The Problem with SuSE Linux 10.1
As many of my readers are aware, I can usually be found in #SuSE on irc.freenode.net. I have been a regular there since I started using SuSE ~1.5 years ago. Before SuSE 10.1 was released, most of my time there was spent chatting with other SuSE users and helping new users with basic tasks like: adding MP3 support, using YaST, getting around in KDE, and other benign user-goals. That all changed for the worse with the release of SuSE Linux 10.1.
Since SuSE 10.1 was released, almost ALL of my time in #SuSE has been spent explaining why the package management is broken and what can be done to fix it. As one can imagine, this is NOT my idea of contributing to the SuSE community. Doing damage control for someone else’s disastrous mistakes is less than rewarding. In fact, it is a royal pain in the ass. The users experiencing these issues are already upset and are not always appreciative of your efforts to help them. The package management issues with the SuSE 10.1 release are raised in the channel an average of 6-10 times per day! This results in myself and other regulars, whom are normally more than happy to help new users, becoming jaded and apathetic.
Read a Conversation with a New SuSE Linux 10.1 User
I agree. One striking thing I noticed when trying to a net install Suse 10.x is how difficult it makes it. You have to enter the server details on the option screen before you boot into the installer (forget and you have to reboot), the screen used for inputing these details is very unforgiving (get them wrong, you have to reboot) and it doesn’t include a list (or even download one), you have to find them on the website yourself.
Then, on top of that the 35mb installer downloads 80mb of data just to run the installer, if the install stuffs up for any reason and you have to reboot, you have to download the whole lot again. Why the heck didn’t they just make a net install cd that includes this?!?
Bah, awful stuff.