2001.11_First Look at Suse 7.3.pdf

REVIEW

SuSE 7.3

FIRST

LOOK

SuSE have once again produced a Linux box

set with wide appeal, with its incredible

range of software packages, split into two

forms to give more choice.

SuSE Linux 7.3 Personal is well suited to providing

the Linux newcomers with all they would need to

develop a full understanding of all the advantages

and benefits that a free Unix clone, such as Linux

can achieve on a desktop computer. Three CD-

ROMs include the latest stable operating system

kernel and enough applications to dominate a

computer in areas such as Office productivity,

Internet connectivity, multimedia, image processing

and games. The manuals have always been a real

asset, well laid out, easy-to-understand and

informative. The three manuals will lead the user,

even one with no previous Linux experience,

through the entire installation process and give

them an introduction to the main desktop

applications.

For one of the most complete boxed sets of Linux

software, the SuSE 7.3 Professional package offers

the ambitious home users and IT professionals alike

a comprehensive portfolio of more than 2000 up-

to-date software packages. For the installation, the

user can choose between seven CD-ROMs and one

DVD. The scope provides everything needed to set

up intranet and Internet solutions as well as for

interconnecting and protecting heterogeneous

networks. Professional users are provided with all

the tools required for implementing file and print

glibc 2.2.4

The new major version number reflects major

changes, several years of work. 1.09.1 was a

static library in the style of the 80s; the new

version implements the state of the art in C

library technology. It follows even the most

recent standards (ISO C 99, POSIX.1c, POSIX.1j,

POSIX.1d, Unix98). It is also internationalised

and might have the most complete

internationalisation interface known.

servers as well as WWW, proxy, mail, and news

servers under Linux. The 7.3 Professional version

contains five comprehensive manuals packed with

the latest first-hand Linux know-how – including

specific issues such as network configuration and

security. Both come with SuSE Personel Firewall .

SuSE 7.3 offers the latest stable Linux Kernel

2.4.10 and glibc 2.2.4. This new kernel has

improved memory management which increases

performance and efficiency, most of all for server

side applications.

SuSE have always put much effort into their

install system which serves them well for users who

need some hand holding during the fretful time

that an installation can be. Effort has also gone in

to ensure the more experienced user can end up

with the system that they want, with the choice of

‘Expert Options’ along the way.

As usual the Yast2 installation falls into 8 stages,

with an advancing Tux penguin keeping tabs on

which stage you are up to. The installation screens

are always full of context sensitive helpful

information, making it most unlikely that you would

need to refer to the manual for guidance. Even

Personal Firewall

This effectively protects your computer against intruders. When you are online, this wall

blocks everything you don’t explicitly request or send. You can still view web pages,

download program files via FTP, update your own web pages, and transmit e-mail. The

SuSE Personal Firewall can be activated with a single mouse click.

94 LINUX MAGAZINE 14 · 2001

SuSE 7.3

SuSE 7.3

REVIEW

Partitioning the

hard disk with

Windows

though this install system has been simple and easy

to use, SuSE have been able to make some

improvements in this area though.

The system of arranging for a dual boot

installation of SuSE Linux together with Windows

95, 98, or ME has been substantially simplified.

SuSE Linux 7.3 automatically determines free space

on the hard disk and offers a suggestion for the use

of this hard disk space. Should you have the need,

and the knowledge, then you still have the option

of ‘Expert mode’ will allow you partition your hard

drives in whatever way you choose, giving you

complete control over setting up LVM, RAID and

other parameters like setting mount points and

alike. ReiserFS now seems to be selected by

default, which should allow for faster booting and

less disk activity.

Software selection has also been improved.

During the install you are now offered some preset

installation types, available at the click of a radio

button, ranging from minimal all the way to

complete – and it could take some time to install all

2000 packages. You also get the option of detailed

software selection for those people who just can’t

stop themselves tinkering. The ‘Selecting Single

Packages’ option shows you all of the packages

broken down by group and then allows you to

make your selection from within that group. This

gives you much more manageable lists to select

from. You also get the chance to search for

packages by name or by description.

Once you have defined the where’s and what’s of

your installation, you are then presented with an

Sound card

support

ReiserFS

This is an alternative file system to ext2fs which

has been used by most distributions. Its main

benefits:-

Wastes less space: no static inode space

allocation, small files packed together. Much

higher performance for large directories, even

compared to other balanced tree filesystems.

Uses B* balanced trees where other balanced

tree filesystem use obsolete B+ trees.

See http://www.namesys.com/features.html for

more information.

14 · 2001 LINUX MAGAZINE 95

REVIEW

SuSE 7.3

Become a TV station

‘Installation Screen’ to show your progress. Not

only does it show you what is currently being

installed, you also get to see how much time the

install has left to run, as a total and on a CD by CD

basis. While these times are fairly approximate, it

does give you the chance to do some planning,

giving you an idea as to when you will next be

called upon to change the CD. Now you will know

if you have time to make a cup of tea or cook lunch!

The automatic hardware detection feature has

been considerably expanded and now includes even

more components, with CD writers, Scanners and

TV cards amongst them. This then allows the setup

tool YaST2 to execute the installation and Internet

hook-up almost entirely by itself.

Security is becoming more and more of an issue

both at home and the office and SuSE 7.3 allows

you to set up a “Personal Firewall” during your

initial installation. A user-friendly graphical front

end is now available for configuring the firewall,

making it simple to protect your host or network

against unauthorised access. As well as this, SuSE’s

“crypto file system” makes sure that sensitive data

is secure even if the entire hardware is stolen.

Stored data is only available in unencrypted form if

the user has entered the correct password. Other

proven security tools included in SuSE Linux 7.3 are

the mail scanner AMaViS (A Mail Virus Scanner) and

PGP encryption for e-mail. Security relies on you

having the latest patches available and the SuSE

SuSE desktop

YOU (YaST Online Update) facility makes it easy for

you to stay up-to-date. When needed, you simply

get SuSE YOU to connect to the SuSE ftp server and

it will automatically download and install any of the

required security updates and bug fixes available,

for no extra charge.

The Linux desktop never stands still and SuSE 7.3

shows a lot of these advances, include the latest

KDE, version 2.2.1, the highly functional graphical

user interface, which is selected by default, as well

as the most recent version of other desktop like

Gnome and Enlightenment. Some of the KDE

highlights include the file manager Konqueror now

being set to display its file contents in a thumbnail

format, which is especially useful for those dealing a

lot with image and graphics archives. There is a

graphical tool called Kooka which takes on the

responsibility of handling the job of scanning, now

making it quick and efficient. There is also the new

print assistant which guides the user safely along

the tricky and protocol pitfall ridden path using lpr

and/or CUPS.

Linux professionals have the runlevel editor to

look forward to which allows for the selective

activation of server services. For the first time, the

scope includes YaST2 modules for administering NIS

servers as well as NIS and LDAP clients. Apart from

ReiserFS, two additional journaling file systems, JFS

and Ext3, can be selected.

The important stuff

The recommended retail price for:

SuSE Linux 7.3 Personal (3 CDs, 3 manuals, 60 days of installation support) is £35.

SuSE Linux 7.3 Professional (7 CDs, 1 DVD, 5 manuals, 90 days of installation

support) is £59.

SuSE Linux 7.3 Professional Update, the boxed version, will be available for £35.

SuSE Linux 7.3 is available directly from SuSE Linux UK Ltd. or from bookstores and

software retailers. http://devlinux.com/namesys

More information from http://www.suse.de/uk/

96 LINUX MAGAZINE 14 · 2001

COVER CD

SUSE 7.3

LIVEEVAL

Installation Instructions for the

SuSE Linux 7.3 (LiveEval version)

3 Now you can configure your system

with the help of the graphical

installation program YaST2. First

you can set the language, keyboard

layout, time zone, user and root

passwords. Some time may now pass

before you can launch the menu for

the monitor and video card settings.

This is normal. Complete this phase of

the installation process once you have

configured the monitor.

The LiveEval CD contains a selection of SuSE Linux

software: the Linux kernel, system utilities,

numerous network programs, the X Window

system with the KDE graphical interface, etc.

The LiveEval is distributed without support

services. The following information sources are

available to you: the handbook in electronic form,

the SuSE Linux Support Database, the SuSE Linux

mailing lists, as well as info texts in the individual

screens (see “Further information”). Since all

programs can be started directly from the CD, the

entire system is slower than if SuSE linux was

installed on to the hard disk and you used your own

file systems. You cannot take out the CD whilst the

system is running.

4 Apart from the automatic detection of

hardware such as printers, sound cards,

modems/ISDN/network, you can manually carry

out other configurations.

5 After completing the installation process, you

can log in via the KDM (KDE Display Manager)

and use the programs in the graphical interface

KDE ( K Desktop Environment).

Requirements

You don’t have to change the partitioning of your

hard disk to install SuSE Linux from the LiveEval CD.

Your computer should have at least a Pentium

processor (or compatible), 96Mb RAM, a bootable

CD Rom drive as well as a partitioned and

formatted hard drive. You will need about 200mb

of free space on the hard drive. Your system BIOS

needs to be able to process 2.88MB boot images.

Starting the system with the

LiveEval 7.3

Once configured the SuSE Linux can be satrted

whenever you choose. Boot the computer with the

LiveEval CD Rom and wait for the KDM login screen

to appear.

Installation.

Caution

As with any new system you are advised to back up

all your data before installing so to prevent loss.

Never just switch the computer off! You have to

shut it down properly. End the KDE session with

“logout” and then, in the KDM screen , with “Exit”.

If you want to remove the LiveEval system

completely from your computer, simply delete the

“suselive.*” files you created. (See point 2 of the

Installation instructions above).

1 Once you have backed up your system, insert the

CD and restart your computer. SuSE Linux will

now be loaded. If the system fails to boot from

the CD, you will need to change the boot

sequence in your BIOS accordingly.

2 Once loaded the hardware will be detected

automatically. Three files will be created on the

first FAT partition (Drive C:) when you shut down

the computer. These files will be suselive.usr (the

working file), suselive.swp (a swap file for the

virtual memory system) and suselive.730 (a

configuration file).

Further Information

README file on the LiveEval CD Rom

SuSE Linux mailing lists:

http://www.suse.de/en/support/mailinglists/

For any technical issues, please refer to the SuSE Linux Support

Database:http://sdb.suse.de/sdb/en/html/index.html

14 · 2001 LINUX MAGAZINE 97

SuSE

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