OfB.biz: SuSE Linux 8.1 Takes Our Challenge

[ Thanks to Timothy R. Butler for this link. ]

"SuSE has been known as one of the best choices for a desktop GNU/Linux distribution for years, especially with its intuitive YaST2 setup program. With Red Hat focusing on the server until recently, SuSE's only real competitor was Caldera (now SCO). In recent years, MandrakeSoft, along with newer arrivals such as Lycoris and LindowsOS, have become serious contenders for those considering Linux desktops, but SuSE has retained its place as a serious mover and shaker in desktop GNU/Linux. With that in mind, OfB Labs anxiously looked forward to seeing how the company's latest and greatest would stack up in our tests.

"As we expected, the setup system booted just fine, however, we quickly reached the first bug in the system. The mouse wasn't initialized. Oddly enough, the mouse that we were using--a Logitech MX700 connected to the PS/2 port--worked with any other distribution we tried that would boot on the system (Xandros' installer wouldn't boot at all on the test box). We also tried the mouse that came with a Wacom drawing tablet and found that didn't work either.

"Now, anyone who is familiar with my review of SuSE Linux 8.0 knows that I am not a big fan of the company's web page-like summaries of various settings in lieu of the traditional step-by-step setup process used by other distributions..."

Complete Story

Related Stories:

• OfB.biz: Red Hat Falls Off a Curve(Jan 24, 2003)
• OfB.biz: A Critical Look at Mandrake 9.0(Jan 03, 2003)
• OfB.biz: Showdown: The Penguins Prepare for a Shootout(Dec 20, 2002)