Kernel Version: - 2.4.4
KDE Included: - Don’t think so
KDE2 Included: - 2.1.2
Gnome Included: - 1.4
XF86 version 4.0.3
In the box:
* 90 Days of installation support,
* 7 CDs and 1 DVD,
* 2 Boot Disks.
Five manuals:
* Network
* Main Reference Manual
* Configuration Guide
* Applications Guide
* Quick install Guide.
Worth buying if only for the books!
Installation:
I booted from the DVD and was presented with several options: - Installation, Manual Installation, Rescue System, Memory Test, Text Mode and given a choice of display modes. I just chose the normal installation.The DVD now boots and looks very pretty. As it boots it looks at the hardware and searches for a Braille display.
Now that the graphical (YaST 2) installation has started it ‘checks’ the system - what it checks I have no idea. I could then choose the language and set the keyboard and timezone settings. The installation then presented me with three installation options: - New Install, Update or Boot and installed system. I chose to do a new install.
I was then prompted to either choose a hard disk to install on (to use the whole disk and do automatic partitioning) or do custom partitioning or custom partitioning with LWM. I chose to do custom partitioning as I already had the partition ready to use. When using the custom partitioning you can choose to format your partition with either EXT2 or ReiserFS which is what I chose. You also have the option to use Crypt for your partitions - this is a secure filesystem.
After telling SuSE which partitions to nuke I was presented with the options for package installation: - Minimum, Minimum Graphical, Default, Default with Office, All or detailed selection. I chose the Default with Office which was 1.29 Gb. I would recommend that if you feel you have sufficent knowledge to do so that you use the detailed package selection to minimise the installation of things you won’t use and save (potentially lots) of disk space.
SuSE then detects that I already have LILO installed on my systems and kindly leaves it alone (which NO OTHER SYSTEM has ever been able to do before even when told to) and tells me that it will install LILO onto a floppy disk.
I was then prompted to enter my personal details and create a user account then to set the root password. I was then prompted to give confirmation to finalise my options, nuke my partition and install the system.
After the package installation (with lots of the new distro releases you can do some of this or even play a game during the installation - but SuSE still haven’t done this...) the monitor was autodetected (a CTX 1569S) but SuSE did not have the sync details and so I had to choose a similar model (a CTX 1565) in order to get it to work without hunting for the details. I could then select the desktop details (resolution, colour depth etc.) and I realised that SuSE had detected my graphics card (A Creative Riva TNT2 Ultra) as it prompted me to enable video acceleration.
The installation then partially boots the installation and I was prompted to configure my hardware. It detected my network card (a Realtek RTL8139a), it tried to detect my printer which was switched off - so it couldn’t. It also scanned for a modem (I didn’t have one), ISDN card (I didn’t have one) and it detected my sound card (A Creative AWE64). I then went through the things it had detected to configure the details for each one. I first configured the network card and set the IP address, hostname etc. (that’s a lie actually because I set it to DHCP but those are the options there...). I then configured the printer (an Epson Stylus Colour 400) without any problems. Amongst others, SuSE supports Parallel, USB and SMB printers. Finally I configured the sound card and was given the choice of either a quick or normal setup. I chose normal and was suprised when I was asked if I wanted to install the creative SoundFonts from my Creative CD which of course I did. I have never come across this before. I then set the volume for the sound.
Booting Up:
The system now boots (without rebooting - yippee!) and prompted me to login. When I tried to login as root it told me then for security reasons I should login as a normal user which I did and was preseneted with a SuSE welcome window and tour.
One notable feature it that some common packages which had not been installed were in a menu off the administration menu. You can simply click on the program you want to launch YaST 2 and install it! I did also discover that no TV card apps had been installed by default which was a little annoying as I wanted to use my Hauppauge WinTV PCI FM card - although I later discovered that it had been detected without me even knowing.
Software Content:
SuSE has a reputation for including a lot of software so I can’t possibly cover it all, but it does include the following popular pieces of software: - Firewall, Crypto FS, CUPS, SuSE YoU (online update), Star Office 5.2, Apache, Samba, Broadcast 2000, Netscape 4.77 and 6, WINE and unfortunately, Mozilla 0.8.1. It would have been nice if SuSE had included a newer version of Mozilla as this is quite old (the latest at time of writing is 0.9.3).
Conclusion:
SuSE Linux 7.2 Pro is ideal for any power user and desktop user. Desktop users may as well save a few quid and buy the Personal version as they won’t need this much software (but does anybody???). The installation and the final system is easy to use and to navigate and as usual, the software content is amazing. Go out and buy it.
