Dear SUSEianer, First, I only subscribed to opensuse-project and write this disappointed mail, because I want to reach all the experts, both company and community. I'm pretty sure that this mail will not change anything, but for me it was to a certain way, a must. But this sad story will be a new thread, since I'm no able to respond to an archived mail. Sorry for that. Honestly, it is a reply to GPs initial announcement. But, according to the openSuSE webpage, this mailing list is for "Project and Community related discussions". And GP ended with an open question, isn't it? So, may be no discussion, but a (hidden ?) view on LEAP/SLE closing. At least, from an unknown user perspective: There was a young growing scientist, a structural biologist, working on protein structure determinations with computers & servers like HP, SGI, DELL, SUN or even VAX. All of them with a nice UNIX operating system, doing all these good things with open source software from all over the world. At a certain time, when the first money came in, by doing this nice scientific research, he was thinking to learn to setup all this IT stuff by himself, and after finalizing the PhD by using a computer with one of these Redmond poison OS/software systems, he was thinking of a self owned PC with one of these UNIX operating systems AND an easy desktop/windows interface. Best with some German HowTo's/documentation since he is still a beginner. And based on open source for free science. In the 1990's there was an Bavarian based small software company combing all these requirements in a LINUX distribution called SuSE ... And a colleague of mine had S.u.S.E Linux experiences since S.u.S.E 4.2 ... This was the start. Yes, I'm a pure Linux'ianer, as an user, and started 20 years ago with SuSE 6.2. First as a novice using accidentally 'rm -f' in the top folder, but now doing the IT as a single fighter for a small 25-user University structural biology department with NVida accelerated 3D workstations, CUPS, NIS, SAMBA servers (still for the Redmond devils within the group), several number cruncher, backup server, NAS archiving, and Linux desktops with Windows 10, but within VirtualBoxes. In total 25-35 computers. All with openSUSE, most with LEAP 15.1 at present. Compiling and maintaining dozen of scientific open source programs. Teaching Linux as a side work project, Office work in German and English, plus some Spanish, Italian at colleague PCs. Using a multilingual Linux distribution. On private level desktops and laptops with Bumblebee, and self compiled AMD raid disk driver etc. pp. All the time with SuSE/openSUSE. And some years ago, also one SLE 10.0. I defend this GEEKO environment against all Scientific Linux, Redhat, Ubuntu and Microsoft attacks. Also survived the Novell shock, went through the Attachmate hell and hoped for MicroFocus. But always believing on the openSUSE announcement in 2005 !! I thought a basic LEAP/Tumbleweed OS development and a sophisticated SLE on top (in this direction) would be the Linux paradise on earth. Also for the company managers to earn the money. But the Empire, the money strikes back: I read on Heise Online and also the announcement on the opensuse mailing list in 2018 about the 2.5-billion$ EQT deal. EQT ?? This stands for equity = shareholder = even more money makers !! Money on/with open source ?? 2.5-billion Dollar ?? Can this work with my Linux paradise ?!?!?! And yes, only 1,5 years later golem.de reported a further openSUSE/SLE "rearrangement". Of course with benefits/synergism for all, both sides. I read everything about SuSE distribution policies on these official mailing lists and on Google since 2015. Hey Guys, who can still believe on these 2-way "benefits" based on this company/distribution history ?? I never thought that I would say, but openSUSE Leap 15.2 will be my last "suse". And funnily these clever money makers gave the best advise at the final end: "Jump" !!! Oh, I will. At least I can escape the name fight like 42 ... I will JUMP to https://distrowatch.com to look for a modern distribution with several languages, based on KDE, able to use NVida acceleration, with VBs to satisfy the group Microsoft need. I will have time to learn and to switch my systems until 15.2 will run out of maintenance. I'm very happy for and about this "grace time". But Distrowatch also showed the decreasing SUSE (desktop ?) importance. In the high time openSUSE reached more than 50% HPD of the top distro. But permanently decreasing since the MicroFocus deal. See here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ntnolo8zcjbbqld/The%20SUSE%20story.pdf?dl=0 Why? May be outdated standard Kernel, QT, KDE etc. versions within the stable openSUSE Leaps? Too much strategic company / community = developer discussions / fights? May be too much business? In the past 1-2 year I had more and more problems / higher effort to install and use 3rd-party open source software because of missing / outdated software versions, e.g. QT/KDE. Tumbleweed was used and tested, but was not really stable / productive after 2-3 years. At least not in my hands. And the latest announcement will not lead to improvements, I'm afraid. I do not want to repeat the 13.2 - 42.1 transition experiences !! Not at home, not at the University. I'm sad, so sad to say, it's time to leave. But what I read (Microsoft agreement in 2006, renewed 2011, Azure topic, etc.) and understood for the future plans (Leap 15.2 is postponed by 8 weeks already), I do not want to stay with a Linux distribution which is changing the product / policy / mind every 3-5 years. May be, every new broom HAS TO sweep clean?? At SUSE they do: SLE now "dictates" the Leap. An user view. Yes, I'm still an user only, may be a power user, but no IT'ler, no SUSEianer, so absolute no IT / distro making / company experience / knowledge. But I was a customer, an openSUSE "customer". And I do not want to become a SUSE customer. Too much business, too less freedom for free academic research. Yes, you can and should earn money. But then split like RedHat did. Use open source and make products, but don't use open source community for your products. I really like, no I loved a lot of clever (open)SuSE tools, aka YaST. But ... I really appreciated the community AND company work on most of the distributions. Not all, including the rolling Tumbleweed, but most. I'm missing the Evergreens. Therefore, thank you for more than 20 SuSE years. In 21 (Funny, half of the magic 42. This must be sign ?? :-( ) it is time for - may be - Manjaro? At least the color will stay. So, now it is written. As I said, this mail will neither change something, nor it is helpful for the best LEAP/SLE closing strategy. Sorry again, for bothering you, but now I feel - partly - better. Sad, disappointed but kind regards and all the best for the GEEKO, Michael - still - an openSUSE user -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, email: opensuse-project+owner@opensuse.org