Greg Wallace wrote:
When 10.0 came out, there was much discussion about the fact that you no longer got the Admin manual, just a, more or less, SuSE Linux for Dummies User Guide (okay, maybe it's a little better than that (or not as good?)). Many people were saying they should have just downloaded the software and not bought the retail version, since many of them were buying the retail version, at least in part, because of the nice handy Admin manual that came with it (though the matter was then raised as to how someone should be paying something to Novell to support the efforts being made by to improve the product). I guess this whole issue will be front and center again with the upcoming release. Buy the boxed set, or download, that is the question. Then again, I don't recall whether the downloads were actually a "legitimate" way of obtaining the product or not, though it would seem that Novell would not be in the business of giving away something they were simultaneously selling(?).
Downloads are a legitimate way of obtaining SUSE. After all, that's why they created the web site. Bear in mind however, that there are often some non-GPL items in the package, which are not on the site. Given the value I get from Linux, I have no problem buying the boxed set, if for no other reason than to show my support for Linux.