3/3 Reviews in Operating Systems Challenge
Linux – OpenSUSE 11.1
Previous Review:
2/3 Reviews in Operating Systems Challenge
FreeBSD Release 7.2
Well, after the last disaster with the FreeBSD review I’m glad to say I’m back in a situation where the ball is in my court. I’m a big fan of Linux. A lot of the work I do in my education at this current point in time is based in OpenSUSE; which is one of the Three reasons I chose THIS particular Linux to review.
OpenSUSE is the open source child Of SLED – SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, and I can pretty much call it the easiest Linux distribution to use, and here’s why:
YaST.
YaST is a Installation and Configuration tool for OpenSUSE and SLED/SLES. It’s easy to use, and I mean Damn easy. I covered in my Windows 7 review that I LOVE windows/programs that allow you to control everything in a specific genre. Like a network configuration utility where you control EVERYTHING or a security control utility where you can control EVERYTHING.
Well, YaST or Yet another Setup Tool; takes this a step further:
You can control EVERYTHING from here.
Networking, hardware, system services, Novel specific applications, installed programs.. the list is as long as what you have installed.
That’s really all I need to cover in this review. OpenSUSE beats the pants off other Linux distributions that claim to be easy to use, by having every configuration utility imaginable in one window, and then the ability to install anything you want from repositories that rival Ubuntu. But, to enforce my reasoning for this distro, I’ll cover one more thing.
Slab/Kicker
Slab and Kicker are two start menu programs brought to you by Novell for Gnome and KDE respectively. (Gnome version Slab shown here). Slab and Kicker show recently used applications/favorite applications (applications used the most); Shortcuts to system tools such as YaST, Control Center, Shutdown/logoff etc. and a “Status” area at the bottom right hand corner that shows network connections and system monitors that when clicked, open up the GUI counterparts.
Gnome Slab would have to be the best Gnome start menu I’ve ever seen, yet again simplifying the access of everyday used files/programs for the masses.
KDE Kicker, unlike Gnome Slab is a little more complicated to the eye, adding four tabbed areas that organize further favorite used items, history of recent items, “Computer” tab which shows drives etc. in the computer and access to them, applications lists and “Leave” which is the shutdown/logoff commands.
Cool, eh?
That is, in summary the reasons I use OpenSUSE. I’ve tried to look at Windows 7; BSD and Linux from a beginners viewpoint; the ease of use and complication factors of it vs. previous versions of that operating system or vs. other distributions of said operating systems. In using OpenSUSE I can say Easy to use distributions such as Ubuntu (Or its variants and bases) have never been quite as easy to use as YaST or as simple as the menu and navigation systems of SUSE and I would probably keep using OpenSUSE as my Linux distribution for these reasons alone until Novell pulls support for all OpenSUSE versions.
As a question for People reading this; Have you tried OpenSUSE? Do you like it? Why/Why not? What distribution do you prefer? Why? Feel free to leave comments below about Linux, OpenSUSE or my integrity as a blogger :P
If you have a Software, Hardware, Security or Operating System question you can send me an email or send me a DM on Twitter.
Don’t worry, I don’t bite 
I’ll get back to you ASAP.
David Myers
AKA: Blaynos.
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