Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (3138 mails)

[Doug B <suse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tuesday 28 December 2004 03:12 pm, Joe Polk wrote:
> There are  many posts here relating to issues with 9.2. It was
> because of these that I was very apprehensive about making the move
> from 9.0. I did anyway. I found several issues, as I've posted here
> before, that made me give it up. Some probably cannot completely
> attributed to SuSE as I think the new kernel had issues with my
> monitor (a monitor that worked fine with 9.0). Others were klugy
> issues that could have been corrected with some decent QA. I'm
> disappointed, really, that Novell didn't QA the product better. The
> only machine I have that might have ran it decently was my server but
> I never installed it there. In my opinion, it came across as a rushed
> product and frankly appeared that way in KDE. That's my opinion and
> my experience. I don't do anything funky with my desktop install. I
> don't recompile the kernel, I don't customize my menus really. It's
> just a straight, out-of-the-box install. Others have had great
> success with it and are obviously able to get beyond some of the
> bloopers. For me, my choice, it was just not worth my money. I hope
> the next version is better because I am behind Novell's Linux efforts
> whole-heartedly.
>

> ---------- Original Message -----------
> From: Doug B <suse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> > On Monday 27 December 2004 01:40 pm, Joe Polk wrote:
> > > Congratulations on having only mouse issues with your 9.2
> > > upgrade! You're one of the lucky ones.
> >
> >  Actually, if you had problems, I would restate that to say you are
> > one of the unfortunate ones.
> >

I don't take issue with your having problems.  As you say, there have 
been a number of people who have problems with 9.2.  I understand your 
frustration... I really do.

The only thing I take issue with is describing those with success 
stories as being the lucky ones.  To me, that sounds like most people 
have problems but there are some lucky ones.  I feel it is the other 
way around.  Most people have had a good experience and but some have 
been unlucky.

That has been true of every release I've installed from RedHat 6.x to 
Suse 9.2 and a few others.  There are always people who have problems.  
Since I signed up on my first distro mail list, there have always been 
comments like --  "Watch the mail list for a surge in emails around 
release time.  The bigger the surge, the more the problems and the 
longer you should wait before upgrading your box.".  There was no surge 
this time.  That could be a very good sign about 9.2 (fewer problems) 
or a bad sign about Suse (fewer people moving over/upgrading).  Since 
my experience was pretty good (a few problems, but nothing I couldn't 
work out), I choose to think the (lack of surge in) volume of email is 
a good thing.

I do think SuSE needs to watch quality better.  There is no excuse for 
what happened with the last two kernel updates.  Marketing sells a 
product... quality keeps folks comming back.  Years ago I worked as a 
salesman in the oil field trucking business.  I used to tell my drivers 
that I could sell anyone once, but it was up to them to sell the next 
job by doing a good job.  In a product like this, getting the first 
sale is important... but getting the second sale is critical.

Good luck with the next one!
Doug