I am planning on moving from SuSE 9.2 to SuSE 10.2 (using a clean install on a new HDD). I talked to a technician from Novell and he recommended purchasing the $60.00 (USD) software package as opposed to downloading it. He said the purchased copy includes more software and requires "less hoops to jump through" when installing it.

(1) Is this true?
(2) If I download 10.2 from LQ wouldn't it be the same as purchasing it (minus the manuals and OEM discs)?
(3) My last question is why upgrade to 10.2; what is new in 10.2 that totally flattered you?

I really can't see why there'd be "less hoops to jump through." The only advantage I can see is that having the disk(s), you don't have to worry about getting a clean download. I purchased my 9.3 in a box, both because I wanted the manuals and because I wanted to support Suse. I never did use any of their Tech Support and since Novell's done a bit of a "deal with the Devil", I'd rather not give them any more money than I need to. I haven't upgraded from 9.3 yet (waiting for the 10 series to stabalize a bit), but if I were to do so, I'd probably buy a copy from LinuxCD.org. Not affiliated in anyway, but I've been very happy buying other CDs from them.

bmk

I have opensuse 10.2 which I downloaded and installed. Before that I ran opensuse 10.1, before which I always bought the boxed "professional" distro, going through nearly every version from 8.2 up to 10.0.

I see no hoops that needing jumping through during the opensuse 10.2 installation. The download was fine right away, installation was smooth and the system has been very stable and reliable so far.

I use smart package manager instead of the zmd backend and zen package manager/updater setup. I haven't even tried to use zen in 10.2, but as it was broken in 10.1 and smart is fast and efficient, I preferred to use smart again. Maybe that was the hoop he meant?

The thing I love most in 10.2 that I don't remember being around in 9.3 or even 10.0 is the beagle desktop search which is absolutely great for finding files you can't remember where you put. I find myself using that more and more.

I don't see that many changes unless it's the 3D eyecandy desktop, which I can't use on my box anyway (lacking RAM). There may be many other differences in things I don't use, like samba or mySQL, Xen etc, but I don't know.

The only thing I'd like off the boxed version is that in yast you can (I believe) use a function to make a rescue CD for your (presumably tweaked and personalized) system. I can't find this function in the open version.

I would like to add that I don't have an Internet connection in Linux yet. I am using a Novatel Wireless U720 Mobile Broadband USB modem to pick up Internet in Windoze modes. I haven't quite figured out how to configure this for Linux.

Does the downloaded version have LESS or the SAME amount of AVAILABLE (bundled and no need to download from Internet) applications as the boxed version?

From your original post it sounds like you are considering purchasing SLED 10.2 (actually it's SLED 10.001) and not the free openSUSE 10.2.

The downloaded version of SLED and the purchased version of SLED are identical. Even if you download it, you still have to buy a license key. If you are in a hurry, download it, otherwise just order it.

Either way, I've noticed huge differences from the 9.x days. SLED 10 to me follows industry standard linux commands better. They added things such as chkconfig, service, rc*, etc. It is much faster than the original 10.0 (not sure how it would compare to 9.2). YaST and gnome have grown tremendously. It comes with the Novell edition of OpenOffice 2.0, which is very nice. I'd honestly say 10.2 is refined enough to archive any 9.x installations. You should at least check it out.

Since you do not have internet, I'd recommend you buy the SLED (as opposed to openSUSE), so you don't have to bother with getting additional drivers from the Internet (especially wireless, ATI and NVIDIA drivers). Your wireless will probably work in the latest SLED (check the Novell hardware compatibility list). I'd be suprised if it doesn't. You get DVDs and CDs for both x86 and 64-bit pc's. You do NOT get manuals. I was bummed when I received my little SLED box.

I've been running SLED on this laptop for a couple years (running the latest now), and I'm thrilled with it.

I've never had any problems, and have never had to call for support.

I'd have to say that openSUSE 10.2 is also outstanding, and IMHO is production ready for smaller organizations, as both a server and desktop.

Novell changed its marketing method with respect to SUSE Linux (ignoring SLED). For example, with version 10.0, there was SUSE Linux 10.0 in the box and openSUSE 10.0 available as a free download. The retail version had a double layer DVD and therefore about twice as much "stuff" as the downloaded DVD. It also included proprietary drivers and so forth. The great thing about that retail package was that even with an Atheros chipset in your wireless card (for example), the installer automatically installed and set up madwifi for you. Click and go. The same thing was true for WPA encryption. The list goes on. The retail version also included the manual and limited support.

Now that openSUSE 10.2 is out, both the retail and free download versions are essentially the same. Yes, you get more packages included in the retail box, but rumor has it that these extras do not include any of the proprietary stuff such as madwifi drivers, etc. Therefore, the retail version does not eliminate any "hoops" to jump through. You have to "hunt down" most of the same proprietary stuff in both cases. For the money you spend on the retail version, you get five things: 1) an opportunity to contribute money to SUSE and therefore (theoretically) to the Linux community, 2) a manual, 3) limited support, 4) more packages, 5) no problems downloading a large image and the issues associated with doing so.

Regarding what I like better about 10.2, well it has much better hardware support, and on a new install you have a relatively small number of updates to perform compared to an older release. SUSE also added a few new features like NetworkManager, which is handy for people who move their computers around, and updated the GUI for both KDE and GNOME. In other words, nothing truly significant, but a nice move forward. At least they fixed most of the bugs they put into 10.1, which was arguably the worst SUSE release in history.

Well it contains more then a few extra packages. I went into the 32 bit directories on both the retail DVD and the download DVD, and the difference is quite significant.

The retail 32 bit contains 1,386 more packages, I didn't check the 64 bit because I don't have a download 64 bit DVD to compare, but my guess would be the number is similar.

Just download 10.3 aplha 1, it is an improved 10.2, no bugs.

I wouldn't say that. There are still many bugs in openSUSE 10.3 and its going to be a while before everything is completely stable.

The best reason to upgrade is that 9.2 is no longer supported. The more time that goes by, the more vulnerable it becomes without security updates.

hmm I just checked the Novell website, and they still call it SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (the "old" abbreviation is SLED).

I ordered it two months ago, and it did NOT come with a manual, so unless they have quite recently started shipping with manuals, I wouldn't expect one.

They are different products.

openSUSE 10.2: http://www.novell.com/products/opensuse/
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10: http://www.novell.com/products/desktop/

i got fast internet, i just download whatever available there.