[SLE] SuSE thoughts and suggestions
Hello all, I've been a SuSE user since 4.something and in many ways feel as though I've learnt linux with it. Every now and again I trot off and try another distro (RH, debian, slack -etc.) and always wind up coming back to SuSE. but.... It seems to me there is room for little organisational improvement. Here we are again with 6.4 soon to be on the market (the german version - is in the shops already)and nothing on the ftp-site (just a basic 6.4 iso eval would do). Can anyone tell me why it's so difficult to track down usefull info on the website? And why is the dir layout different on SuSE? It takes a fair bit of time changing conf files and makefiles to make things fit the SuSE way and I for one find it a drag. And if I wanted to be swap CD's at boot time - I'd become a DJ. - and why no qmail.rpm (I know... but the choice would be nice) I don't want this to sound like a big rant but sometimes it drives me nuts.. and it seems to have more to do with direction than anything else. Do the SuSE management team know where they want to position the product because it seems to me SuSE is turning into a "workstationy-server" sort of distribution. Is there an argument for a Pro-SuSE-server and a workstation version? As always, when I need to remember all the niggles - I never can. But that's not the point... I like SuSE, always have and probably always will - I like it's logical style and the list is always populated by thinkers who want to help. Security fixes are always quick and the releases always usable - so it's not the product. It's the marketing and positioning of it. Comments appreciated - but no point in flaming 'cos I'm a fan.. bye Andy ------------------------------- This mail was sent using ecmail -- To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/
* Andy Roffe (aroffe@e-corp.co.uk) [20000406 14:51]:
improvement. Here we are again with 6.4 soon to be on the market (the german version - is in the shops already)and nothing on the ftp-site (just a basic 6.4 iso eval would do).
It does take some time to prepare the ftp tree as some parts of the Distribution have to be left out. This needs manpower that's first put into creating the CD distributions. Besides, let us earn some money with the CDs, will you? ;-))
And why is the dir layout different on SuSE?
Because we are trying to follow the LHS (Linux Hierarchy Standard) as close
as possible (and no distribution is closer to it than SuSE Linux). For
instance, the LHS mandates that /etc shall contain no executables (which
includes shell scripts), so we created /sbin/init.d and moved the init
scripts there.
Out of IMO obvious reasons I'll refrain to comments on positioning and
marketing and let others comment on that ;-)
Philipp
--
Philipp Thomas
Philipp Thomas wrote:
* Andy Roffe (aroffe@e-corp.co.uk) [20000406 14:51]:
And why is the dir layout different on SuSE?
Because we are trying to follow the LHS (Linux Hierarchy Standard) as close as possible (and no distribution is closer to it than SuSE Linux). For instance, the LHS mandates that /etc shall contain no executables (which includes shell scripts), so we created /sbin/init.d and moved the init scripts there.
Well, I use to run Red Hat 6.1 but decided to start using SuSE because I had
the impression that SuSE followed LHS better then Red Hat. It may sound
silly but the final difference came down to where KDE was placed in the FS.
SuSE put it where it is ment to be (IMO) /opt.
--
Terry Eck
Hi Andy and all.. Thu, 06 Apr 2000, you wrote:
Hello all,
I've been a SuSE user since 4.something and in many ways feel as though I've learnt linux with it. Every now and again I trot off and try another distro (RH, debian, slack -etc.) and always wind up coming back to SuSE.
You sound like me. ;-) I've got a lot of the distributions (at least GPL) sitting around here somewhere, and every once in a while, I'll drop in my old 1.6gig drive, and have an install-fest.
but.... It seems to me there is room for little organisational improvement. Here we are again with 6.4 soon to be on the market (the german version - is in the shops already)and nothing on the ftp-site (just a basic 6.4 iso eval would do).
I'd just like to see the international english version released at the same time as the German version. But in a way I can understand why it doesn't happen.
Can anyone tell me why it's so difficult to track down usefull info on the website?
Such as? I hit the site quite often, and can find just about anything I need. Of course, that isn't the American site. I always go to www.suse.de/en to start off with. From there, I get around quickly. What I don't understand is why the American Site is SOOO different from the German site. They are the same company.
And why is the dir layout different on SuSE?
Phillip I think answered that one. And I'm so used to SuSE, that I can't find anything without searching around the other distros.
And if I wanted to be swap CD's at boot time - I'd become a DJ. - and why no qmail.rpm (I know... but the choice would be nice)
I think that will end shortly. If Yast2 works even half as well as Yast1, swapping at the start will be a thing of the past.
I don't want this to sound like a big rant but sometimes it drives me nuts.. and it seems to have more to do with direction than anything else.
It didn't some off that way to me. I think it's good to say what's on your mind. It might not change anything, but then again, it might change something just enough to make the distro a bit better.
Do the SuSE management team know where they want to position the product because it seems to me SuSE is turning into a "workstationy-server" sort of distribution.
I much prefer the way SuSE does things. I can install as much or as little as I want. And I get to make the choice. With something like Redhat, you get three choices. Workstation, Server, or Custom. I'd bet that most folks opt for Custom. Why? Because they like things their way. Heck, I even modify the selections that SuSE makes. I find it a lot easier to do with SuSE than *ANY* other distro.
quick and the releases always usable - so it's not the product.
It's the marketing and positioning of it.
I've been looking at other distros. With SuSE, you get a whole lot more bang for the money. Look at Mandrake or Redhat. In order to get even close to what SuSE offers, it cost you almost twice as much. And not one of them can touch the book that comes with SuSE. Unless RH and the others have changed with the new releases, the SuSE book beats all of them hands down.
Comments appreciated - but no point in flaming 'cos I'm a fan..
Me too. And from the looks of 6.4, I'm going to have another book and set of CD's soon.. Mike -- --------------------------------------------------------------------- bcomber@an-netz.de http://www.an-netz.de/home/bcomber --------------------------------------------------------------------- -- To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/
On Thu, 06 Apr 2000, Mike wrote:
I much prefer the way SuSE does things. I can install as much or as little as I want.
On that subject: I have this machine sitting here that I would really like to be able to run X client software on. It has 20 meg RAM and NO MONITOR. Therefore it has absolutely no use for an X server. It also has a rather small disk drive. I can't really afford the space for an X server that won't be used. How do I install X client software with*out* an X server?
And I get to make the choice. With something like Redhat, you get three choices. Workstation, Server, or Custom. I'd bet that most folks opt for Custom.
I always did. I don't think I've gone with a standard install of ANY softwre product that had install options, without even looking at what the options are, in more than 5 years.
Heck, I even modify the selections that SuSE makes.
Me too.
I find it a lot easier to do with SuSE than *ANY* other distro.
And on that subject, I'd like to repeat a previous request: I'd like the packages grouped by function in finer detail. All text-editor type software in one group, for example, with a column in the list to indicate whether they are X-based, console-based, or swing both ways. And with descriptions that are actually useful for comparing them... -- To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/
participants (5)
-
aroffe＠e-corp.co.uk -
bcomber＠an-netz.de -
eck＠raytheon.com -
pthomas＠suse.de -
warrl＠blarg.net