Jamie's Random Musings
Various thoughts and adventures, including but not limited to Video IM, Linux, Windows XP and Widows Vista, and various bits of hardware new and old.
Friday 27 February 2009, 9:39 AM
SuSE Linux Enterprise 11 vs. openSuSE 11.1
First, let me make this clear, this is NOT intended as a "review" of SuSE Linux Enterprise. Not even a "mini-review". This is Jamie Watson seeing that a free "sneak peek" pre-release version is available, and being curious about two things: does it include the drivers and configuration for the HP 2133 Mini-Note (since the Mini-Note is available from HP with SLED 10 pre-loaded), and how does it compare, in general, with openSuSE.
The Sneak Preview of SuSE Linux Enterprise 11 (RC4) downloads as a DVD ISO image, either 2.6 GB for the Server version, or 3.8 GB for the Desktop version. To get the download, you have to register and create a login for yourself on the Novell web site, but it is all free.
SuSE Linux Enterprise gives the impression of being a more polished version of openSuSE, right from the first installation screen. The basic screens are almost the same, but the graphics are just a bit nicer, the dialogs are a bit more complete, everything seems to just have gotten a bit more attention. However, the installation process takes a lot longer than openSuSE 11 took, and I really mean a lot longer - something like two or three times as long - well over an hour, compared to 20 minutes or so.
Alas, my first hopes were dashed. The display came up using the VESA Framebuffer driver (fbdev), at 1024x768 instead of the optimal 1280x768, and the Broadcom wireless adapter wasn't working at all. I was able to get the display working properly by copying over the openchrome driver that I already had compiled and working on another Linux distribution - exactly the same as I had previously done with openSuSE 11.1. I assume that I will also be able to get the wireless working the same way that I did with openSuSE.
Using SLED on the HP 2133 continued the impression that I got during the installation. It is a lot like openSuSE, but with a bit more polish. Things that I normally have to install myself are already installed - media players for audio, WMV, Sliverlight and Flash, Acrobat Reader, Citrix ICA Client, and so on. In fact, once it was booted and I was working with it, I found that I generally forgot whether I it was SLED or openSuSE that was running.
Of course, if you buy SuSE Linux Enterprise as a retail product, or get it pre-installed on a computer, you also get professional support for it. So if you want, need or "must have" such support, this is an excellent choice for you. Personally, I will continue to use openSuSE quite happily. That opinion is still subject to change, though, when I try out the pre-installed SLED 10 on my partner's new Mini-Note, which should arrive today.
jw 27/2/2009
The Sneak Preview of SuSE Linux Enterprise 11 (RC4) downloads as a DVD ISO image, either 2.6 GB for the Server version, or 3.8 GB for the Desktop version. To get the download, you have to register and create a login for yourself on the Novell web site, but it is all free.
SuSE Linux Enterprise gives the impression of being a more polished version of openSuSE, right from the first installation screen. The basic screens are almost the same, but the graphics are just a bit nicer, the dialogs are a bit more complete, everything seems to just have gotten a bit more attention. However, the installation process takes a lot longer than openSuSE 11 took, and I really mean a lot longer - something like two or three times as long - well over an hour, compared to 20 minutes or so.
Alas, my first hopes were dashed. The display came up using the VESA Framebuffer driver (fbdev), at 1024x768 instead of the optimal 1280x768, and the Broadcom wireless adapter wasn't working at all. I was able to get the display working properly by copying over the openchrome driver that I already had compiled and working on another Linux distribution - exactly the same as I had previously done with openSuSE 11.1. I assume that I will also be able to get the wireless working the same way that I did with openSuSE.
Using SLED on the HP 2133 continued the impression that I got during the installation. It is a lot like openSuSE, but with a bit more polish. Things that I normally have to install myself are already installed - media players for audio, WMV, Sliverlight and Flash, Acrobat Reader, Citrix ICA Client, and so on. In fact, once it was booted and I was working with it, I found that I generally forgot whether I it was SLED or openSuSE that was running.
Of course, if you buy SuSE Linux Enterprise as a retail product, or get it pre-installed on a computer, you also get professional support for it. So if you want, need or "must have" such support, this is an excellent choice for you. Personally, I will continue to use openSuSE quite happily. That opinion is still subject to change, though, when I try out the pre-installed SLED 10 on my partner's new Mini-Note, which should arrive today.
jw 27/2/2009
Thursday 26 February 2009, 12:40 PM
SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
It's funny how things happen almost simultaneously sometimes. As I have mentioned here several times, I'm extremely pleased with my HP 2133 Mini-Note netbook. Shortly after buying mine, for about 500 Swiss Francs, with Windows Vista Business and Windows XP Professional, I got an advert offering one for about 360 Swiss Francs, with SuSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. That is an offer that is very close to being too good to refuse.
This morning my partner surprised me by saying that she thought we should go ahead and get one for her. As she put it, at that price it's silly not to do it. That's quite a surprise, because she is usually the one who is telling me to stop mucking about with her computer equipment! So, I came to the office this morning intending to order one for her. There are significant advantages to owning two of the same machine - things like using the same charger, peripherals, knowledge of software installation, configuration and use, and the like.
However, no sooner did I get to the office than I came across a write-up in DistroWatch about SuSE releasing a public "sneak preview" of SuSE Linux Enterprise 11 (actually RC4). That really caught my attention, because after all of the struggling I've done with various free Linux distributions to get the Mini-Note display working properly, I'm very curious to see how it works in the "factory loaded" Linux, presumably with the VIA proprietary graphic drivers. So, I went to the Novell SuSE web page, read the details, completed the free registration to create a Novell login, and started the download of the iso image.
While that download was running, I ordered the new Mini-Note as well. If that company is as prompt and reliable this time as they have been when I dealt with them previously, it will be delivered to my house tomorrow.
So, assuming that all goes well, I will be writing about SLED 11 on my Mini-Note later today, and about the preloaded SLED 10.3 on the new Mini-Note over the weekend. What fun!
jw 26/2/2009
This morning my partner surprised me by saying that she thought we should go ahead and get one for her. As she put it, at that price it's silly not to do it. That's quite a surprise, because she is usually the one who is telling me to stop mucking about with her computer equipment! So, I came to the office this morning intending to order one for her. There are significant advantages to owning two of the same machine - things like using the same charger, peripherals, knowledge of software installation, configuration and use, and the like.
However, no sooner did I get to the office than I came across a write-up in DistroWatch about SuSE releasing a public "sneak preview" of SuSE Linux Enterprise 11 (actually RC4). That really caught my attention, because after all of the struggling I've done with various free Linux distributions to get the Mini-Note display working properly, I'm very curious to see how it works in the "factory loaded" Linux, presumably with the VIA proprietary graphic drivers. So, I went to the Novell SuSE web page, read the details, completed the free registration to create a Novell login, and started the download of the iso image.
While that download was running, I ordered the new Mini-Note as well. If that company is as prompt and reliable this time as they have been when I dealt with them previously, it will be delivered to my house tomorrow.
So, assuming that all goes well, I will be writing about SLED 11 on my Mini-Note later today, and about the preloaded SLED 10.3 on the new Mini-Note over the weekend. What fun!
jw 26/2/2009
Tuesday 24 February 2009, 10:26 AM
SimplyMEPIS 8.0 Released
MEPIS announced their SimplyMEPIS 8.0 release over the weekend. That wasn't much of a surprise, as it is based on Debian Linux, and they had been in "waiting for lenny" mode for a while. The new SimplyMEPIS release was well worth the wait. In addition to the Debian base, it includes a lot of the latest packages, such as Firefox 3.0.6, OpenOffice 3.0, KDE 3.5.10 and more.
MEPIS has its own GUI installer, which I find very nice. It asks a minimum of questions, it is very easy to use with my rather complicated multi-boot disk partitioning, and it seems to be fast and reliable. The only minor complaint I had about it was that it still has to keyboard selection for Swiss German, but it does have Swiss French, which is close enough for installation, and it was easy enough to rectify once the installation was complete.
MEPIS also has their own "assistant" programs for Network, User, System and X-Windows management. They are all quite good, easy to use, and well documented. I'm not necessarily a fan of "make your own utility" situations, but if you're going to do so, they need to be well written and serve a useful purpose, and these fit the bill on both counts.
I installed SimplyMEPIS 8.0 first on my HP 2133 Mini-Note, and with the exception of the VIA Chrome 9 display driver, everything worked just great. Even the display driver came closer to being right than any of the other Linux distributions I have installed - it configured the display for 1280x800. After the installation completed I copied over the latest openchrome drivers from Mandriva 2009.0 (originally from AdamW's HappyAssassin web site), changed /etc/X11/xorg.conf to use the openchrome driver rather than the vesa driver, and the display was perfect.
The Broadcom wired and wireless network adapters both work with no problem - the wireless even sees and connects to both the 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz networks from my Netgear router.
I have now also installed SimplyMEPIS 8.0 on my Fujitsu Lifebook S6510 (Intel) and my Fujitsu-Siemens Lifebook S2210 (AMD/ATI), also with very little trouble. The only minor problem I have seen so far is that the S2110 has a Broadcom 4401 wired ethernet controller, which was initially blocked by the MEPIS Network Assistant, but that was also easy to change. The Atheros wireless controller in the S2110, on the other hand, came up right away with no problems at all.
The MEPIS community is quite active and supportive, with help for beginners and experienced users alike. There are how-to guides, tutorials, tips, forums and blogs (including another of mine, by the way...).
jw 24/2/2009
MEPIS has its own GUI installer, which I find very nice. It asks a minimum of questions, it is very easy to use with my rather complicated multi-boot disk partitioning, and it seems to be fast and reliable. The only minor complaint I had about it was that it still has to keyboard selection for Swiss German, but it does have Swiss French, which is close enough for installation, and it was easy enough to rectify once the installation was complete.
MEPIS also has their own "assistant" programs for Network, User, System and X-Windows management. They are all quite good, easy to use, and well documented. I'm not necessarily a fan of "make your own utility" situations, but if you're going to do so, they need to be well written and serve a useful purpose, and these fit the bill on both counts.
I installed SimplyMEPIS 8.0 first on my HP 2133 Mini-Note, and with the exception of the VIA Chrome 9 display driver, everything worked just great. Even the display driver came closer to being right than any of the other Linux distributions I have installed - it configured the display for 1280x800. After the installation completed I copied over the latest openchrome drivers from Mandriva 2009.0 (originally from AdamW's HappyAssassin web site), changed /etc/X11/xorg.conf to use the openchrome driver rather than the vesa driver, and the display was perfect.
The Broadcom wired and wireless network adapters both work with no problem - the wireless even sees and connects to both the 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz networks from my Netgear router.
I have now also installed SimplyMEPIS 8.0 on my Fujitsu Lifebook S6510 (Intel) and my Fujitsu-Siemens Lifebook S2210 (AMD/ATI), also with very little trouble. The only minor problem I have seen so far is that the S2110 has a Broadcom 4401 wired ethernet controller, which was initially blocked by the MEPIS Network Assistant, but that was also easy to change. The Atheros wireless controller in the S2110, on the other hand, came up right away with no problems at all.
The MEPIS community is quite active and supportive, with help for beginners and experienced users alike. There are how-to guides, tutorials, tips, forums and blogs (including another of mine, by the way...).
jw 24/2/2009
Sunday 22 February 2009, 1:43 PM
VectorLinux 6.0 Released
VectorLinux made their 6.0 final release over the weekend. The first thing that is noteworthy about this release is that they have developed their own GUI installer, and it is quite nice.
VectorLinux comes in a "Standard" (free) version, and a Deluxe ($22.99 download, $27.99 boxed CD set) version. I have installed the standard version on my Lifebook S6510 and HP 2133 Mini-Note. On the 2133 it defaulted to the vesa display driver at 1024x768 resolution, but I was able to copy over the openchrome driver from Mandriva 2009.0, and got it working at 1280x768. It uses the Xfce desktop, with some rather nice custom graphics.
VectorLinux still uses the LILO bootloader. That is a small problem for me, because I have all of my laptops setup to multi-boot using Grub. Fortunately, the 6.0 release also has the /boot/grub directory installed, so I was able to simply tell it not to install LILO, then set up my own menu.lst file and boot it using my existing grub multi-boot configuration.
I was pleased to find essentially everything I needed already included with the VectorLinux Standard distribution - Firefox and Opera, Sun Java 6, Adobe Flash, and quite a lot more. That saved me a good bit of time that I usually have to spend downloading, installing and configuring additional packages. They also have their own repositores, and the Gslapt pacakge manager, where I was able to pick up things like thunderbird that were not in the base distribution.
The distinction between the Standard and Deluxe editions is the amount of additional software included, of course. The Deluxe Edition includes KDE 4.2 and OpenOffice, and a variety of other add-on packages, along with 14 days of installation and configuration support.
If you are looking for a fast Linux distribution with a lot of the most common and useful packages installed, VectorLinux could be a good choice.
jw 22/2/2009
VectorLinux comes in a "Standard" (free) version, and a Deluxe ($22.99 download, $27.99 boxed CD set) version. I have installed the standard version on my Lifebook S6510 and HP 2133 Mini-Note. On the 2133 it defaulted to the vesa display driver at 1024x768 resolution, but I was able to copy over the openchrome driver from Mandriva 2009.0, and got it working at 1280x768. It uses the Xfce desktop, with some rather nice custom graphics.
VectorLinux still uses the LILO bootloader. That is a small problem for me, because I have all of my laptops setup to multi-boot using Grub. Fortunately, the 6.0 release also has the /boot/grub directory installed, so I was able to simply tell it not to install LILO, then set up my own menu.lst file and boot it using my existing grub multi-boot configuration.
I was pleased to find essentially everything I needed already included with the VectorLinux Standard distribution - Firefox and Opera, Sun Java 6, Adobe Flash, and quite a lot more. That saved me a good bit of time that I usually have to spend downloading, installing and configuring additional packages. They also have their own repositores, and the Gslapt pacakge manager, where I was able to pick up things like thunderbird that were not in the base distribution.
The distinction between the Standard and Deluxe editions is the amount of additional software included, of course. The Deluxe Edition includes KDE 4.2 and OpenOffice, and a variety of other add-on packages, along with 14 days of installation and configuration support.
If you are looking for a fast Linux distribution with a lot of the most common and useful packages installed, VectorLinux could be a good choice.
jw 22/2/2009
Friday 20 February 2009, 12:46 PM
SlimBlade Trackball Mouse and Ubuntu 9.04 Alpha
Here's some good news! The Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse connects to Ubuntu 9.04 Alpha 4 with no trouble, and it reconnects automatically after reboots, which none of the other Linux distributions I have tested were able to do - including Ubuntu 8.10. That makes the SlimBlade a lot more convenient to use. Also, it appears that when the SlimBlade is connected, the built-in touchpad in the HP 2133 is automatically disabled, which I really like.
jw 20/2/2009
Correction. Sigh. The touchpad isn't being disabled when the bluetooth mouse is connected. It isn't working at all! Apparently I hadn't noticed, because I always had a USB mouse connected. I just checked the Ubuntu bugs, and it has already been logged, and will certainly be fixed long before the final 9.04 release. Sorry about the misinformation.
jw 20/2/2009
Correction. Sigh. The touchpad isn't being disabled when the bluetooth mouse is connected. It isn't working at all! Apparently I hadn't noticed, because I always had a USB mouse connected. I just checked the Ubuntu bugs, and it has already been logged, and will certainly be fixed long before the final 9.04 release. Sorry about the misinformation.
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