SuSE question.

[Kurt Granroth]

On Jul 29, 2005, at 9:08 PM, Alan Dayley wrote:
> What is the difference between the boxed SuSE Professional and the
> download version?  I see only a vague statement on their website[1]
>
> "The function scope of FTP versions is virtually the same as that  
> of the
> "normal" version. Merely a few program packages have been excluded due
> to license reasons."
>
> I know the installation support is not included.  What are the program
> packages mentioned that are missing?

Good question.  In the olden days, the boxed set of SuSE would  
contain non-free (speech) and non-free (beer) software.  My faulty  
memory remembers a backup utility and maybe an anti-virus utility and  
a few others.  These were all "value-added" packages that were  
included in the price of the boxed set.

My memory of this is so bad largly because I never once used any of  
those packages.  In fact, for a while there, I was using the FTP  
version even though I had the boxed set (the 'net was always there  
but I often misplaced the CDs and DVD).  Over several years and  
countless packages, I never came across a single package that I  
wanted that was in the boxed set but not on the FTP side.

So from my point of view, the FTP version of SuSE only had two  
drawbacks:
1. It came out some months after the release of the boxed set (I'm  
not a very patient person)
2. You HAD to install it over the network... it's not possible to  
burn it to a DVD and install from there

I haven't done an FTP install since Novell bought them out so I don't  
know if either of those limitations have gone away.  I switched back  
to using the boxed set after realizing that you can't lose the DVD if  
you never take it out of the drive :-)

Hmm... I just did a very quick check in the package list to see if I  
could find a commercial package.  It looks like they have a  
AvMailGate virus scanner that is probably not in the FTP version.   
Couldn't find anything else (although I'm sure there are a few more).

Anyway, long story short(er), if you are just looking for free (beer)  
software, then the FTP version will have it.  If you have some  
specific non-free (beer) software in mind, you may have to spring for  
the box set.

Kurt