[ Thanks to Rob
for this link. ]
“It must seem unbelievable to Windows users that a Linux system
comes with so many features installed as default, and at such
minimal cost. Though this is true of most Linux distributions none
come as fully-featured as SuSE 7.0, with 3505 packages and over
1900 applications to choose from. (I allowed 6GB and it still
wasn’t sufficient for a full install). From the box SuSE can be set
up as a fullblown web server with 4 GB main memory expansion, as an
element in a Beowulf cluster, or as an an ideal office desktop
system, complete with all the software development and productivity
tools you could possibly need (including Koffice Beta and
video-conferencing). For the home user there are the full range of
multimedia tools, including web TV if you have the hardware. SuSE
offers endless scope for experimenting with your system, whether
you are a developer, an administrator, a webmaster or someone who
just likes to get things done. If you are not happy with one way of
doing things SuSE provides you with at least three other ways to
get there. Nothing is left out, and YaST can always be called upon
to install the packages that suit your needs.”
“SuSE is perfect for a certain kind of home user, the person who
likes to prod and pick at things, to install and try everything.
There are, for instance, more than 20 window-managers. Yet SuSE
lacks a certain kind of cool, epitomised by the loveable lizard,
earnest and likeable with a kink in its tail, but definitely not
slick. SuSE sometimes feels like the country cousin of Linux
distributions, still unused to the big city ways, but a lot closer
to the roots, and better for that. What is truly impressive
about most things SuSE is the thoroughness and attention to detail.
No other distribution, with the honourable exception of Debian,
provides such a clean and thorough method for package installation
and removal, albeit still lacking an automatic update tool for
security fixes etc. The network setup is straightforward and
self-explanatory. There are sensible and useful guidance tools for
setting up system security. You can select default fonts, or load
new hardware on the fly … and everything works, for like the
country cousin, SuSE turns out to have more depth than you ever
dared imagine. If you like to configure things in your own way SuSE
is the distribution for you, and you won’t have to make too many
visits to the download sites because most things are there already,
on the 6-pack, the DVD or in the copious documentation.”