Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (3261 mails)

["Geordon VanTassle" <gvantass@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bah, I think you're over-simplifying as well as comparing apples and
oranges.  Why?  See below...
----- Original Message -----
From: "Curtis Rey" <crrey@xxxxxxxx>
To: "Ole Kofoed Hansen" <okh-linux@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "SuSE Mailing List"
<suse-linux-e@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 6:45 PM
Subject: Re: [SLE] Support vs Support (Was: [SLE] util-linux and Kernel
2.4.3)


> No sir, I was not confused by the word "support" in the context that I was
> addressing.  I was not referring to development support or support for the
> 2.4 kernel by SuSE in regards to working on and releasing it in the
lastest
> version.  I was referring to the end-user support concerning the use of
and
> implimentations of the 2.4 kernel in terms of supporting configuration and
> installation of the kernel.  Which proves my position that SuSE will
included
> the kernel in the release and then washes it hands of any further end-user
> services or support for that kernel.

Well, let's see.  What does the SuSE site say about "support" shall we?

Ok, we go to http://www.suse.com/ and look down the list on the left:
"INSTALLATION SUPPORT" is one choice...  "SUPPORT DATABASE" is another...
"SUPPORTED HARDWARE" is another.    Let's click on INSTALLATION SUPPORT and
see what we can get.

Taken from http://suse.com/us/support/isupport/index.html :
<quote>
Scope of Installation Support
SuSE's installation support representatives are available to answer your
questions about installing and configuring basic systems. These include:

Installing from CD & DVD

Basic configuration of a standalone machine

Basic configuration of X11 GUI

Basic configuration of a standard analog modem to dial into the Internet
(client side)

Configuring a local printer to a standalone machine

Support topics not mentioned here are not handled by installation support.

Installation support services are intended to help you get your basic system
installed, not as a training course or an introduction to Linux. As such, th
ey may only be used for configuration problems, rather than general
questions. In addition, SuSE installation support is unable to answer your
questions about the approximately 850 third-party applications included in
our distribution.

</quote>

So, it would seem that the installation support is geared to getting a SuSE
Linux system up and running with most of the general.common services
running.

"Support topics not mentioned here are not handled by installation support"
seems to sum it all up pretty well, IMO.
Also, it is FREE (beer) support that you get from "Installation Support".
Microsoft dosn't provide no-cost support for their OS... Even if you buy it
straight from them!  However, they'll be more than happy to charge you big
bucks to tell you how to reinstall it!

Anyway, look up at the top banner-bar.  See "Solutions & Services" up there?
Click it.  There, you are presented with the opportunity to engage a
commertial venture with your more complicated, non-trivial questions.

> It's similar to a car maker saying we have a model with the standard 2.2
> liter engine and the new and improved fuel injected 2.4 liter high
> performance engine.  We will be happy to sell you either model.  Oh, and
by
> the way, if the 2.4 liter engine needs service or tune ups we cannot offer
> any certified dealer mechanics.  And did I mention that the engine a parts
> are not under any warrenty.  If your new fuel injected 2.4 liter engine
needs
> tune ups, repairs, or any other form of service might I suggest that your
> nearest neighborhood mechanic should be contacted if you should have any
> problems with the 2.4 liter engine.  Gee, that's ok, I want the 2.4 liter
> engine - it won't break (I hope)!

I believe you are mistaken here.  This is where I think you're comparing
apples and oranges, so to speak.

Think of kernel 2.2 as an industry standard sedan.  Everyone can buy one.
Most adequate mechanics can repair one.

Then think of 2.4 as an experimental, high-efficiency, prototype sort of
vehicle.  Only a select group of people are competent to work on it.  Very
costly to maintain, not nearly as likely to be easily repairable as the 2.2.
However, for the group who CAN fix it, the rewards are (potentially) great.

Take your pick:  the bleeding edge, which is not well known and possibly
VERY dangerous, or the old "stand-by" which everybody and their cousin has
heard of and can use.

SuSE did me a favor by letting me have the opportunity to easily have either
kernel.  However, they ALSO told me that if I went with the "Experimental
car" I'd be on my own as far as getting it running.

Nobody made them include 2.4, just as nobody made YOU buy the SuSE distro.
You could have gone with Red HAt, which doesn't appear to "support" the 2.4
kernel, either.

Get over it.