Write Access

SUSE 9.3 Pro

I have a copy of the Linux magazine – October 2005 Edition – which I purchased at the time because it came with a DVD: a full SUSE Pro 9.3 software disc … but I never installed it. I now want to try Linux, and I am writing to ask if SUSE Pro has been superseded or would it still be worth installing? If it has been superseded, what has replaced it?

Dermot Hayes

LM

Major distros put out a new version once (or often twice) per year. Much has changed since our October 2005 "Web Design" issue – especially with SUSE, which has thoroughly restructured its product lines. Although the disc will probably work on your computer (especially if you owned the computer in 2005), you are better off finding and installing a new version to take advantage of bug fixes, security updates, and many new features. Also, you might run into version compatibility issues with websites or shared documents, not to mention you won't receive new updates and fixes because the version you are using is no longer supported.

The nearest equivalent of the old SUSE Pro distro on the October 2005 DVD is the freely available openSUSE (currently v11.2), which you fill find at http://www.opensuse.org. Or watch future issues of this magazine for the next openSUSE release on DVD.

Printers

As a Linux convert I have become a preacher for Linux. I have converted many to OpenOffice and a few others to Fedora or Ubuntu.

The big issue everyone has is with printing. Although USB direct-attached printers seem fairly stable, many people now are buying a printer that has network capabilities so that all systems Windows/Linux/Apple can connect and provide a central printer. However, a simple HowTo to provide guidance to the end user is really missing.

Any chance of doing an article? I don't expect a full function for every printer by manufacturer, but some sort of simple overall guidance and some tips would help users who are having problems.

Printing is an area Linux is weak compared to Windows; we lose many users because they can't set up printing.

Thanks, Nik

P.S. Great magazine can't wait for it to arrive.