I've been using Linux since 1993 and have stuck with it exclusively for the past two decades. While I've been using Fedora KDE on my gaming PC and KDE Neon with a Cinnamon desktop for work, I'm considering building a new PC with OpenSuse. I don't remember much from my previous, brief encounter with OpenSuse and I'm looking for advice on whether it's a good fit for my needs. Here are my key requirements: I plan on using KDE, have no issues expected for PyCharm and WebStorm, will need a solid tool for accessing Windows Servers like Remmina, and prefer KDE dialogs for LibreOffice. VPN integration must not affect CLI control, and I'm interested in SSH Agent management. Package management is key; I prefer native packages over Flatpak or Snap, and I'm curious if OpenSuse can handle non-open drivers, especially for Nvidia GPUs. I have specific Java applications to run, would love to find packaged support for the Synaptic DisplayLink driver, and generally do most of my work via CLI or browser. To cap it all, are there any drawbacks for OpenSuse that I might not have considered?
3 Answers
If you're going with JetBrains IDEs like WebStorm, I'd recommend using the JetBrains Toolbox app rather than Flatpak, as the latter tends to cause issues. Also, remember to install this package: `sudo zypper install libgthread-2_0-0`, which is necessary for many Java applications to run smoothly!
With your background, you could consider trying Arch and tailoring it to your needs. However, if you're looking for a good experience without too much hassle, OpenSuse would serve you well! Just be advised that some former users have shifted to Ubuntu or Arch due to personal preferences. But honestly, any distro you choose will work for your skills!
OpenSuse is great for your needs! This distro has `update-alternatives --config java`, which makes handling different Java versions quite simple. Just double-check if the specific versions you use are available as packages. While OpenSuse's Tumbleweed is a rolling release and updates quickly (every few hours to days), Leap is more stable and updates browsers in their security releases, so you won't be waiting for updates. However, community packages exist if you ever want alternatives to Flatpak.
That's super helpful info! Thanks for clarifying the update situation.
Manjaro could be a great compromise if you want something Arch-based but simpler to set up.