Suse linux review

SuSE has always been one of our favorite Linux distributions and this release is no disappointment. It fine-tunes SuSE's offering and bundles a lot of value into one package. Experienced Linux users will appreciate the powerful bundled tools, while newbies will like the ease of use and stress-free installation. This version comes with five CDs, a DVD, and both user's and administrator's guides.

Installation

As always, SuSE's install is one of the best around. There's no need to worry if you've never installed Linux before, since the SuSE installer, called YaST2, is graphical--you'll never be taken to the command prompt. If you're running Windows already, you can resize your NTFS partition and make room for a dual boot setup. You can also opt to go with the default installation or choose more advanced partitioning, as well as pick and choose your software packages.

YaST2 gets a serious thumbs-up from us. It does a good job serving newbies, as well as power users that want more control over the install process, and it provides some of the best documentation around. It's definitely one reason why we feel comfortable routing folks who are new to Linux over to this distro. The Pro version we installed had a 375 page manual for users and an even larger one for administrators. You don't have to look at the manual, but it's there if you need it. If it's your first time with Linux, it will give you a great overview of what to expect from your new OS.

Unfortunately, our test system only had a CD drive, so we had to swap out the CDs as the install progressed. If your system includes a DVD drive, you can install the whole thing right off the one disc.

Given that SuSE 9 can be installed from five CDs or one DVD, there is certainly no lack of software. In fact, there's more here than most power users will probably ever need and certainly more than 99.99% of typical users will ever use. There's far too much to list here, but here's a small sample of what you'll find on the SuSE 9 CDs:

OpenOffice.org AbiWord Ximian Evolution XMMS Tux Racer Mozilla Konqueror Kopete GAIM Gnome 2.2 KDE 3.1.4 KMail KNode

All the usual applications are there, enough to handle the usual office tasks and other needs. It's doubtful that many people will have to bother downloading much software after they install SuSE 9 Pro--there's so much included, you'll probably find what you need on the CDs or the DVD.

SuSE has always been a KDE-oriented distro. However, unlike some of the other distros we've reviewed, it's always offered the option to include Gnome. It's not part of the default install, so you'll have to choose it yourself. It has even included lightweight window managers, such as FVWM and Window Maker. Kudos to SuSE for doing this--it gives everybody at least some of what they want and nobody is locked into using a desktop they don't like.

When you first log in to the default SuSE desktop, you'll notice that it's a very slick, "SuSE-ized" version of KDE. It's very easy to find your way around. The "K" button on your taskbar lets you access the usual array of menus and applications. Everything is laid out in clean, well-organized categories. Click the Internet category and you'll see an excellent range of net applications, for example. Using your desktop in SuSE isn't hard at all, even if it's your first time with Linux.

If you aren't sure where to find something, you can always look it up in the User Guide. It includes information for Gnome and some of the more popular applications, such as Mozilla, Evolution, and OpenOffice.org. If you are new to Linux, flipping through the User Guide is a great way to familiarize yourself with the OS before going solo.

If Gnome and KDE are too much for you (some folks find they're bloated and run too slow), you can opt for one of the lightweight window managers included with SuSE 9. If you're on an older system with a slow processor or limited memory, Window Maker is a great alternative to one of the full-featured desktops. It will run all the apps you need, minus the desktop overhead. Even some power users prefer not to use KDE or Gnome, so don't be shy about checking out one of the window managers as an alternative.

During the install, SuSE found our network connection and configured it automatically. This release has also added a Local Network icon to the default desktop, reminiscent of the Network Neighborhood tool in Windows. It makes it pretty easy to find computers on your local network. We had no trouble connecting to our Windows XP machine and snagging files off of it. We didn't have to do any configuration; SuSE 9 set it up for us. This is really the way all distros should operate. It shouldn't require a Herculean effort to get a Linux box connected to a Windows network. In fact, it really shouldn't require any work at all. Hats off to SuSE for making the networking part of our system very user-friendly. (We hate that term but in this case it actually applies.)

Windows Compatibility

This version of SuSE Linux does not come bundled with CrossOver Office or Plug-in. It does come with Wine if you want to try to install some of your Windows applications. However, if you really want to run Windows applications in Linux, we recommend that you check out the Wine Rack add-on for SuSE Linux Personal or Professional, which costs $39 and includes CrossOver Office and Plug-in, as well as WineX from TransGaming (buying the Wine Rack does not include a subscription to TransGaming). According to SuSE's Web site, you should be able to run Half-Life: Counter Strike, Diablo 2, and other Windows games, via Transgaming. Though many Linux purists recoil from the idea of running Windows apps or even Windows games, we appreciate that SuSE is trying to provide its products to all users rather than just Linux diehards.

If you don't want the Wine Rack, you can purchase CrossOver Office and Plug-in separately and sign up for Transgaming on your own. According to SuSE, though, that would end up running you about $117, instead of just the extra $39 for the Wine Rack. For most people who need strong Windows compatibility, it's probably much easier and faster to buy the Wine Rack than it is to futz around trying to add things in manually.

It's very disappointing that SuSE still doesn't include a VPN wizard as part of its desktop. We feel like a broken record at this point, but it has to be said: All Linux distros should ship with this built into the desktop. It's basic networking functionality. Windows has had it for years and there is simply no excuse at this point not to have it in Linux. It's an especially glaring omission from a vendor as well known as SuSE.

We'd also like to see Gnome included as part of the default installation. Some new Linux customers might not even know about Gnome otherwise. As nice as KDE is, users should have an equal chance to use Gnome by default.

As we mentioned in another review, we'd like to see something like America's Army bundled with SuSE Linux. Believe it or not, there are a lot of Linux gamers out there, so some kind of killer 3D game should come standard with all distros. Under the right circumstances, Linux is at least as good as (and sometimes even better than) Windows when it comes to gaming. We'd like to see more Linux vendors taking this issue seriously and bundle some powerhouse games (or at least playable demos) with their distros. The usual array of desktop card games and stuff like Tux Racer just don't cut it anymore. We're hoping that SuSE can cut a deal with the Department of Defense and get the Linux version of America's Army in its next release. We have our fingers crossed.

We were also surprised to find that the CrossOver products weren't included. Given that this version is $79, it would've been nice for them to be bundled in by default. We can understand not including them in the Personal version of SuSE but, for $80, it's reasonable to expect them in the Pro version--especially since, for an extra $10, you can get the whole kit and caboodle in Xandros 2.0. We can't, in good conscience, recommend SuSE over Xandros right now for those who need built-in Windows compatibility. At this point Xandros is clearly the better value for those kinds of users, as it includes CrossOver Office and Plug-in (though you don't get WineX).

In the great pantheon of Linux distributions, SuSE 9 Professional occupies a venerable spot. It's packed with programs, developer tools, and terrific desktops.

As much as we like it, however, we think newbies and other non-power users can probably get by just as well with the Personal edition which sells for only $39.95. SuSE 9 Pro is probably far more than a regular user really needs for their computer.