Hi,
I'm a weaver with no knowledge at all of Linux, (or indeed any OS) but one of my software packages works with Linux. A friend installed Ubuntu for me, but some of the software needs OpenSUSE to work. (The friend is no longer in my area.) I don't know how to change this, and could really do with an idiot's step-by-step guide to help. Forgive me, but I really don't want to have to try to learn Linux code as my brain is full enough with weaving stuff!!
I really hope someone in Linux-land can help... this is scary for me!
Cheers.

Firstly, in an attempt to solve the underlying problem, what is the software, and do you know why it needs SuSE. Most things that 'need' a particular Distro can be persuaded into working on another reasonably easily.

Secondly, asking the question you actually asked:
Really, you're looking at backing up your documents and important files and reinstalling.
There are some files and directories you can keep in place, to preserve configuration of applications between the two OSs, but this isn't entirely guaranteed to work in all cases (since there will be subtle differences between the way the apps work), and it's non-trivial to configure. It's also a bit easy to get wrong, so I'd advise agaisnt relying on it in any case.
There's very little that's compatible between the two systems, so you do need a reinstall.

Installing openSUSE is very easy. You need to backup all the files you want to keep onto a external harddrive or a cd/dvd etc.

Download opensuse from www.opensuse.com and burn it to a dvd as a image. Get into your bios setting and make sure you can boot from dvd drive. Insert disk and reboot. Follow prompts.

Further more. What exactly is your program as said in previous post. It might work on ubuntu.

www.opensuse.org
fixt!

If you configured your system with a separate partition for /home, then you could simple rename your home directory (e.g. add -old to the name) and during the installation, opt to use the same partition for /home and to not format it. Then after the installation is complete, you can move documents and personal configuration files you want to keep from your old home to the new one.

why you want to change from ubuntu to suse?

Thanks for your swift replies.
The weaving software is called Arahpaint 4 and Arahweave PE from a company called Arahne. The drawing tools in Arahpaint 4 don't work under Ubuntu, and the makers say that is probably because it was designed for use in OpenSUSE. I've tried re-installing the entire software following the makers' instructions, and when that had no effect, they suggested that I set up OpenSUSE as the OS.

I do have a partitioned drive, with Windows on the other section, and a shared folder, so backing up and saving is not a problem. My problem is that I have no knowledge of computers other than as an end user... How do I get into my bios settings? I'm afraid I don't have a clue about how to configure anything!! You're dealing with a computer idiot here, who has Linux because of the weaving software! Sorry to be such a klutz!

Looking around their site, I wonder if you simply need the kdelibs package to provide the qt support.
For their demo they suggest it works on kubuntu as well as OpenSuSe - and to install kdelibs otherwise.

Hard to advise you remotely - imagine trying to teach us (me) how to weave, sight unseen ...