OpenSuse KDE 12.2

[bsniadajewski]

I just DL'ed and installed the latest OpenSuse (12.2, KDE, 64-bit)] and I have to say I am quite impressed. The OS seems a bit quicker and nouveau works on this as well as on Kubuntu. My only niggle is that Yast's GUI (qt version) doesn't seem well consistent with the surrounding KDE (using stock Oxygen theme) with no obvious way to change the theme! Plus, there is no way to see how many packages are installed/available on the qt-version (as oposed to the gtk+ version). I might have to go to Suse's forums to find out how, if possible. Over the weekend I may change it over to Tumbleweed (OpenSuse's rooling -release style version), which added with OpenSuse-Current repos would mean I'd not have to re-install to upgrade, something I like to see Ubuntu (and all variants, incl. Kubu) try. It could be interesting.

[SteveRiley]

Well, be sure to come back and visit us every once in a while, mmmmkay? We'll leave the light on for ya

[bsniadajewski]

Oh, I will still be sticking around. Kubuntu is still my go to if things don't work out. That's the beauty of having multiple HD's in this machine. As it says in my sig, it's Windows 7, Kubuntu (my default), and "whatever I wanna try next" (in this case OpenSuse).

In Fact, I 'm typing this from Kubuntu right now.

[dmeyer]

I also recently switched to 12.2. I find it the best KDE distro out there. OBS is improving the situation of lack of packages but nothing beats a debian/ubuntu based distro for package availability. Also the opensuse community doesn't seem to be very friendly or helpful whereas the kubuntu community is top notch in every respect.

To fix the weird display issue in yast2 just run this: sudo rm -r /usr/share/YaST2/theme/openSUSE-Oxygen/wizard

[bsniadajewski]

Agreed!

I'll besure to do that when I get into my OpenSUSE install later (I'm in Kubu right now).

[cynical]

I tried OpenSUSE after hearing about the kde integration. It was indeed impressive, especially the work done on firefox. Unfortunately zypper is still a pain. It's speed is great except for how slowly repositories are refreshed. Another problem I had involved kaffeine detecting that I had no media codecs and offering to install them for me and then asking me to manually add a repository! I'm familiar with OpenSUSE so of course I know it means the packman repo, but from a user friendliness pov this sucks. Yast also feels like a relic when much of its older functionality is now included as base components of modern DEs. I really think they should prune it down to the admin/enterprise features, and anything else not already covered.

I was ok with these small issues but then I ran into a few bugs and decided to try Kubuntu rather than fixing them. I've had zero problems so far and everything that should automatically work as I expect it to, does. Kubuntu 12.04 has been stable and just as fast as openSUSE to me (I'm on an SSD though) so as long as Kubuntu devs keep putting out these top notch releases I'm going to keep using it.


Edit: I felt I was a bit too negative. I just wanted to add that the customization they did is honestly really impressive. I love the consistency of their art from boot splash to the desktop. Overall it is a solid release and I'm sure regular OpenSUSE users will love it. I'm definitely going to try it again in the next release and see how it fairs.

[GreyGeek]

OpenSUSE, like many other Linux distros which feature KDE, is an excellent distro. PCLinux, MEPIS, Mint, etc..., like OpenSUSE, are all great distros when run in the vanilla mode. BTW, I run Kubuntu in the vanilla mode, using the default settings for just about everything. I install the QuickLauncher and I put YAWP and Units Converter on the desktop. Other than that it's vanilla.

Just because you may move to OpenSUSE doesn't mean you have to be a stranger here! :cool:

[bsniadajewski]

No, I'm not planning to move to Suse any time soon, as I still have Kubuntu also (ah, the beauty of multiple HDDs). You might say I'm checking up on an old friend, since (Open)SUSE was the first distro I was really able to sink my teeth into. After that I hopped around before settling on Kubuntu (with occasional checks on the other *buntus for the hell of it).

I have moved the Suse partition to Tumbleweed, following the instructions on the Tumbleweed portal page @ opensuse.org. There wasn't much to update, only a couple of packages (not suprising, as 12.2 is quite new). As I've said, everything works well.


typed from Kubuntu 12.10 w/ firefox

[vinnywright]

Over the weekend I may change it over to Tumbleweed (OpenSuse's rooling -release style version), which added with OpenSuse-Current repos would mean I'd not have to re-install to upgrade, something I like to see Ubuntu (and all variants, incl. Kubu) try. It could be interesting.

Just a FYI ,,,,I have never (well on this laptop)reinstalled to upgrade , it started life as 11.04 and is now at 12.04 with only net upgrades and still going strong

VINNY

[bsniadajewski]

That what I have done withmy Kubu install. It started at 9.10 or 10.04 (I forget which) and is now at 12.10 beta with dist-upgrades all the way. But, I've DL'ed a live or mini iso of the distro version I upgraded to, just ... in .... case.

[dibl]

Kubuntu was my first "serious" Linux OS -- it was 6.06 at that time, and I continued with it as my main productivity system until about 9.10 or so. However I found my taste for the newest software driving me to upgrade it every six months, and that in turn triggered about a week of re-tweaking the configuration to suit my productivity needs and preferences -- it cost me many hours of productivity every six months. So my main productivity system has been Debian sid with KDE, a "rolling release" system, for the past few years. The one I'm presently working on was originally installed about June of 2011, and has been continuously updated since then -- here it is:

don@imerabox:~$ inxi -v3
System:    Host: imerabox Kernel: 3.6-rc6.towo.1-siduction-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.7.1) 
           Desktop: KDE 4.8.4 (Qt 4.8.2) Distro: aptosid 2011-02 Ἡμέρα - kde-lite - (201107131633)
Machine:   Mobo: ASUSTeK model: P6X58D-E version: Rev 1.xx Bios: American Megatrends version: 0602 date: 03/24/2011
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7 CPU 950 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 33737.6 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 4217.202 MHz 2: 4217.202 MHz 3: 4217.202 MHz 4: 4217.202 MHz 5: 4217.202 MHz 6: 4217.202 MHz 7: 4217.202 MHz 8: 4217.202 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GF100 [GeForce GTX 480] bus-ID: 05:00.0 
           X.Org: 1.12.3.902 driver: nvidia Resolution: 1920x1200@59.9hz 
           GLX Renderer: GeForce GTX 480/PCIe/SSE2 GLX Version: 4.2.0 NVIDIA 304.48 Direct Rendering: Yes
Network:   Card: Marvell 88E8056 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller driver: sky2 ver: 1.30 port: d800 bus-ID: 06:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 20:cf:30:5c:41:1d
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 2136.5GB (3.2% used) 1: model: OCZ 
           2: model: OCZ 3: model: KINGSTON_SS100S2 4: model: WDC_WD1002FAEX 5: model: WDC_WD1002FAEX 
Info:      Processes: 303 Uptime: 14:03 Memory: 1327.6/5966.2MB Runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 4.7.1 Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.15

As you can see I'm running a 3.6 release candidate kernel on it.

However, I do love Kubuntu and have both 12.04 and 12.10 installed on VMs. Here is 12.10, upgraded as of today:

System:    Host: ubuntu Kernel: 3.5.0-15-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.7.1) 
           Desktop: KDE 4.9.1 (Qt 4.8.2) Distro: Ubuntu 12.10 quantal
Machine:   System: VMware product: VMware Virtual Platform
           Mobo: Intel model: 440BX Desktop Reference Platform Bios: Phoenix version: 6.00 date: 07/02/2012
CPU:       Single core Intel Core i7 CPU 950 (-UP-) cache: 8192 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3) bmips: 8434.11 clocked at 4217.058 MHz 
Graphics:  Card: VMware SVGA II Adapter bus-ID: 00:0f.0 
           X.Org: 1.13.0 drivers: vmware (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1680x1050@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on SVGA3D; build GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 9.0-devel Direct Rendering: Yes
Network:   Card: Intel 82545EM Gigabit Ethernet Controller (Copper) 
           driver: e1000 ver: 7.3.21-k8-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 02:01.0
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: 00:0c:29:c7:8c:ef
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 21.5GB (22.0% used) 1: model: VMware_Virtual_S 
Info:      Processes: 120 Uptime: 8 min Memory: 435.5/988.4MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: N/A Client: Shell inxi: 1.8.15

[NickStone]

I run Kubuntu in the vanilla mode, using the default settings for just about everything.

If you really like Vanilla software and debian based distros (Kubuntu) why not try Debian with KDE?

[KDE_dude]

I once installed Opensuse and it kept crashing on me. I have a low-spec laptop so I thought that was the problem, but them I tried Kubuntu and it rarely crashes.

[dmeyer]

Hmm thats odd. I've always found Kubuntu a little more unstable but its .deb and easy for beginners to use so I always recommend it. openSUSE tends to be my go to distro for stability although 12.1 was quite awful with the whole systemd migration. I must admit though the well patched ubuntu kernels tend to be fantastic and can't recommend them enough for absolute hardware compatability, especially lower spec systems or exotic hardware.

[KDE_dude]

It was usually Amorak that would crash right after I would open it. With Kubuntu I have used Amorak every day and it has not crashed yet. One of the reasons I use Kubuntu though is because of the .deb and the ubuntu repositories. And I have found it runs faster than any other KDE distro I have used.