openSUSE 11 Officially Released

Chris Moody — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:52:50 -0500

openSUSE 11 officially premiered yesterday with more than 200 new features specific to openSUSE and a redesigned installer that makes openSUSE even easier to install (and if you've ever installed it before, it was pretty darn easy then).

If you're into bling (and who doesn't like a little bling), there is the 3-D desktop app Compiz Fusion and it is now default in openSUSE 11.0. It includes a number of Compiz plugins, as well as easier configuration with Simple CompizConfig Settings Manager (CCSM) and the more comprehensive CompizConfig Settings Manager that lets you do detailed configuration of your Compiz setup.

Version 11 includes Gnome 2.22 and the KDE 4.0 desktop environments. KDE 4.0 doesn't include KDEPIM applications, so the openSUSE included beta versions of the KDEPIM suite (KMail, KOrganizer, Akregator, etc.) from the KDE 4.1 branch that is in development and slated to be released some time next month.

Firefox is of course the staple of Linux browsers but openSUSE 11 ships with the Firefox 3.0 beta 5 version. Updates will be available via the online update of course. Some other featured programs shipping with openSUSE are, Banshee 1.0, OpenOffice.org 2.4, NetworkManager 0.7, Wine 1.0 RC3, and Kepas for file sharing.

Ars technica calls this release a "very strong release" with many compelling improvements and "offers the best KDE 4 experience out there". They go on to say that it is no Ubuntu-killer, but we can expect to see a larger following for it in the coming months.

I'll be devoting part of my weekend to updating my openSUSE Linux box from v10 to v11. If you'd like to grab a download for your Linux box, it's available here.

Image Credit: openSUSE

Customize Compiz in Ubuntu Gutsy

Robert Strohmeyer — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 11:18:39 -0500

With nine days remaining before the release of Ubuntu's latest version, Gutsy Gibbon 7.10, everyone's asking how the integrated Desktop Effects will work. So here's the deal.

Unlike Feisty Fawn, Gutsy Gibbon deals with Compiz Fusion Desktop Effects as a default feature of the OS, so they're ready to run on any machine with a supported GPU. But they're not actually turned on by default; you have to enable them. But that's easy enough. Just click System > Preferences > Appearance, and select the Visual Effects tab. You can then choose which level of desktop effects you'd like.

Choosing Extra will give you window wobble and transparency, but you'll have to go a little further if you want the full complement of Desktop Effects. To get them all, you'll need to install a couple of things from the Synaptic Package Manager. So click System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager, and search for “emerald.” Install it, and then search for “compizconfig-settings-manager.” Install this one, too.

Now you'll have Emerald Theme Manager and Advanced Desktop Effects Settings listed in your Accounts > Preferences menu. Use Emerald to install a variety of desktop themes for Compiz. (Be sure to follow the instructions at the bottom of the Repositories panel to get the Non-GPL themes. There are no GPL themes available.) The Advanced Desktop Effects Settings control panel is your one-stop shop for configuring all of the features in Compiz, such as the cube, painting fire on the screen, and other useless but entertaining bits and pieces.

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openSUSE 11 Officially Released

Customize Compiz in Ubuntu Gutsy