My current system runs openSUSE 13.1
Here are my reasons for choosing openSUSE
KDE 4.11.5
Desktop optimized kernel
Powerful system administration tool called YAST like control panel of windows, it allows controlling almost everything with a mouse click!
Default theme is looking beautiful
Easily install all codecs from packman repository (to install mp3 and movie codecs) and nvidia drivers
For nvidia drivers, click the link under 13.1 and it adds repository and offers nvidia installation
For multimedia
For ZFS on linux, I installed from software.opensuse.org, by searching ZFS (how easy) and clicking (one click install)
I installed openSUSE 13.1 with btrfs filesystem for root and home partitions. For boot partition I used ext4 filesystem.
btrfs is still not defined stable by linux kernel, but I think it is much better supported by suse linux. I am having my data backups in ZFS and my normal files in btrfs. Both are considered next gen filesystems
To know more about the power of these two filesystems, follow http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/01/bitrot-and-atomic-cows-inside-next-gen-filesystems/
Problems faced and how I fixed them
Networking after install was not working, I went to YAST --> Network Settings --> Global Options --> Choose "User Controlled with Network Manager" and gave OK
I faced video tearing in KDE with nvidia gtx 650 card. I fixed it by creating a new file to enable nvidia triple buffering. With 1 GB dedicated graphics card memory, enabling triple buffering is ideal.
To enable triple buffering, edit 50-device.conf as root and reboot, see below screenshot to see how the file looks after editing
sudo vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-device.conf
and add
Section "Device"
Identifier "Default Device"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "TripleBuffer" "True"
EndSection
To verify if triple buffering is enabled after rebooting, check
cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep -i triple
In fact the videos I watched after enabling triple buffering are stunning, I repeat stunning. The quality of the videos make me doubt if I watched those videos earlier!
I modified KDE desktop effects settings to do a fullscene repaint, see the screenshot below
Press Start Menu --> Configure Desktop -->Desktop Effects --> Advanced --> Tearing Prevention (VSync) --> Full scene repaints
The next thing I did is deleted pulseaudio and rebooted, now the sound I hear is having no distortions (I dont like pulseaudio)
After deleting pulseaudio, the output of zypper (apt like software installation command line tool and much easier)
sudo zypper search pulseaudio
Installed chromium and latest inbuilt flash player of chrome called pepper flash as follows
sudo zypper install chromium chromium-ffmpeg chromium-pepper-flash chromium-pdf-plugin chromium-desktop-kde
Zypper --> software installation command line tool
to search for software use sudo zypper search
to install new software use sudo zypper install
to remove software use sudo zypper remove
To upgrade new software, just click install when apper offers software updates in notification
I installed java, g++, clang ... all with my mouse from YAST --> Software Management, I already like it a lot
and KDE 4.11.5, it is awesome, I enabled cube effect in desktop effects (Menu --> Configure Desktop --> Desktop Effects, second tab, try various stuff, they are good eye candy)
Some of the very best software
One of the best torrent software for torrents --> KTorrent
The best dvd writing software --> K3b
One of the best music player --> Amarok
Some of the best browsers --> Firefox (installed by default), Chromium (install it)
One of the best environments --> KDE
One of the best file managers --> Dolphin
One of the best terminals --> Konsole
Why will I not like it ?
Follow, http://opensuse-guide.org/
It is different kind of learning and I think it is worth it, know why ?
