Spin Ink

• Introduction
  • A Fresh Approach
• The Conversation
  • User of the Year Award
  • Key Issues to Consider
• Conclusions
  • Re-Spun ISOs and Updated Installation Source
  • Call to Action
  • Our Demands

An Introduction

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.

A Fresh Approach

In an effort to save myself and others from having to relive the same painful conversation 6-10 times per day, I have decided to take a fresh approach to the issue in the form of a conversational how-to guide. I have never seen this format used in how-to and would appreciate user feedback on your experiences with it. What follows is a clarified, reorganized, and condensed conversation I had with a gentleman named Chris Cruz. Chris had just migrated from Mandrake Linux to SuSE Linux 10.1. Like many other users, he was having difficulties with YaST package management and came to #SuSE for help. For the curious and perhaps the skeptical, the unabridged log of our conversation is provided. Without further adeau, A Conversation with a New SuSE 10.1 User.

The Conversation

1. Chris:I really enjoy the feel of SuSE 10.1. My ultimate goal is to see if I can get XGL to work.
2. sPiN:i take it xgl inspired you to try SuSE?
3. Chris:Oh yes, though various things impressed me right off the bat about SuSE. Flash was automatically installed, KDE looks the same in general to Mandrake, but it has a smoother feel in SuSE
4. Chris:The only complaint I really have is that YaST is not as complete or foolproof as Rpmdrake.
5. sPiN:Chris, i hope you are fully patched with online update and also you should remove ZMD and friends by typing the following in a root console: rpm -e libzypp-zmd-backend zmd zen-updater suseRegister rug
6. Chris:It reported: ‘warning: /etc/ZMD/ZMD.conf saved as /etc/ZMD/ZMD.conf.rpmsave’ but I think it worked. Of course, I am not sure what i just did
7. sPiN:You removed some packages which have caused 10.1 to be considered one of the worst SuSE releases ever.
8. Chris:wow
9. sPiN:Those packages are broken/buggy in a fresh SuSE 10.1 install and on a fully patched install they add little value, but take up a lot of resources and slow YaST considerably.
10. sPiN:now try YaST software manager again and see the difference
11. Chris:It loaded quicker
12. Chris:hmm… I went to YaST -> software -> online update and I keep failing a signature check when I try to do an online update. And I think I need to update my kernel to install my ati-flgrx package.
13. sPiN:Chris, i think the fastest and easiest road for you would be to install the Smart Package Manger. And then use it to update your SuSE 10.1 install. Once you are fully patched you can go back to YaST if you like and it should work a lot better for you. Or, you could continue to use Smart if you prefer.
14. sPiN:there are a lot of serious bugs with the YaST package management in a fresh install of SuSE 10.1.
15. sPiN:Smart is a package management frontend that supports many repository formats - The Guru build comes preloaded with the Install Source, Non-OSS, Packman, Guru, and KDE supplementary repositories as well as a few others. Here is a spoon-fed how to: http://SuSEwiki.org/index.php?title=SMART_Package_Manager - Smart home page: http://Smartpm.org
16. sPiN:if you follow that first link from top to bottom, you will have your machine fully updated, this includes the SuSE update repository which gets you new kernels, security patches and fixes for major bugs(such as those found in YaST Package Management)
17. sPiN:you must reboot the machine after doing the updates BEFORE you try to install video drivers since you will be updating your kernel
18. Chris:I have Smart in YaST already, should I install that?
19. sPiN:No, do NOT install that one because it is not preloaded with sources and is an older version.
20. Chris:OK, I am working on installing Smart using SuSEwiki link then.
21. sPiN:be sure to follow it to the end because it walks you through the process of updating your repositories and finding upgrades.
22. sPiN:Since you removed ZMD and friends, you will not have a tray icon to inform you when there are new updates. But, Smart provides such an applet that is mentioned on the SuSEwiki link above.
23. Chris:I have Smart installed and when I run it the first time it asks me if I should enable various repositories. Is it safe to add all of these channels?
24. sPiN:yes, you can safely add all of the repositories it prompts you for. By default, some of the repositories are added but are disabled. For example the KDE supplementary sources are disabled by default because they are for advanced users and testers. You should NOT enable these sources unless you feel absolutely certain that you could get yourself out of any trouble such untested packages can get you in to.
25. Chris:alright, I will leave it alone then
26. Chris:I will tell you, Smart seems a lot more user friendly than YaST. if it automatically installs dependencies, its my hero!
27. sPiN:yep, it does indeed do that. the GUI on Smart is not nearly as nice as YaST. if you change the default tree view in Smart to ‘channels’ or ‘none’ it is a lot easier to understand.
28. Chris:I clicked the ‘Upgrade All’ button, and now I don’t really see anything. I think it is calculating the dependencies
29. sPiN:it might take it a moment, but it should pop up a window with a list of the upgrades for your machine.
30. Chris:OK, it came up and I accepted. It is now in the process of downloading and updating packages
31. sPiN:excellent, when that is finished, reboot to load the new kernel
32. sPiN:upon rebooting, you should find YaST package management much faster and better behaved
33. Chris:The above GPG key has been imported successfully.
34. Chris:It is required to install this package:
35. Chris: KDEbase3-ksysguardd-3.5.4-112.2.x86_64.rpm
36. Chris:Do you want to trust this key forever?
37. sPiN:Chris, all of keys you are presented with are safe to trust, you will likely be prompted for several of them
38. Chris:Even though these updates will fix YaST, can I still use Smart for package management?
39. sPiN:Smart’s main benefits are that it is preloaded with sources, it is pretty fast, and it works. That said, you are welcome to use it instead of YaST, but you could also add the same sources to YaST once you have it updated.
40. sPiN:Personally, I use Smart because I like to use the CLI. For example, ‘Smart upgrade –update’ will refresh your sources, then prompt you with a list of upgrades for your machine if it finds new packages.
41. sPiN:While this is somewhere around 200MB of updates, it is going to fix a lot of bugs in YaST and other packages as well updating your kernel
42. sPiN:if i understood you to say that you enabled the KDE sources then you will be downloading ~750MB of packages(~550MB in KDE, ~200MB in SuSE updates)
43. sPiN:You are currently updating to the very latest KDE packages, which i run myself. They are bleeding edge packages, but i have had no major or even minor issues to speak of with the most recent set of packages.
44. Chris:thats refreshing
45. sPiN:however, after getting these updates, you should strongly consider disabling the KDE supplementary sources. When you live on the bleeding edge for long enough, you are bound to get cut a few times. I might be over extending the metaphor, but if you don’t know first aid, as in how to fix your system should KDE stop loading, then you should NOT live on the bleeding edge.
46. Chris:how do I disable the KDE supplementary sources?
47. sPiN:Using Smart-GUI, you would goto edit -> channels and then make sure both KDE sources are not checked
48. Chris:So I am confused, why did I install the KDE updates if I am going to disable them?
49. sPiN:well you probably should not have enabled them to begin with, but you would be disabling the KDE channels so that you will not upgrade yourself further than you already have. The KDE build server sources change almost daily sometimes and you should be very careful with them.
50. Chris:Oh, that makes sense. So if the KDE supplementary source has a bad package, I will not get it.
51. sPiN:‘You are correct sir.’
52. Chris:I will let you know if the packages from the ATI repository install properly
53. sPiN:yeah good luck with that! if they do not, try to follow those instructions to set your ati card up http://jarpack.net/ati-driver-how-to
54. sPiN:but you should try your way first, it sounds much easier if it works
55. sPiN:Once you are fully updated, you will likely want to get proper MP3 support and DVD playback. This guide can get you up and running: http://spinink.net/suse-for-windows-users/
56. Chris:I appreciate everything you’ve helped me do
57. sPiN:you are most welcome Chris

User of the Year Award

It should be noted that Chris was not the typical visitor to #SuSE by a long shot. He was much more polite, courteous, and never whined or complained a single time. By all accounts he was an exemplary visitor. If I could, I would have him stuffed and mounted on the wall. Everyone should strive to be courteous as Chris when asking for help. Especially when asking for help from people that are volunteering their time and expertise.

That said, the above conversation has been reenacted with varying levels of: success, temperment, and depth, 6-10 times per day in #SuSE since the release of 10.1. It illustrates the major flaws in the SuSE Linux 10.1 release, as well as the tremendous strain it has put on the community of users, like myself, whom spend their precious time providing technical support to new users.

Key Issues to Consider

• SuSE has brought in more new users than ever before thanks to XGL
• At the same time, SuSE has alienated more users than ever before with the broken package manager that ships with SuSE 10.1
• Fixing the issue is NOT as simple as running YaST Online Update, as it often will not work without gently massaging it with a sledgehammer
• The most foolproof way to get SuSE initially updated is with a 3rd-Party package manager(Smart), which has been preloaded with sources and packaged by an exceptional contributor to the community(yaloki)
• Even after updating the package manager, users are often unwilling to use YaST for package management due to sluggishness and difficulty in finding and adding additional repositories

Conclusions

Novell has done what may be irreparable damage to SuSE Linux by releasing 10.1 WAY before it was ready for public consumption. I understand the need to get 10.1 out so that they could work out issues with the new package management libraries before the release of SLED 10, but this does not excuse their actions. Novell was extremely slow to respond to these issues after the 10.1 release. In fact, I would argue that they were completely ignoring the giant pink elephant in the room. The motto for 10.1 should be ‘Novell SuSE Linux 10.1, We Bring You In With XGL and Send You Packing with Our Package Management.’

Re-Spun ISOs and Updated Installation Source

It has taken months of complaints from the community to get the developers to agree to re-spin the ISOs and update the online installation source with the patched packages addressing these critical bugs. At the time this article was written, these updated ISOs were STILL unavailable. Again, I understand and appreciate the need for testing these re-spun ISOs. However I cannot help but think, had Novell done this much QA BEFORE releasing 10.1, you would not be reading this article right now.

Call to Action

As an avid SuSE user and community member, I am ashamed of SuSE Linux 10.1 and I have a very hard time advocating its use, especially to new users. It has given SuSE Linux a black-eye which may never heal. I implore anyone whom has tried 10.1 and has experienced the issues outlined above to let Novell know how unhappy you are with SuSE Linux 10.1. Tell them about the problems you experienced. Tell them why you are no longer using 10.1. But most importantly, tell Novell what they need to do to make it up to you.

Usually when a mistake of this size is made, there is some type of apology or at least a press release acknowledging the problem. Unless I somehow missed it, Novell has been completely silent on the problems in SuSE 10.1(OpenSuSE mailing list does NOT count).

To the SuSE Linux Community, I know you are out there. Let Novell know what they did wrong and demand an acknowledgment and apology for the problems they have caused. I was unable to find a contact form on the Novell.com website, so I am suggesting you use the comment section on this article to post your experience with SuSE Linux 10.1.

Our Demands

As a very active member of the SuSE Linux Community, I feel very comfortable speaking on their behalf. Doing so is perhaps over stepping my bounds, but only the feedback to this article will tell. From Novell I would like to see a public acknowledgment of the terrible mistakes made with the release of SuSE Linux 10.1. I would like this posted prominently on Novell website and I would like the following blunders to be acknowledged and apologized for:

• SuSE Linux 10.1 was released too early and contained known critical bugs with the package management as a direct result of the infamous libzypp library being introduced too late in the testing phase for adaquate vetting by beta testers
• The SuSE Linux Community was used to beta test new package management libraries intended for use in Novell’s enterprise line-up(I am more than aware that this is the status quo. However, normally the majority of the testing was done by those volunteering to be beta testers, NOT end-users. Also, I am not suggesting this was done intentionally or with premeditation, but it IS an unfortunate reality)

I have no threat to accompany these demands, I want only for Novell to take some responsibly for their actions and to apologize for them. While many in the corporate world view such announcements as capitulation and a sign of weakness, the SuSE Linux Community would applaud your honesty and appreciate the gesture. In closing, please, Novell, All we, the SuSE Community, ask is that you say you’re sorry so that we can all be friends again.