Having a faster machine in the house means I have the luxury of trying out some of the bigger, heavier distros without feeling like I’m having my brain pressed through a bowl of mashed potatoes. I consider it homework, making sure I keep up-to-date on what the bulkier versions of Linux can do, and at what cost.
One of the things I noticed from just about all the high-end, top-shelf, front-line distros is how similar they all look in their default forms … with one exception.
Not that it matters, but I probably had more fun trying out openSUSE just because the arrangement was distinctly different from the run-of-the-mill Gnome layout.
Whether that’s a good thing or bad thing really depends on where your allegiances lie (but you don’t have any allegiances to one particular distro, do you? because we’re all in this battle together, against the proprietary, closed-source operating systems and their attempts to restrict our freedom, right? right?).
Gnome purists might prefer the standard over-under style and snort at the openSUSE version, but it’s worth taking a look at other layouts, if only because it makes tinkering with your desktop a little more fun.
Anyway, there’s not much to report from these quick glances. I do have to say that this isn’t the first time openSUSE caught my eye. Yes, yes, Novell, evil empire, etc., etc. There’s no harm in looking, right? 
P.S.: I wanted to include Mandriva in this little photo op, but after two attempts to implant the ISO on a USB stick and four failed CD write-and-boot attempts … I gave up. 
Woah boy, openSUSE’s default desktop surely does look a lot like Linux Mint’s one!
If I remember correctly, the mint menu was originally based on Opensuse’s menu.
I made the Mint ‘Lucid’ my distro now. Definitely reminds me of SusE which was my first-ever Linux; except Mint is nicer to use and a lot better than Ubuntu in my opinion.
Linux users have a greater tendency of customizing their default OS appearance than Windows ones so I’m not even sure why people focus on default appearances so much
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I’d actually be interested in hearing more thoughts from you on the desktops. Seeing as I use Ubuntu’s Gnome desktop (in a very modified, not quite as flashy fashion) I’d just like to see what you thought about the apps included and such. How has the standard Linux desktop progressed since you went Arch/Crux?
yes, openSUSE is very nice, and slable distro. at least 11.2 I tried. I’m gnome person, but after trying openSUSE KDE, I almost switched to KDE – it’s so good.
I had no trouble whatsoever installing and booting Mandriva. I can’t imagine how you are failing in that simple task.