| OpenSUSE 11.4 touted for performance boost, new rolling release option |
Mar. 11, 2011
 The OpenSUSE project released OpenSUSE 11.4, and launched an optional rolling release repository called "Tumbleweed." OpenSUSE 11.4 is built on Linux 2.6.37, offers improved performance, scalability, and boot time, and provides a faster the ZYpp package management system, LibreOffice 3.31, and Firefox 4.0, says the project.
OpenSUSE 11.4 follows the OpenSUSE 11.3 version released last July, which featured the Btrfs file-system, improved netbook support, and updated desktops. The Novell-backed, community driven OpenSUSE project offers upstream inspiration and code for Novell's commercial SUSE distributions in a somewhat similar arrangement to that of Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Some have suggested that as Canonical pushes further into enterprise and mobile device directions, the company should offer a similar modified fork between a community Ubuntu and a corporate version.
OpenSUSE 11.4, featuring GNOME 2.32 desktop
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OpenSUSE 11.4 is notable for the related launch of its Tumbleweed rolling release system, which is somewhat similar to that offered by Linux distros like Gentoo and Arch. This optional upgrade path enables users to periodically download the latest stable versions -- and the latest features and updates -- instead of relying on rigid periodic release cycles, says the project.
OpenSUSE continues to offer a "Factory" repository, enabling users to add the latest features before the next formal release, but as the project notes, "Factory is bleeding edge, often experimental, not yet stabilized software that needs more work to become useful." Tumbleweed, on the other hand, offers "newest stable and ready for daily use" code, says the project. The Tumbleweed project was said to have been led by Novell's chief representative in the Linux kernel inner circle, Greg Kroah-Hartman.
Also available is third-party package service Packman, which offers reorganized and optimized repositories for openSUSE 11.4, and introduces support for Tumbleweed.
Linux 2.6.37 brings scalability, multitasking enhancements
OpenSUSE 11.4 brings better scalability and performance, enhanced boot processes, and significantly faster repository refresh, package installation, and update processes, says the OpenSUSE project. Many of these improvements are said to be based on the distro's upgrade to the Linux 2.6.37 kernel released in January. The new kernel is said to improve the scalability of virtual memory management and the separation of tasks executed by terminal users, leading to less interference between tasks.
OpenSUSE 11.4 with KDE 2.6 desktop
Linux 2.6.37 also brings OpenSUSE 11.4 the newly open Broadcom Wi-Fi drivers and improved Wacom support, among many other new or updated drivers, says the project. It also supports the improvements to graphic drivers based on the latest Xorg and Mesa releases.
New tools touted for enhancing the boot process include Gfxboot 4.3.5, which supports VirtualBox and Qemu-kvm, as well as Cronie 1.4.6 (replacing Vixie Cron), which supports the PAM and the SELinux security frameworks, according to the project. Experimental software options include GRUB2 and Systemd. The latter was just promoted to a starring role in this week's Fedora 15 alpha release.
Fedora 15 also moves up to GNOME 3, but OpenSUSE is sticking with GNOME 2.32, KDE 4.6, Xfce 4.8, and LXDE 0.5 for its selection of desktop environments. GNOME 2.32 improves usability and accessibility, says the project, and also ships with a preview of the GNOME Shell UI layer that formally debuts in GNOME 3.
KDE 4.6 is said to introduce script-ability to the KWin window manager, as well as well as easier activity management and improvements to network and Bluetooth handling. Xfce 4.8 now uses the GIO VFS implementation for better remote file system browsing, while the lightweight LXDE 0.5.x desktop environment remains pretty much the same, says the project.
One major OpenSUSE improvement is found in the ZYpp package manager, which debuts a "MultiCurl" backend, support for Zsync transfers, and Metalink download support. The changes enable simultaneous downloads from multiple servers, and the capability to fetch only changed parts of files, all of which results in "a significantly faster repository refresh, package install, and update" process, says the project. The new backend is also said to give better support for network proxies.
LibreOffice and FireFox 4.0
OpenSUSE 11.4 is the first major distribution to ship the LibreOffice productivity package, a recent fork of OpenOffice.org, says the project. New features in LibreOffice 3.3.1 include wider document format support, SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) import into Draw and Writer, enhanced presentation support, and an improved "save as" feature.
Another claimed first is the inclusion of Firefox 4.0, which offers a major redesign of the user interface, with enhancements like tabs moved to the top of the toolbar, and support for pinning of tabs. Firefox Sync synchronizes bookmarks, history, passwords, and tabs, and the updated browser supports web standards like HTML5, WebM, and CSS3.
Other updated software includes the Scribus 1.4 desktop publishing package based on Qt 4 and Cairo technology. Scribus 1.4 features improved text rendering, undo-redo, image/color management, and vector file import, says the project.
VirtualBox 4.04 on OpenSUSE 11.4
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Release 11.4 updates a variety of virtualization and web server stacks, as well as major development languages, platforms, and IDEs, says the project. Developer-oriented updates include Xen 4.0.2, VirtualBox 4.0.4, and KVM 0.14 virtualization technologies, as well as Apache 2.2.17, Lighttpd 1.4.26, and Ngninx 0.8.54 web server stacks.
Database updates are said to include PostgreSQL 9.0.3, MySQL 5.1.53 (community edition), and its fork MariaDB 5.1. Development tools include Qt 4.7.1 and QtCreator 2.1, as well as a variety of programming tools in GNOME 2.32, including GTK+ 3.
Availability
OpenSUSE 11.4 is now available for free download, and can also be purchased for $71.50 in a box version with 90-day installation support, physical media, and a printed guide.
More information on OpenSUSE 11.4 may be found on this highlights page.
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