As SuSE comes out with patches and updates as well as updates for the RPM's on there FTP server, I was wondering if they create a new ISO with the new updates or does the ISO stay the same as it was when 9.1 first came out.

It would be really conveinant if they updated there ISO with all the new updates so once a month or every two months I can download the new ISO. This way if I do something stupid and end up reinstalling linux (like I've done a number of times all ready) than I can have a updated ISO to install in about half an hour and not have to download over 100's of MB's of updates. And for a dialup user that can take freaking ever. Especially downloading updates for the kernel and KDE 3.3 because SuSE 9.1 came out when it was KDE 3.2. So downloading all those updates with a fresh SuSE install is a real bitch.

So my question is, do they update there 9.1 Personal ISO or no?

I agree with you in principle, although to my knowledge the answer is definitely No, the ISO images you download today are the same as yesterday's and will be the same as tomorrow's.

If a distro did release periodic updates to their ISO's, then they'd also need to give it a different number or otherwise label it in such as way that people could distinguish between "Suse v9.1 original", "Suse v9.1, update 1", etc. That sort of approach would very easily lead to massive confusion, and thus, I think that's why they don't release revised ISO's. Plus, suppose people started calling them "service packs" Gaaahh!!! - I shudder to think.

In any event, while your argument makes valid points, there are likewise valid counter-points against it. I would say that if a distro does release revised ISO's, they'll be considered a different release and would be given a different version number.

As I said, this is just my understanding, it is not necessarily a statement of fact. If anyone has other info, please post it. -- J.W.

War,
There is another problem, besides the one pointed by JW: every time you update suse, and there's a new "minor number" kernel, its a ~80mb download. If you could hypotetically install suse with an updated iso, it wouldn't take more than two weeks or three for a new 80mb kernel release to be out, and you loose the advantage of the updated iso.
For a broadband conn, its no problem. For a dialup, it is. But the updated iso wouldn't solve it, really. To save bandwidth, it would be better if they just diffed the packages (but i'm not sure if it would work).