dependencies
 

Say, I want to compile an application from source code provided, and I need Qt for that.
I haven't yet installed "Qt devel", so I open Yast and check that package for installation.

But then Yast says I need "freeglut" and asks me to install this.
Problem is I have freeglut installed, a newer version than the one I can choose in Yast, one that I compiled from source previously.
I could just check this freeglut in Yast I guess, but I don't like the fact that there is much software installed 2 times just to keep dependencies in Yast OK.

My question is, can I just strip Suse to a very minimum, so whenever I need something, I just install it from source?
Or is Suse the wrong distribution for this and do I need a change ?

Most programs have dependencies on another. Nobody is an island unto himself, except the monolithic kernel. When you compile from source, you'll need those dependencies as well.

rpmbuild --rebuild qt3.src.rpm

It'll tell you what ya need to get the thing to not explode.

this is why many folks out there like a distro that is source based like slackware....

but you could in turn do the same thing (to a degree) with SuSE. Just install the packages you want during the install, then install packages as needed, with YaST.