By Brian Proffitt, Contributing Editor, Linux Today
While the rest of the Linux community was out fighting for
truth, justice, and the open source way, one Linux company has
decided to respond through action, not words.
SuSE Linux 7.2 has been released today, in its usual Personal
and Professional flavors. What it not usual is the fact that SuSE
GMbH has about to release a new flavor of SuSE on June 20: the
first commercial distribution of Linux ported to the new Intel
Itanium 64-bit processor.
SuSE Linux 7.2 for IA-64 will be based on Linux Kernel 2.4.4
Besides the actual operating system, the IA-64 release comprises of
1,500 applications on 6 CD-ROMs, enabling the setup of Intranet and
Internet solutions as well as setup and protection of heterogeneous
networks. Professional users get all tools needed for setting up
WWW, proxy, mail, and news servers in Linux. The support of large
files up to 4 TByte equips SuSE Linux 7.2 for IA-64 for utilization
as server system for complex database applications.
For those of us who are Intel 32-bit processor users, SuSE has
released the 7.2 iteration of its Personal and Professional
Editions, which are priced at $29.95 and $69.95, respectively.
This release, which comes a mere three months after the release
of the SuSE 7.1 version, has included several upgrades, including
Kernel 2.4.4, XFree86 4.0.3, KDE 2.1.2, and GNOME 1.4. SuSE appears
to have spent some effort into tightening up its Desktop, based on
KDE, even further with the integration of user, group, and
corporate configuration tools and more use of the KDE browser/file
manager Konqueror. Konqueror has seen its share of improvements, as
well, as it now supports the Netscape Communicator plug-ins for
Real media and Flash.
Security has also been enhanced in SuSE Linux 7.2, with the
inclusion of a demo version of AMaViS, an e-mail virus scanner, and
file system encryption tools. SuSE is also continuing its free
online updating service, which will feature product and security
updates.
Networking capabilities have also been improved in this latest
release. Windows file and print server Samba 2.2 is now capable of
operating with the Distributed File System by Microsoft, as well as
support of Windows 2000 workstations in Samba domains and the
administration of the NT server manager.
SuSE Linux 7.2 includes the option to set up ext2 and ReiserFS
partitions, but also FAT partitions. The YaST2 user administration
now supports the setup and administration of new users and groups,
not only in the installation stage, but also when the system is
running. NFS servers and clients and the Logical Volume Manager,
too, can now be administered with the new YaST2 modules.
Also of interest for fledgling networkers is the inclusion of a
new Networking manual in SuSE Professional’s already copious
documentation, which has been altered for ease-of-use. This manual
walks users though setup, configuration, and monitoring of a
Linux-based network.
The compiler tool gcc in this new version of SuSE is 2.95.3, and
the library files included are based upon glibc 2.2.2 and still
supportive of libc5 programs.
As in previous versions of SuSE, the Professional Edition
features more development and server applications than the Personal
Edition, including: Samba 2.2 server, LDAP server, an
auto-installation program, KDevelop 1.4, clustering support, and IP
video telephoney applications.