SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop

See also: SUSE Linux distributions

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10
Company / developer	Novell
OS family	Unix-like
Working state	Current
Source model	Open source
Latest stable release	11 / March 24, 2009; 2 years ago (2009-03-24)[1]
Marketing target	Enterprise computing (Workstations, Servers)
Available language(s)	Multilingual
Update method	Zypper, YaST2
Package manager	RPM Package Manager
Supported platforms	IA-32, x86-64, PowerPC
Kernel type	Monolithic (Linux)
Default user interface	KDE Plasma Desktop, GNOME
License	MIT License, GNU GPL and Various.
Official website	www.novell.com/products/desktop/

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED), formerly introduced as Novell Linux Desktop, is a Linux distribution supplied by Novell and targeted at the business market.^[2] It is targeted for desktops. New major versions are released at an interval of 24–36 months, while minor versions (called service packs) are released every 9–12 months. SUSE Linux Enterprise products, including SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop, receive much more intense testing than the openSUSE community product, with the intention that only mature, stable versions of the included components will make it through to the released enterprise product.

The current version is SLED 11, which is developed from a common codebase with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and other SUSE Linux Enterprise products. SLED includes Novell Evolution 2.6 and many other popular open source packages as well as some proprietary software such as Adobe Reader and RealPlayer.

History

Novell Linux Desktop 9

There have been a number of Service Packs (SP's) released for NLD 9. SP1 was released on February 11, 2005 and contained many updates. After that, SP2 was released on August 9, 2005, containing all the released updates and bugfixes since August 2004. SP3 was released on December 22, 2005.

Basic Office Workers

Although it has grown a significant community of adherents, desktop Linux generally has not been adopted in the business world. Most distribution vendors usually concentrated on the server side of Linux, where the platform was rapidly becoming adopted. Desktop Linux continued to be focused on technical workstations (mostly CAD, EDA, and software engineering) and "fixed-function" systems (data entry workstations, kiosk, etc.)

With SLED 10, Novell has increased the focus on features for a broader range of corporate users by focusing on meeting the needs for basic office workers, positioning SLED as a competitor to Microsoft Windows. Basic office workers are defined in this context as users who need basic desktop functionality, including an office suite, a collaboration client, a web browser, and instant messaging. Novell attempts to meet these needs by concentrating on making these components very compatible with existing enterprise infrastructure, such as Microsoft Office data files, Microsoft Active Directory, and Microsoft Exchange or Novell GroupWise collaboration systems.

It also includes the Beagle desktop search tool,^[3] similar to Spotlight in Mac OS X v10.4. The Xgl+Compiz support enables a variety of advanced graphical effects in the user interface, such as "application tiling" (similar to Exposé). Other features include making it easier for Linux beginners to connect digital cameras to the computer and play audio files such as MP3s using Helix Banshee.

Innovation

Novell's work on SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop brought about several new open source features for Linux desktops.

Desktop Effects

XGL

Desktop Effects was built upon Xgl and Compiz to enable a variety of advanced graphical effects in the user interface, such as "application tiling" (similar to Exposé) and a spinning cube that interactively switches between desktops.

Desktop Search

SLED10 includes Desktop Search, built upon the Beagle project.

OpenOffice.org Improvements

The Novell OpenOffice.org team, led by Michael Meeks, managed to create reasonably solid support for VBA macros in Microsoft Excel documents, and a new spreadsheet feature called "Data Pilot" which offers compatibility with Microsoft Excel Pivot Tables .

Device and Application Support

SLED10 also includes the ability to connect digital cameras and iPods to a computer, and have an appropriate application automatically start when this happens.

Legal MP3 Encoding

Through a partnership with RealNetworks, Novell provides legal MP3 encoding (ripping) using the Helix Banshee.

Recognition

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop earned Novell wide acclaim for producing an extremely polished, mature, and fully functional Linux desktop. At LinuxWorld Expo 2006 in San Francisco, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop won both the Best of Show and Best Desktop Solution awards. InfoWorld subsequently gave it the Technology of the Year award as "Best Linux Desktop" in January 2007.^[4]

People

Novell's effort on SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 was led by Nat Friedman, one of the two founders of Ximian. Nat was aided by a host of former Ximian and SUSE hackers, with product manager Guy Lunardi and engineering manager Kelli Frame.

Partnerships

HP offers business notebooks with SLED 11 preinstalled, under both its own brand and the Compaq brand.^[5] Micro-Star International offers MSI Wind Netbooks with SLED 10 preinstalled.^[6] Sun Microsystems previously licensed SLED as the basis of the Linux version of Java Desktop System.

See also

Free software portal

• SUSE Linux distributions
• Linux on zSeries
• List of Linux distributions
• Comparison of Linux distributions

References

1. ^ Novell Ships SUSE Linux Enterprise 11
2. ^ Peter Galli (2006). "Novell aims rebranded SUSE Linux 10 at enterprise desktops". eWeek. http://www.desktoplinux.com/news/NS8193213538.html. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
3. ^ Peter Galli (2005). "Novell Says Its Next Linux Desktop Will Surpass Windows". eWeek. http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/Novell-Says-Its-Next-Linux-Desktop-Will-Surpass-Windows/. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
4. ^ SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 Wins Best Linux Desktop
5. ^ HP E-Commerce Site
6. ^ Novell Extends Desktop Linux Leadership Through Pre-Load Agreement With Micro-Star International

Further reading

• Eckert, Jason (2007). SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop Administration. Course Technology. ISBN 978-1-4283-2227-1. 
• Habraken, Joe (2005). Novell Linux Desktop 9 Administrator's Handbook. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-672-32790-2. 
• Dulaney, Emmett (2005). Novell Linux Desktop 9 User's Handbook. Novell Press. ISBN 978-0-672-32729-2. 

External links

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop product page
• SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop cool solutions - tips & tricks, guides, tools and other resources submitted by the SUSE Linux Enterprise community
• Example story of SLED 10 use in an educational environment
• Interview with Novell's Ted Haeger on NLD
• News about the next Novell Linux Desktop
• Novell aims rebranded SUSE Linux 10 at enterprise desktops - DesktopLinux.com news item about upcoming SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10