my sources
after the sentences, I won't because I forget where I find the most
of this information. If you still think that this article is playderism
then leave. I don't want you here!
Suse Ltd was created in 1997
in Oakland, California. The four lucky people who created capital in
Suse includes Hubert Mantel, Burchard Steinbild, Roland Dyroff and
Thomas Fehr. Suse went into business with the goal of distributing
a better OS then Red Hat. Redhat publicly
introduced itself in 1998, one year before Linux sored high
on the stock market. (source : "Revolution OS" on
IFC ) Redhat has been making commercial versions
that weren't sold in stores until 1998 (Redhat 6.1). So it came
together by a group ownership. With SUSe's Germany operation(s),
Suse was able to create something competitive to Redhat's OS. Suse
bought the Jurix Linux source code and renamed it to Suse making a
much improved interface. By this time Linux was well established. Since the operating system was commercialized, it quadrupled in
size. Now we are at version 8.2 with version 9.0 around the corner.
Recently Suse went 64-bit instead of 32. This improved the interface,
it booted up faster and do more applications then it has done. Suse
has a office sweep specifically designed for Suse Linux.
If you haven't read my Red Hat 8.0 editorial, you should read it, I
mean I put weeks into that project. I described how
Redhat looked a lot like Windows. I don't know about copyright laws,
but Linux in general has moved up the bar and broke laws. Windows
applications are able to run on Linux! I think that is so cools. I
talk about this later. Red Hat has recently been keeping up with
the industry, surprisingly. They have
both Gnome 2.2 and KDE 3.1 on their desktop. Red Hat supports both
operating systems! KDE is entirely commercial in it's looks and
it's performance as a desktop shell. I knew Redhat is good at what
they do now. But I realized that their
competition have had some interesting ideas. Suse, who is
entirely profit driven, is unlike Redhat who goes more towards the
GNU Project. Both operating systems use the same KDE Desktop and
it comes with all the applications. But Suse Linux is priced 20
dollars less then Redhat. I choose the Personal version because it
was cheaper.
Suse is
already faster then Redhat. The bootup is faster. I like this much
better. Instead of commands being compiled, Suse has an upload statist
bar. Opening applications is as fast
as Windows XP. I have a 1.8 Ghz Athlon XP with 386 MB of DRam with a ATI Radeon 9000
video card. My processing speed is plenty fast. When the
industry lowers it's price for 3.0 Ghz processors I'm going to
upgrade.
The X factor [rating 9.5/10]
X as in Xwindows. Xwindows seems much stronger in
Suse 8.2 then in Redhat 8.0. Suse has a system were the MS Windows C
drive is displayed on the KDE desktop. I shrugged at this massive accomplishment, for I have never seen
the c drive on Linux before. Whether this option is in Redhat 9.0, I
don't know. But it makes it highly flexible to
save things to the Window's C drive through Linux. Infact the C
drive is listed on /root for easy access. You have the stability of linux to do your work without it
crashing. I can do multiple stuff on the c
drive that I couldn't of done in Redhat 8.0. Personally I listen to
MP3s on Linux that's on Windows. The sound quality is as good as it
was on Windows. The drives for Redhat 8.0 will also pop up. If you
saved work in Redhat 8.0, it'll automatically work in Suse. It was
really weird, but it was really awesome. I know Suse did one thing
right, they've added a full directory listing to Kstart so that you can
directly access /root directory through the gui. I suppose I went
sur-crazy for a mere 10 seconds. It's that cool. I don't have to
make cdr each time I go on the Internet like I thought I had too.
Installation [8/10]
Installation (YaST) has a
lot in common with Redhat. No doubt it is a excellent and well set up
Installation effort done by SUSE programmers. I liked Redhat's latest
installation wizard in version 8.0. By default, Suse 8.2 comes only
with KDE desktop. What we really need is both Gnome and KDE. YaST
will help you through the installation. If you have this by default.
KDE runs faster then Gnome, slightly. Gnome has even more programs
then Redhat. All programs are installed in Gnome show up in KDE. The
Professional version of Suse comes with 5 discs instead of 3 disks
and can add up to 3 Gigabytes instead of 2 Gigabytes. The source code has been shorten in the
Professional version and helps the computer load software faster. But
the Personal version, what I have, has the exact same properties,
but alittle slower. The system will have to re-partition your current
Linux partition whether it is Redhat or Mandrake because Suse has
to use the same partitions to create it's basis too. It's the damn competition way of saying, “ You bought me,
now you have to use me instead of Redhat” So at least Suse is kind
enough to show file progresses that are installed to the Linux
partition. Put this can easily be reversed by renaming the
partition to a different Swap drive and have Ext 4, 5 and 6 for
Suse or vice versa for Redhat. There is an option that allows the
superuser to check gnome, too. With gnome you get another desktop. The installation takes 15
minutes. It takes anywhere from 1 Gigabytes to 2 Gigabytes of hard drive space. KDE and Gnome are both 700
Mbs each. With the huge and cheap options with
hard drives these days, it should be recommended by anyone
for the full installation of both Shells.
The YaST asks the user to
check his modem. The modem is connected in the COM1 of my computer (
bottom socket of the motherboard ) The only modem that'll worked in
Redhat is the common 3COM Robotics 56K Fax Modem. YaST needs to be
updated further. If you have a Win modem,
it won't work. So I went back to CompUSA to get an External Modem called the
Creative Modem Blaster. That time it worked. Sometimes I think that
PCI cards aren't viewable since they aren't in use unless you stick
something in the serial port such as a external fax modem. I
have had a odd connection viewing my fax modem inside my computer.
There has been news off the web that Suse doesn't have the proper
drivers for PCI modems. YaST will ask you if you want to download
a patch for your Nvidia videocard. I know most people will go and
buy a Geforce II or IV. While others will go with ATI Radeon series.
This patch will give your card compatibility with OpenGL.
Suse Personal version automatically
asks you if you want to become a workstation in a LAN. Since most
people will only own one computer, this isn't possible. So
workstations work fine. Like in all The installation recognizes all 2003 hardware
components and earlier (video card, hard drive, monitor, mouse, sound
card, speakers, processor, modem, network card, fire wire ports, usb ports, etc.) When Suse is
installed I like to use Partition Magic 8.0 to create free space so Redhat can detect it and install
according to it. I haven't seen a way that Suse can do that. No
problem though.
The difference between SuSe
8.1 and 8.2 are noticeable. I don't know.
I've never used Suse. So I heard : A lot of the bug fixes that comes
with shell development are now fixed. Not so much a new release of
the two desktop shells, but rather improved use of memory and small
application fixes. Suse 8 can now recognize newer
hardware. Suse 8.2 never crashes. That's good news. To prevent extra
work. Suse put more updates on the Programs on 3rd disc. I never needed
to use the third disc.
The Internet on Linux [rating 8.5/10]
Unix has much Improved in
the Internet field. Netscape Communicator has been whipped off the
face of Linux distributions! This OS comes with Konqueror,
Mozilla, Opera. Out of the three, Konqueror is the most advanced
browser. It can open any webpage without a problem. Not to say
that Mozilla or Opera don't have that ability. You can't read most
javascript made by independent users that work exclusive for
Internet Explorer seen on both iMac and Windows. Gaim is still the
premiere instant messenger for Linux. It has everything : MSN
Messenger, ICQ, AIM, Yahoo, IRC. And is very reliable. There is
more drivers that allow automatic detection like you see in
Windows XP. That annoying “Hardware Found” icon on the Windows
taskbar is in Suse 8.2. I don't know how long Suse had the technology
though. It comes with Opera 6.0 and Mozilla 1.0.2. Opera and Mozilla
are award winning programs. Both browsers use Sun's Javascript in bedded into each. This allows you to see
some basic html javascript like popup menus and
slide shows.
The Word Processor / html editing /
programming [rating 9.0/10]
I recently
talked about Open Office on Redhat, and it's so good, that it's back
on Suse 8.2 version. It is the preferred office suite of all KDE and
Gnome operating systems. KDE makes it's own version of Koffice.
And Gnome makes Abiword. But these word processors, although
close, dont' have as many features as Open Office.org Office
Suite. One enhancement is that it highlights your typing in blue
and while you type, displays the end result as you type. That's
cool. Now I don't have a problem of missing words. In
OpenOffice.org 1.0.1 for Redhat, OpenOffice.org crashed once every
time I use it. The only thing that kept me from getting mad at it
is that it periodically saved my files to /home/students/
directory. It's better in Suse or Linux in general.
If you want
to edit html, you have plenty of options. Linux comes with Mozilla
Composer. It has much improved over the Netscape 6.0 composer. MC
can view both gui style and html script in the same program. Then
you can use Open Office to create light html pages too. There are
some free downloadable software like Bluefish 0.9 and Coffeecup HTML
editor. Both a command line based html editor. People can use the
Kate for easy access to their html script. It highlights different
code in color so you can easily find your code. It's also used for
Pearl, C++, shell script and Python shell script. Best of all, when
your system crashes, Kate will keep your work for you till you log in
and open Kate again. I seen this work in different Linux OS, and
it isn't new to Linux.
One thing new
aboard linux is Python 2.2 programming client. Python script looks
like shell script, but has MSDOS commands are built into it, and some
simple commands. It's available for all
Linux distributions. The script is simpler then
shell script for linux and looks the same. Not like Korn shell.
That's what the terminal uses now. What is Korn, you ask? Korn is
a more advanced shell programming structure then Bourlen Shell script. It's a hybrid, to be exact.
Python is included with SUSE under the programming tab of the statist bar.
The Multimedia Software [7/10]
With the ability to see Mp3s on windows partition, you
can use a program called XMMS (looks exactly like Winamp) and play
your songs. The XMMS can read all Winamp customized zipped skins.
It's about the highest quality mp3 player out for Linux. XMMS comes
with equalizer abilities and a range of sound adjustments. I really
like. XMMS is in Redhat 8.0 too. So it's a Linux thing. Sometimes
XMMS will play, but not show up and then crash with the music still
playing. At least XMMS is skinnable.
Mplayer can show DVD movies not very well, but the idea is there. I
haven't seen this program in Redhat at all. Mplayer can read avi and
mpeg off DVDRs, so that's a plus. It's not as buggy as the Redhat
version of it's media player. Suse comes with Realplayer. Realplayer
reads MPEG off cds, but also doubles as an Internet radio
tuner and streaming video client.
Picture
clients are cool. I like Kuinkshow better then Image Viewer in Gnome.
This program will read graphic files off Linux / Windows and scrolls
through them as you scroll the mouse wheel. Esc on the keyboard
cancels Kuinkshow. It has many similarities with
Irfanview. One thing that I find difficult in Suse makes it's file
system so you can't bring up Kuinkshow first, and look at your
photos, but have to find them on the desktop or even cut / paste
directory shortcuts to the open statist window.
I look at Kuinkshow so I can easily page through my artwork I made
in Windows.
Many games
have the same problem with Nvidia cards that use Direct 3D. Suse has
an easier time using the video card to
it's advantage, but SUSE stop supporting Nvidia drivers for what
ever reason. The focus for Linux
partitions is OpenGL, an open source graphics
accelerator which should work as well as Direct 3D and
doesn't. OpenGL improved some since 1999, but it still doesn't
look as good or have as good as frame rate as Direct 3D. However I
was able to get a Geforce driver off Nvidia.com, which improved
graphics acceleration slightly.
Video editing
can also be done on Suse with “MovieActor 3.7.” The Linux version
of Microsoft's Moviemaker software and still more filled out with
options. It is still very basic. Some features that properly describe
it is that it can move mpeg video around by croping the video and
export it to mpeg. It can add still images and add slide transitions
too.
New Games [7/10]
All the games are stable in
Suse 8.2. Gnome's game package grown bigger in this version. Racer
is a 3D Car Simulation (a 250 MB game) The game is much like
Midnight Racer for the PS2. At least we
know that 3D racers are supported by the operating system. There
is also Fool Billiards, a pool game for
Linux that uses real nice 3D acceleration.
Loki makes
some affordable commercial versions of
Neverwinter Nights, Civilization 4, Simcity
3000, Quake III, and Unreal Tournament 2003 for all Linux OS. There
just isn't games to go around in Linux. I found a large selection of
free games off linux.tucows.com.
Chronoium is a good 2D shooter, but it requires OpenGL. Should Direct
X be on a Linux operating system, that will be the day. The
frustrating time comes when 3Ddiag doesn't work with Nvidia's
latest driver. The driver can come in a compact 1.3 tar.tz format or
a very large uncompressed .run format. Quadra is a new Tetris game
put in Suse. It wasn't in Redhat's distribution. It's fun, but
Ksirtris is more fun and it has somewhat better level adjustment.
Quadra is impossible to keep up with after level 3. Grometris is
Grome's version of Tetris. It's a basic game at best. KDE had come
up with Kbattleship after the boardgame Battleship. That is alittle
fun too. The buttons in the game have been updated to look rounded and
shady that went well with the desktop anyway. This wasn't possible 5
years ago. Desktop appearance took a giant leap in the Linux department
in KDE 2.0 and 3.0 AisleRiot is the only solitaire game on board
Suse Linux. That sucks! Katomic is a fun games. It's a well known game
in the Linux community. I am good at it. The game is about matching
balls which move and stop by hitting a wall. Then they have to be in
the order of the matching screen to go on. There is 50 levels in this
game. There is plenty of time to fool around. The higher levels
are unreachable by the average person, I believe. Linux is about having fun. The more fun your having,
the more you are educated about Linux, and that is the best part of
using Linux. Patience is another solitaire game. Solitaire is relaxing.
Thus, Solitaire is the bomb! Everyone agrees with it.
I've played Tux
Racer and it's a good game. It has a catchy jingle to it. It's more of
a Penguin Grand Prix then a racer. It's a nice game though. A good
effort. As a player, you can race 6 tracks. The tracks are better then
most racers. It has various shades of tree colors and snow cover. Good
background artwork. It runs in high resolution. I wonder if KDE or
Gnome plan to add Doom 1.1 to their 3D games. If so it would be
awesome. If not, that's ok, I'll just download it off the Internet. If
only I had a videocard that excepted OpenGL.
There was one
game that worked with OpenGL well called Frozen Bubble. I love this
game. It's new and it's cool. Frozen Bubble most resimbles the N64
game, Bust-a-Bubble. It's simple, it's stable, just line the bubbles up
with the color and there it all goes down. Do this all in time to move
on. This game has 100. Newer versions should have more then 100.
The program comes with mp3 music that is apropraite for this style
genre. The music isn't that cheesy. Redhat didn't come with this game.
It was top rated on the web for most enjoyable game on Linux. So ... I
rest my case. This is one of the best games for Linux off the Internet,
period. This game deserves a 9.0/10 user
rating. If you don't own a brand new computer like me, you can even
lower the graphics quality so it'll run on your videocard. You'll see
once you find it.
If you like to
download a lot of games, I advice you to download the compressed format
.tar or .gz. Then you won't be missing files and a lot of times, if
your games come pre-compiled, you can get away with it. So download the
zip format of your games. If you don't have an unity, which you should
have if your running Linux is ARK.
games as it does. Here are examples of those games for users that
aren't familiar with Linux yet.
| Grometris - Tetris for Grome |
KSirtris - Tetris for KDE |
Gnome Mines - Linux version of Minesweep |
KKK | Katomic - Perfection building | |
| KTron- Anti crash dot game | KBattleship - Battleship for KDE |
Travravex - "Match the numbers in time" |
|||
| Grometris - Tetris for Grome |
Aisleroit - Solitaire for KDE |
Katomic - Perfection building |
|||
| Quadra - Tetris for KDE | Patience - Klondike for KDE | Kmarbles - Perfection building |
|||
| SameGame - Process of Illimination |
FFKWK |
Desktop Management [8/10]
Desktops in Linux improved
slightly in the last 2 years. Linux has a good os shell recovery
system (something that occurs in the kernel.) Applications can't
crash as they would in Windows. It's a Linux standard and gets
better in every release of Suse / Redhat / Mandrake. In the industry,
there is an argument whether or not the latest versions of SUSE,
Redhat or Mandrake are as stable as they were 2 years ago. It
shouldn't been true though, the kernel went
up more then a 100 public releases since then. All of these curtacy of the GNU Project. These
companies release a new version every 6 to 8 months every year.
They're always trying to put something new in there OS. I mean ,in
Linux, SUSE took a more drastic turn then Microsoft did when they
went from Windows 98 to Windows 2000. Now you can go to your folder,
right click and do renaming, moving of files to any directory. Use
the terminal or use of the gui to make adjustments to your files is
quick. If you right click on the desktop itself you have a broad
view of many options. By the way, I found out all the screen savers
that Linux is known for is in Gnome. In KDE, you get a scenic black
screen that will enlighten your Desktop. You can change your resolution
to look like Windows, Change your background image. I
tried this on my mom and she thought she was using Windows XP. It
was so funny to watch. She did see something different about "Kstart."
I didn't say anything. Like in KDE 2.1, you
could change your titlebars to look a lot like Windows 2000. There are
a lot of Desktop backgrounds that come with Suse. Really cool screen savers appear when you don't' use the desktop for a length of time. I
seen these in Redhat, though. Every thing has a
minimum quality, for all screensavers have to look cool and
not crash. Linux also has an option where you can reserve energy by
putting your computer into sleep mode. Sleep mode doesn't make much
since to me when you can turn your computer off.
Installing
programs are varied. RPMs usually don't have the the system files
I need to install what I need. RPMs are the install wizard similar to EXE for Windows. Some programs come
compressed in tar.gz format. I don't like these as much because there
harder to work with. YaST gives me errors saying that the packages
need to run the wizard is unavailible. A lot of times you need to be
signed in as root to allow any rpms to be installed. Sometimes you
can't install new versions over the old version (such as Mozilla) so
you have to delete the directory Mozilla and install the latest
version over that. Suse has an uninstall wizard, but I have no idea
where it is?
FIN : The End Result
The end
result is that I much rather have Suse on my Desktop then Redhat.
Although in the future, I'll use redhat for school. I can have what I
feel more comfortable with in Suse 8.2. I
like the ability to see the Windows hard drive,
it gives me more options I never had. I
like Redhat's smooth features like the screensavers. They both run
the same version of KDE and Gnome. But, Suse runs faster then
Redhat. So I have to like Suse more then Redhat 8.0. I'll see what
Redhat 10.0 is like in 2004. But until then, I like what I have
with Suse. Suse.com doesn't have any selection of drivers for
hardware what-so-ever. But they do have a toll free 1800 number to call
for tech support.
Written by
on May 10, 2003 with Openoffice.org | rev 1.0.4
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