Feature Wishlist

From openSUSE

◄Wishlists

Please use openFATE Feature requests for openSUSE are managed with the openFATE tool. Everyone with an openSUSE/Novell account is entitled to add feature requests to the database, comment or vote on features. You may use the page below as a white board for your ideas, but keep in mind that there is no guarantee that feature requests on this page will make their way into openFATE. In order to get your request added to the openFATE database, first make sure your request does not already exist. For more information see the openFATE documentation.

There exists also a Package Wishlist. See also Ideas/11.1.

Other related Wishlists :

• YaST related
• Hardware Support
• Look & Feel
• IL8N related
• Misc

KDE and Yast Control Panel Reorganize

Tracked in feature #302306

Right there are two control panels inside of the KDE version of OpenSuse, KDE's and Yast's. Yast's has slightly more options, while KDE's has less, but both have options that configure the same components. Examples are, Video, Sound, Network, having more then one configuration is confusing, and very inconvenient for the end user.

I purpose you redesign Yast, with QT 4, and KDE Theme, and create one universal configuration program for OpenSuse, or add a tab too the original KDE System Config, and add all of Yast's configs inside of there. Either way, I just want one control panel, simple to use, yet advance enough for them people, and fits the KDE 4 theme and icon theme.

KDE: Control Center

Tracked in feature #302306

I think that in KDE one thing that is really outdated is the layout of Configuration Center. I get lost every time I use it. The only thing that Kubuntu is doing better is right this. What about take it and add there additional tab with yast. I would be happy with that. Also the Yast tab should have same look and feel as General/Advanced tabs (something that GNOME SuSE have). And all Software related yast modules should be merged to one (tabbed) and moved to System section.

Something like this: [1]

Add a navigation system to the Control Center

Tracked in feature #302306

It is not a package wish but more a wish in the control center/Yast2 modules. Sometimes it is quite confusing to determine where you are when navigating in the control center, can you add the actual path in the navigation system of the Control Center ? You have the menu on the left, on the right you have the actual module setting window and it could be very nice to have something like the path like Control Center / Yast2 Modules / Online Update at the top on this 'page' or window. By adding some url system we could also have some quick link to forward instead of using the back buton all the time--Romainp 08:42, 25 Nov 2005 (MST)

OpenSUSE on just one single partition (including swap, home, and tmp)

The classical minimum for a Linux installation are two partitions (swap and /*). It could simplify the management of a Linux setup if you could put everything on only one partition. The "swap problem" (virtual memory) can be solved by using a swap file instead of a dedicated extra partition.

The overhead of a swap file compared to a native partition solution should not be that high. Personally I could not recognize any performance decrease on my notebook.

My personal, two partitions setup looks like (a little bit hacky):

1. Partition: encrypted, ext3, with /home, /tmp and a swap file (all three may contain security relevant data)
2. Partition: not encrypted, ext3, with everything else on it

...the 128 byte key for decryption is read from an USB stick during boot time.

FULL DISK Encryption

Tracked in feature #305633

it would be nice, if i could my /etc and /root full encrypt.

Now i can only other separate mounts encrypt.

5.11.2008

Full disk encryption, including encrypted root file system and swap, might be a good feature for the enterprise desktop versions. Maybe Novell would like to sponsor development?

The obvious usecase for that feature would be company laptops as most organisations have guidelines concerning possible loss, theft and searches of the disk.--tacit 11:52, 6 November 2008 (UTC)

Windows Installer/Uninstaller

Implemented in openSUSE 10.3, via Instlux.

Make possible the secure installation or remove of OpenSUSE directly from windows Desktop… Something like Wubi (wubi-installer.org)

Universal installer

Rejected. Seems unrealistic to coordinate all major distribution to include a unique installer, as all distributions use a different approach.

I would like to see a universal installer for Linux that works on all distros. Something that can do all the install work from a installer file and data files if necessary. They way I see it is that this will make developing applications for Linux more interesting as users will no longer need to use the MAKE utility or scripts pretty much meaning that the user is super user. This is on bit of software that will take Linux from the hobby environment to a more usable alternative. This installer woul need to run on both KDE and Gnome. Hope this will be possible.

I want this feature, too! A Installer like the mozilla-install or the open office installer (I think they have one, too) is absolutely the way to minimize confusion fpr new users. It must be possible for a secretary to install software on her system, not only by admins. --KFleischer 10:39, 16 April 2008 (UTC)

DirectX

Not SUSE related. Partially implemented in Wine.

As Novell has an agreement with Microsoft, please bring DirectX to Linux.

- Not necessary, Wine already has a DirectX implementation and it is working quite nicely. -Msmeissn

Unfortunately full DirectX 10 support is not yet in Wine. I would also prefer that this is an installable feature directly from the install DVD.

KMAIL: Reply-Behaviour

KMail needs a configuration, to decide if a reply should automatically add the mailing-list address additionally to the reply-address of the originator of an email. This is a big problem and brings sometimes strange situations, if you forget to remove the mailing-list address from the destination addresses, when you want to answer only personally. Thunderbird does this better (perhaps the wrong wishlist here).

Simple Uninstall

Tracked in feature #300758. See also Bug 425890

An easy way to remove Software!

For example: you installed an aplication with "1-click install" (which will install all the packages that you need), there should be an easy way (also with 1 click) to remove what you have installed with that 1-click operation... in another words: an "1-click Uninstall" to remove installed software.

Removing unnecessary packges

Tracked in feature #300758. See also Bug 425890

Example: I installing some application, it's ask install aditionally some packeges. After testing this application, I want remove it. After removing application, system has this packages which will be installed additionaly. So, required automatic removing unused packages and clean up of system.

A tool like deborphan for Debian should be created which takes care of these orphan packages which accumulate with time and are nothing but wastage of storage.

Such a feature to remove unnecessary packages would be very usefull, both in yast (for those, who are used to the graphic interface) and in zypper (for those, who prefer the fast way).

One Click Install Client

Implemented, see One_Click_Install.

Something like the CNR plugin that allows users to easily Install, Uninstall and Update the software of their machines. All in one place and all whit a simple and easy click. For new users that came from other OS's this might be somekind of U-R-G-E-N-T

(or maybe a client compatible whit both systems, the OpenSUSE's One Click Install and the Linspire's CNR - Linspire's programmers are taking to long to develop the OpenSUSE's version of the plugin... maybe we could give them an extra hand...)

Startgets

Tracked in feature #305493 (well, not exactly, but Plymouth is the way to go).

Well, widgets (or similars like desklets or gadgets) are becoming common on our desktops. But what about process of starting system? Is there any problem to make a system of widgets (well, my idea is to call them startgets or startlets) which is to be shown in the process of starting linux, k(g)dm and during the user's login?

It could contains some system informations, statistics, etc. Some startgets could be depended on network (for example some RSS news).

It is only an idea, but in the time of personalising running systems, why not to personalise starting process? Maybe we could make the starting time a little bit less annoying...?

Easy Flash / Pen Drive Installation

It would be great to be able to install OpenSuSE easily on a pen/flash drive. This would make OpenSuSE a portable Linux that could then be run from any computer that could boot from a pen/flash device. This process would allow people to bring OpenSuSE operating system, desktop, applications, files, personal settings and much more to everywhere no matter what hardware was used on a specific PC. It would be great to have everything (the entire computer software) in our pocket. It would be amazing if this could be automatic/easy to install/uninstall.

Something like at Installation start have these options:

- Install on HardDrive/disk

- Install on Flash/Pen Drive

- ... (others...)

and it installs on any device.

Another idea is the possibility of buy a Flash/Pen Drive with OpenSuSE pre-installed, that would be great!

It would also be a good idea (maybe latter) if sync between new/modified files from the Pen Drive OS and a regular PC OS was possible. In this case, if we loose the Pen Drive, we would have somekind of BackUp at the home desktop PC

I truly hope this became real soon (maybe in 10.3)

OpenSUSE for Mobile Devices

The title says it all - It would be amazing to have OpenSUSE on my PDA, Mobile Phone or in other mobile devices.

On-Line OpenSuSE OS

An on-line operating system that users could access from anywhere and try OpenSuSE without having to burn a CD/DVD whit the live edition... this could also work as a regular OS for anyone who wants to use it.

An EXCELLENT example (that even uses KDE) can be found at:Cosmopod.com.

LiveDVD with save option

Rejected, seems unrealistic. But see SUSE Studio.

It would be great if we could choose to download a version of suse that (like knoppix, for example) saves the changes we made (for example the wallpaper or the messenger accounts), or to download a copy of the actual current LiveDVD version that does not save nothing at all (every time we restart computer everything is erased). This because there are different users that like different settings.

Add support for boot CD like added for floppy

Implemented (since ages) via the network miniISO.

There should be an option to have a boot CD, as many newer computers don't have floppy drives anymore!

Profiles for Networking (NICs)

Over a year ago I offered to redesign network management. The feature is targeted at mobile users, e.g. laptop owners. It needs no low-level programming or kernel hacking - just a bunch of if-{up|down} scripts to be modified. For more details on implementation and idea please see: https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=120630

This feature brings extra flexibility and is true unix way compared to NetworkManager.

PS: 2Wiki moderator: is there a way to add votes for wishes?

Layman's list of commands being executed

For the newer Linux users, a very useful feature would be to have an optional window/pop-up/widget that would show how and what commands are being executed 'behind the scenes' of the GUI for very simple tasks only. Even for simple things, like when a document is opened or printed, a program is executed, etc., What is/are the actual command being called? In this way, the user could learn much faster about the actual commands, and options available. This would help the user become more comfortable with how Linux works, understand its flexibility/power and troubleshooting could be easier.

I agree, this would be a great teaching tool!

Discussion

Susegreeter in GNOME?

Implmented in openSUSE 11.0.

I think that KDE's susegreeter is a good idea for a Linux or any machine, to get users comfortable with the desktop. Why is this only in KDE, however? Is it not possible in GNOME? Kdupuy9 19:44, 1 June 2007 (UTC)

Support for Microsoft software

Rejected. Partially implmented via Wine, see Discussion.

2 weeks ago I installed the Xandros linux distribution and I was astonished with its crossover package.

With crossover I was able to install MS Office and also to execute it later. I accomplished both tasks easily.

Yes, the number 1 complaint I hear regarding Linux is that if I could only run this or that win32 based software I could make the switch from Windows. I think it's time to make the transition easier for the average Joe and figure out how to make wine work seamlessly. Strap a front end on it and make it simple to install and uninstall win32 apps.

NTFS support (read/write) out of the box

Implemented in openSUSE 10.3

NTFS-3G are now in 1.0. Could it be include in 10.3 ? See [[2]]

Please support LiveDVD iso image boot from ntfs harddisk, not need burn it, please release new initrd.gz support it.

Support for several window managers

Rejected. Support already there (in cli), see Discussion.

Allow the installation of more than one window manager

Currently, the suse installer allows users to chose ONLY ONE window manager (KDE, Gnome, ....). I don't understand why? some other distributions allow you to install several window managers, so users can chose the one they like the most when they log-in into the system.

DVD Player, 3D Acceleration

Rejected. See openSUSE License and Death of the End User License Agreement.

I understand that there are issues with placing the codecs necessary to watch a DVD in this software, well not really, but yeah I get it. Suse sells a boxed version of its product that comes with the manual and DVD or CD's for about $100.00 in the stores, why not provide an option that includes LinDVD, or at least the decryption for mplayer, kaffeine, or xine for a few more dollars, as well as support for all of the other stuff that is stripped from the system because of legal issues (3D Acceleration - really makes no sense since NVIDIA doesn't seem to have problems with you having it if all I need to do is hit accept on the dialog box and run Yast, Quicktime and other video file support, etc.) I'm not trying to push costly operating systems, but in all honesty these are the things which are preventing Linux from becoming the alternative from Windows. I finally got some of these things figured out and I use my Windows partition far less then before.

Add ADDITIONAL YAST REPOSITORIES link to "SUSE LINUX" pull-down menu in Firefox

This might be a reasonable alternative to adding repositories to sources during installation, which someone else suggested at the beginning of this section. The firefox browser is an excellent opportunity to leave helpful information in plain sight. My own experience as a Linux newbie was that learning how to run Linux wasn't terribly complicated, but it took much too long for me to stumble into the information I needed.

Install from program from .tar.gz wizard

I set Suse up as a home desktop and had to install realplayer on it, so I thought of a way to make installation of tarball files easier. When user clicks on tarball files an option comes up to either extract the files (as it does now) or open a wizard to install the program. In the case of realplayer it would ask the user to select the file that starts the program, and the script it uses to open media files. And when it's done it adds the program to the listing of applications.

• Is this neccesary with Community Repositories alternative introduced in 10.3 ? --jonasbjork 09:53, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

Internet connection timeout should be default

The timeout has some nice security advantages, but most users don't expect it. No other distro that I have ever used has the five minute internet connection timeout as a default, and I must tell you frankly that when I first used SUSE, I thought that the reason why I kept losing my internet connection was some kind of bug. It's a big reason why I spent some time badmouthing what is now my favorite Linux distro ever. There are still out there in forums in which I rant about how SUSE "sucks", because I couldn't depend on my internet connection. I am occasionally teased because of that.

Okay, maybe I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but still...

Windows Network Standard Setup Options

There are several built in options for setting up a network, but they are all designed for someone that actually knows what is going on. What about the rest of us that came from Windows and only understand "Setup for Windows Network" not SMB, or whatever it is called. Most windows network users still use MSHOME and have no idea how to see their windows network from Linux. Either create a better walkthrough that tells you were to look for the information you are asking for, or make it click and done so I could select from the option list **Windows Network**, *Name of Windows Network - (MSHOME is default name)*, *Which operating system (this because I can only assume that this might be important)*. After those questions are done all of a sudden the user is able to view his networked computers and shared files. In addition to this when I go to my programs menu and click on network, I see either an icon representing each computer, or each folder that is on the network, not more options that I don't understand. You have to remember, many of the people that you are trying to appeal to our not even aware of how to use the root option in the command box. If we need to make changes to how we have our windows networks setup, then have help files that cover that as well. Between this and some of the other comments I'm adding today, I would probably stop using Windows altogether and be willing to start buying Suse in the box at a computer store just to give you the money to keep improving this product. Don't get me wrong, every time I take a look at the new version of Suse I am more and more impressed with how far it has come and I really hope this replaces Windows over time.

I second that. See here for the hoops someone has to jump through just to connect an OpenSuse-machine to an existing windows-network. This could, and should, be made much easier.

I would suggest a "windows network"-page in Yast, in which the user can choose the role of his/her computer. Clicking "personal computer connected to a windows network" should do the trick for 95% of the users. --Ligfiets 11:09, 10 December 2008 (UTC)

Maybe I can also suggest a Konqueror(Dolphin/Nautilus/whatever) integrated wizard that allows for adding a persistent (autofs?) mount point (or a print queue - yes, please don't forget about printers!) for a given SMB resource.

Perhaps fusesmb (http://www.ricardis.tudelft.nl/~vincent/fusesmb/) is a great thing to install by default?

Network Printer Setup

I wrote the network option above, and my comments about the printer are about the same, way to complex. Honestly, I finally gave up on both hooking this partition into the network, as well as being able to print from my linux partition. I keep googling it and one of these days I'll find the right verbage to walk me through it but until that happens I'll hope that this gets easier with 10.3.

***Which Program***

I wont claim to understand the file system in linux yet but I assume it has to be similar to Windows in that whatever file executes a program is probably in the same folder or closely branched folders for all programs. When you try to open a file that isn't recognized and you try to find what you think might be the appropriate program it starts off in a folder that seems unrelated to any programs. Since I don't know where to look for programs, it is nearly impossible to even attempt to open the file. For example, since I'm not sure my point is getting across, I tried crossover and installed quicktime so that I could actually watch quicktime trailers in firefox, but after everything was said and done and I tried to watch the trailer the program wasn't listed as the default so I had to try to find it and wasn't able to. I even had some idea of where it was placed but still had no idea of how to open the file in that program. In Windows all of the programs are in one place and easy to find. If this is the case for Linux, maybe add that information to those tips that are shown on startup, and maybe as one of the first tips for that matter. By the way, tips are great, don't be afraid to get detailed with those by maybe teaching something (how the directory system is organized, maybe how to use root user for installing program, changing directries, etc). If you can teach us we will learn, and hopefully continue to use your software.

Architectures & Serial Console

1) I would love ready-to-use disk images for UltraSPARC. All of my servers are SuSE-based, but I was thinking of using an old Sun Netra X1 as an internal web server... no SuSE for it.

2) Also going with the above, an way to do installation via CD from the serial console would be great for headless systems.

Data Security, Destruction & Forensic Features

After recently playing around with programs like "The Sleuth Kit" and "Autopsy" (http://sleuthkit.org) I decided I would like to see features added to KDE with the same functions as these programs. I would like to be able to use KDE's file manager as a graphical front end for data recovery tools. I would also like to have features in KDE to easily destroy data. So when I right click on a file to either throw in the trash or delete I should also have the choice to destroy the data so it can't be recovered.

Considering the data age we live in and the growing "need" for governments to spy on us and treat every one like "terrorist" I believe security and privacy need to be focused on and enhanced in openSUSE. Not to mention a need to be more, well... intuitive.

I would also like to see the /tmp folder moved and divided among the user accounts. So for example the tmp for each user would be /home/"user"/.tmp or /root/.tmp

I consider that structure more efficient and secure as user's tmp would then be in /home and for those who use an encrypted file system for /home would also have there tmp in the same secure place.

I believe encryption and over all security and protection of privacy and data theft need to be more intuitive for Linux new comers. Doing these things should also help improve Linux adoption on the desktop.

Point being, I shouldn't have to bend over backwards to secure my data or destroy it if need be.

I would appreciate if some one help me clean this up. If you understand the general concept of my ideas then feel free to clean this up. Perhaps add a separate category for security/privacy in openSUSE.

• Side note See KDE Control Center - Security and Privacy > - It may help but not be the complete answer*

Full System Diagnostics

I know some tools exist as CLI. But I believe we need more intuitive ways (such as GUI features) to do hardware and software diagnostics. My concern, is having a easy fast way to diagnose problems with mobile devices such as ipods or other mp3 players as well as flash memory drives. The other day I resorted to using the scandisk and defrag on a Windows machine to fix a fragmented and corrupted flash drive that was using a FAT16 file system. Which I also converted to FAT32.

Most of the programs for doing some of these things may all ready exist as CLI tools. I'm not a programmer. But it would be nice if someone could come up with GUI front ends to give openSUSE and it's users intuitive ways to do these things. Perhaps someone can come up with a new category on this wiki for "System Maintenance" or something similar. Again, feel free to edit and improve my entry.

Create CD/DVD/USB Boot Disk

Tracked in feature #30568. See also KIWI and SUSE Studio.

I've played around with a few Live Disk here and there. I especially like Slax and Insert. I believe openSUSE needs a function to allow you to create your own live disk by selecting a list of programs as well as the choice of file system to format the flash drive, that's if you're creating a bootable live flash drive.

Basically I'm looking for someone to make a program for openSUSE that will let me create my own custom live openSUSE disk. Doing this will give users the freedom of choice of how big to have their live cd from a full blown dvd to a pocket sized 210 MB cd.

Yast2's Power Management granularity for adding privileged users

To make things easier to configure who is allowed to suspend, power off, hibernate etc machine, a GUI wrapper to edit the /etc/PolicyKit/privilege.d/hal-power* settings, restart policykit and dbus to apply the changes id required.

This is especially useful for new-comers to Suse, as well as seasoned admins who don't want to have to delve into the guts all the time to configure the currently logged on user to shut the machine down.

The options in the hal-power* files that should be editable from this GUI are "Allow=" , "RequiredPrivileges= and "SufficientPrivileges="

Support for NOVFS

I'd like to be able to use Novell's Linux Client to be able to access Novell Netware filesystems. This is not supported in 10.2, although it was in previous versions. Also, I'd appreciate support for both 32 and 64 bit processors. Thanks for reading this.

Each time OpenSUSE releases a new version it's a cat and mouse game to figure out how to get the Novell bits to work. Do some Googling and you'll find solutions to the NCL install. Hunt some more and you'll find clues for the other bits. Still it shouldn't be that hard to get a Novell sponsored distribution to play nicely with the Novell bits and pieces.

OpenSUSE is a far superior product to SLED. I just spent a whole day trying to install apache on sled with no luck. OpenSUSE worked first try. There are so many features to OpenSUSE that work better than SLED. I just don't get it.

Novell says your Linux is ready, why then is it that the Novell bits and pieces work so poorly on SLED? Groupwise hangs constantly on SLED and OpenSUSE. Ever try shutting your machine down after connecting to an NCP file share? You get stuck on the swap dismount. Arg....

I love OpenSUSE, lets just get the Novell bits to work so we can leave Windows in the dust where it belongs.

Hide tools requiring higher permissions in menus

Some users may like it to have tools requiring higher permissions hidden in menus, for example YaST. This is very useful for desktops in schools and libraries, in which the users never know the root password. In those cases, lots of menu entries just confuse the user.

The Zen Update Notifier should not be shown, either.

This could be realized by a group. When a user is member of it (and users should be members by default), then the menu items should be shown. If a user is not member of the group, the menu items should be hidden.

--Pirast 22:51, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Support Multimedia Keys by default

Lots of distributions support multimedia keys out of the box. OpenSuSE is not one of them and this should be changed. Investigate how other distributions like Ubuntu support those and implent a clean solution to OpenSuSE. --Pirast 22:51, 14 April 2007 (UTC) Also, all keyboards today come with windows key, that can be by default be made to access the menu in the main panel on the desktop...

A Minimal install Option

Tracked in Feature #305705

Or perhaps the 'purpose' packages could be pushed higher up, being either mutually exclusive, or layerable. What is the point of installing 4 CD burning packages, a PIM, Games if my intent is going to be a simple LAMP server? I don't know anyone who wants to spend 20 minutes unchecking packges that only pose potential security risks, or spend the extra 45 minutes installing and upgrading packages they are ultimately going to un-install.

Category installation

Tracked in Feature #305705.

System installation tweak with special packages, performance and settings

for example:

--Zunami 13:03, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Better Package Management

Implemented in openSUSE 11.0, 11.1.

Faster: Currently, package management is very slow in OpenSuSE: Updates with zen-updater take a long time, even .rpm installations take a lot of time to intialize. If possible, the SuSE RPM-Install part in the installation should be faster, also. zen has already been droped

Easier: Create a GUI for end users in which they can look for new applications, similar to gnome-app-install (shipped with Ubuntu)

When download package is broken (Timeout exceed for example), zypper/yast must continue download when user select "retry"

Easy Installation

Implemented in openSUSE 11.0

Users without a lot of computer knowledge may want to install OpenSuSE, but the installation asks too many questions. For a normal home desktop system, the only questions that are important are Language / Timezone; Partitioning; Which Desktop Environment (maybe); User accounts and GRUB location. For network connectivity, network-manager should be used by default, the rest is mainly autodetected from what I have seen. A very important point is to add online installation repositories by default. --Pirast 23:09, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

• This is "automatic configuration" in openSUSE 11.0 and is default way of installing 11.0 . --jonasbjork 12:41, 14 December 2008 (UTC)

Live DVD with install function

Implemented since openSUSE 10.3 (LiveCD are installable, no more DVD Live).

Live DVD is not installable. Many users who test the distro would like to install it, but, if they doesn't have the installation DVD or CD's (frequently happens), then they have to acquire the software from the internet. Not always they can.

The Live DVD needs a function that installs the base system (the essential), and the users, can obtain other packages and software downloading it from the internet or from other sources if they doesn't have a connection, if they need. Also a live CD should be distributed too.

Note: Excuse my english...

--Aguasanta 14:24, 23 April 2007 (UTC)

Auto-tweaking

Implemented via AutoYaST.

Every time I have to reinstall openSUSE (upsettingly frequent), I have to go through the trauma of adding repositories (one by one), mounting my drives, <s>removing ZEN/ZMD, installing kernel-sources, installing gcc, installing my nvidia drivers, adjusting display settings, installing Opera, etc etc. If each of these alterations could be added to an auto-tweak file or some such thing, perhaps each of these operations could be performed in sequence without all that wailing and gnashing of teeth (I'm starting to get complaints from the neighbours)! I think some repositories should be added automatically in the first place. --Username132 13:35, 7 May 2007 (UTC)</s>

VoIP CDR/Voicemail Database Server with GUI & Auto-Archiving

As a VoIP enthusiast we have been discussing several solutions at the Trixbox forums and some of which are being worked on and released as we speak. We are all aware of the integration of Asterisk into Suse, well let's take it a step further and in the process make Suse the preferred Linux disribution even for all VoIP enthusiasts. The current subject at Trixbox is the ability to be able to auto-archive Trixbox Call Detail Records (CDR) and Voicemail data and audio files along with the Trixbox/FreePBX GUI into MySQL on Suse to provide realtime access to information when needed. This module/package will have the option to be enabled or disabled within Suse so that when enabled, besides the database access credentials, it will automatically be configured to accept data from Trixbox, which it will display on a browser (via Apache). This will essentially make Suse the preferred Linux distribution not just for VoIP techies because this feature will cause Suse to be used on enterprise installations and Terabyte NAS servers for VoIP CDR/Voicemail archiving. Trixbox.org is currenty working on a new backup module/package (due for release in a few weeks) which should be able to perform backups/auto-archiving to external/network drives so this may be the appropriate time to collaborate on deriving a backup/auto-archive interface between Trixbox/FreePBX CDR and MySQL on Suse Linux over a network. This CDR/Voicemail module/package may also have the option to provide same functions for the Asterisk VoIP server integrated within Suse itself.

An image of the current Trixbox page can be seen here; http://www.techworxs.com/trixboxcdrimg.pdf

- Techieg

Better Firefox and Thunderbird integration into KDE

By default they look like GNOME applications. They even have a GNOME style File/Save dialog and they could have KDE style File/Save dialog easily (which is much better in my opinion). Default theme could be some of nice KDE themes like Mostly Crystal or KDEFF. File/Print dialog could be overriden to use Kprinter. Multimedia support in Firefox is very weak. Xine-plugin or kaffeine-mozilla could be installed by default to gain support for variety of multimedia contents. Many of these tweaks can be easily done by altering just few settings in about:config dialog.

Very nice tutorial on how do most of these changes can be found here: http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/blogs/integrating_firefox_and_thunderbird_into_kde

- kjozic, 3 June 2007

Automatic Detection Of Internet Connection Status

OpenSUSE Automatically Assumes That It Is Connected To The Internet. There Should Be An Application Or Pop Up, ( Similar To Ubuntu/Windows ) That Displays Itself When You Try To Do Something Internet Related And Aren't Connected ( Eg: Modem Off, Unestablished Dialup Connection, Network Problems,Etc.) That Gives Options To Connect, ( Establish Dialup Connection, Activate Network Interface, Etc.) And A Link To A Network Troubleshooting Tool That Could Help Diagnose Problems. This Could Be Implemented Through A Central Network Manager, That Does Everything From Wifi & Wired To ADSL, ISDN, & Dialup.

- Ben_Cook2, 8 June 2007

Retain Downloaded Packages

Implemented in openSUSE 11.0

Though this feature has been repeatedly addressed by various users at different forums, since the same is not present here and also, since I need it badly (as do other users with multiple systems), I wish it here: Yast does not save the downloaded packages any where. As you are aware of, smart does it as /var/lib/smart/packages and apt does it at /var/cache/apt/archive. Why do we need this feature? Just consider, what happens, if I have more than one system and my bandwidth is limited? If these packages are kept at a place, I can reuse them, no? I just can imagine why a distribution of such stature like openSUSE could miss this vital feature! Well, I wish Novell/openSUSE developers will bring this in 10.3 (atleast)!!!!!

G Rajesh, India.

fsck on boot: splash integration

If a fsck at boot time occurs:

• kill the splash screen (usually the computer boots in 3 minutes, now it's still unchanged after 10 minutes. Something must be broken. Poweroff/on. Does still not boot. Damn Linux, doesn't work. Changing OS because Linux doesn't work for me).
• present an option "you can interrupt the current fsck by pressing ESC. This means the fsck is repeated upon next boot."
• As user, I know what will happen next time I boot and prepare for it.

If you trust hardware and file systems, you might want to present an easy option to the user to disable those checks all together. I wouldn't recommend that.

It's just file system tuning, beats waiting for a defrag and the malware cycle that comes with the alternative.

(originally posted by Rasmus Plewe - http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-factory/2006-10/msg00551.html )

Intergrated List Of Repositories

Implemented since openSUSE 10.3.

Currently, Unlike Ubuntu, OpenSUSE ( Unless You Had An Internet Connection During Installation ) Doesn't Have A Preinstalled List Of Repositories ( OSS, Non-OSS, Updates ). This Is Something That Is Badly Missing. The Setup Program Should Install These Automatically Without Intervention, & The OSS & Non-OSS Repository Information ( Not Actual Packages Just Information ) Should Be On The Install Disc ( CD/DVD ), And Updates To This Done Through A System Of Patches To Apply To The Master File Which Is Frozen On Release, With Patches Every So Often Only When New Packages Are Added / Updated. The System For Checking For Repository Updates Should Be Changed With Only 1 Small File Containing A Version Number Being Downloaded Every Check. The Patches To The Repositories Can Then Be Added If New Ones Are Available. Eg:YAST Checks RepoA For Updates So It Downloads RepoACheck.xml. It Lists A Undownloaded Change ( Package egpckg-255.26 Is Updated To egpckg-255.27 ) So It Downloads The Patch ( RepoAPatch0058.xml ) And Applies It To Its Local Copy Of The Repository Information. This Would Lower The Amount Of Data Needed To Be Transferred Making It More Dialup Friendly.

--Ben_Cook2 10 July 2007

USB ADSL Modems

Install ECIADSL software from flashtux and put it on default distribution.

Secondary HDD as installation source

Allow the DVD contents as well as any downloaded patches to be saved into a location of the users choice, so that the patches/deltas etc do not have to be downloaded again. The user can then use this location as an installation source as all the updates downloaded via opensuseupdater/Yast will be placed in a single location.

If the user selects an external HDD as his storage source then the same package updates can be applied to multiple computers that are not networked to the internet.

It also allows the ability to donate the DVD to someone as the source has already been copied and therefore allows for the faster adoption of the OS.

Please, < ask > about introduction of attendance of (service activity of) hard windows disk i.e. Fat32 and NTFS.

-- Hylton Conacher 19 July 2007

An Installer that cleans up while it's installing

The installer needs to clean up installed packages as it goes. I'm in the processing of installing inside of qemu images. This work fine with the exception that a 1.5GB install of selected packages takes over 5GB of disk space to install because every RPM is transfered to the install disk and then unpacked. It doesn't clean up until after the install is done. I can't build a sleek usable vmware or qemu installation this way. There is no resize function once the image has been made.

-- Boxofrocks 21 Aug 2007

Full iScsi support

Now iScsi do not really work right (10.0, 10.2) -- Zhestov 12.09.2007

Better Laptop and Tablet PC support

We know that laptop sales have surpassed desktop sales. openSUSE works well on the desktop but laptop and tablet PC support can be improved to a higher level of polish.

Areas to explore are software such as the desktop environment's GUI and hardware support such as Wireless, Touchscreen, Fingerprint Readers and Special "Fn"/media keys since these are the devices frequently included in most portable PCs.

If openSUSE can be made to "work out of the box" during install or at least during the first update after install and a network connection is provided to be able to download latest drivers off preconfigured sources then openSUSE can piggyback on the success of laptop sales.

Consider working with other "mobile" projects just as those of GNOME, KDE and Ubuntu-Mobile etc.

For currently poorly supported devices such as touchscreens and fingerprint readers, some marketing, campaigning and awareness programs should be undertaken so that we get an acceptable level of support like we currently have for 3D video cards and wireless chipsets.

-- Vishal Rao - Pune, India - 17 Oct 2007

klineakconfig during install phase

Why not insert klineakconfig (grat tool), and obviously lineakd, during install phase if hardware is a laptop (and windows manager kde)? Yast should run klineakconfig automatically to configure special laptop keys.

-- Marco Pallotta - Italy - 6 Jan 2008

formatting abilities instead of install

handy for those using installation disk for recovery. I am just suggesting a small modification to the existing installer, so you can easilly partition and format, then exit. It's not plain how to do this at this moment.

storage device applet

I think is better to automatically insert in kde the storage device applet. It's more user friendly to manage devices like cd-rom, usb memories, ecc. Moreover I think that the icon related to an external usb device should disappear when I select "safely remove".

-- Marco Pallotta - Italy - 17 Feb 2008

Boot from external CD-Drive

It's better if i can boot automatically from the external CD-Drive, like Ubuntu. When i try to boot a live-cd from the external CD-Drive (plugged on usb), i get a error message, and i cant fix it until now.

-- Mateus Pinheiro - Sp, Brasil - 4 Dec 2007

Central Location for Web Services

Although YaST2 has most of what is needed in order to install Apache, PHP and mySQL, these are still extremely difficult to get up and running quickly and working.

It would be handy if there was a single module that took care of all the web service using a wizard. The wizard could start of by first installing and configuring Apache (with a skip option), then to install and setup PHP (with skip option), next mySQL install and set - asking to create a password and even a database table. These three could then be summarised before then being able to install something like eGroupWare or wordpress.

-- Saalo Sparkes - UK - 11 Dec 2007

Installation: Change Network Options befor installation.

Everytime when I have to install openSUSE for a friend I can't add repositories befor the installation for update because the network is not configured. Is it possible to add an network configuration befor the installation?

-- Johannes Konstantin - Germay - 26 Dec 2007

Installation: Save user crontabs if user accounts are taken from the previous version .

Everytime when I install openSUSE I forget to save and restore the crontabs of the users. This could be done automatically when the users are offered and taken from a previous openSUSE installation, perhaps similar to the user account selection.

Antivirus: antivirus daemon and antivirus client in the default installation

I think it's better to automaticaly start antivirus daemon (clamd and freshclean) in the default run-level after install phase and, if window manager is kde, automatically install and start klamav. It's true, Linux isn't much vulnerable to viruses but I think that an antivirus (at least to detect viruses for other operating systems) should be mandatory in every linux distribution (expecially if it is installed in a multy O.S environment)

-- Marco Pallotta - Italy - 6 Jan 2008

Face recognition: technology to find pictures of persons

I wish to see a search engine wich use face recognizing or other tecnology to find pictures of selected people or else. COuld help a lot. Like just now I trying to find "myself" from hundreds of picture about an event of our compagny. SO go on, help me:) Why not let select a part of an image then the engine find all related. ;)

-- User:Kulcsar 25 January 2008

Mount USB media that are not in fstab without cache

When I remove my USB flashdrive without unmounting it, I lose data because it is by default mounted with a cache. I think it would be a good idea to add an safe removal applet (instead of having to unmount via the commandline) or to mount these without cache by default when they're not listed in fstab.

-- User:ktfktf - 2 Feb 2008

KMID and TIMIDITY package

I think kmid should be installed by default (else we cannot play midi files). Moreover I think it's usefull to guide the user with the installation of timidity package when he hears nothing from kmid and when the "start sequencer" option, under yast -> audio, doesn't run. This means he has a sound card that doesn't have a WaveTable synthesizer for playing midi files and he needs a package like timidity. This help could be done with only a popup, during the first launch, with a message like "If you hear nothing install timidity package and follow these instructions ... "

-- Marco Pallotta - Italy - 03/02/08 --

MYSQL with compiled in SSL support

When I check a running MYSQL server to see if it has SSL with SHOW VARIABLES LIKE 'have_ssl'; it returns:

+---------------+-------+
| Variable_name | Value |
+---------------+-------+
| have_ssl      | NO    |
+---------------+-------+

From what I can tell all it requires to add SSL is ./configure --with-openssl It would be nice to have this compiled in by default.

-- User:EvilVassago - 20 Feb 2008

Add SMB/CIFS support to Rescue Mode

This is an easy enhancement. In 10.3 the only thing that is missing is the binary mount.cifs.

-- Oliver Wilcock - 27 Feb 2008 --

Add BadRam patch

See http://rick.vanrein.org/linux/badram/. This nice and useful patch has lived long enough outside the linux kernel. Please include it in SuSE kernel or help to merge it upstream. There was recent discussion on lkml, but it seems kernel devs still don`t like it enough. ingo molnar had some constructive comments, but unfortunately that mail did`t seem to get trough to the list or into the ML archive. Can forward on request or will ask ML admin why it didn`t get trough. maybe this feature is good for marketing, too. As SuSE is mostly "green" anyway (speaking of corporate identity), why not jumping onto the GreenIT train and support recycling of components which would otherwise be electronic waste ?

-- Roland Kletzing - 06 Mar 2008 --

Include VMWare tools

As VMWare have open-sourced the tools needed in a guest OSes here: open-vm-tools, please consider adding them as part of the distro, so it is ready for installation inside virtual machine as guest. More and more installations are made in VMs, and this will easy the process a lot.

-- Svetoslav Milenov - 06 Mar 2008 --

Mutt built-in smtp support

Please enable mutts built-in smtp support. No extra dependencies are needed.

-- Troels Kofoed Jacobsen - 11 Mar 2008 --

Enable Easy Disk Cloning and Deployment

Cloning remains the fastest deployment mechanism. While OpenSuSE is pretty easy to deploy in this way, there are still traces of the original machine remaining which require adjustment. It should be possible to take some of the YasT code for initial installation and use this as a sysprep equivalent for pre/post disk cloning. It would be even better of there was a nice utility for handling images and deployment, a la Clonezilla.

-- John Pelan 11:30, 11 April 2008 (UTC)

Live CD Persistence

There should be a feature in Open Suse similar to Ubuntu's live CD persistence Live CD/Persistence that allows you to modify your settings and home directory and also have the user's home directory as well as installed software on the USB drive.

-- Nathan Cantu -26 April 2008

Sound in KDE4 suse11

With my audio card (SB Audigy) it works fine, however there are some quirks.

- there is no global slider in alsamixer for all channels

I'have to play with them separatly and also there is problem which one to choose to be displayed in Systerm Tary

- mic is too low

And there is no boostcheck box in alsa mixer, I'know that I can edit conf file for alsa, but thats really no easy.

- 5.1 support

When I test 5.1 in alsa (they have tools - as in their wiki) it works fine every sigle speaker works. But Every app has different backend (xine, gst..), there are boxes to choose for speakers layout. But it doesn't work. I hear just stereo from my fron t speakers, the rest is dead. I hoped that there will be config for the new sound server and it would mix stereo to all channels.

-- Andy -16 May 2008

Twofish

I'd like to see twofish added to the list of ciphers when installing

- Spreadsheet, May 25 08

Installation: Internet via UMTS

(sorry for my bad english) For Linux-beginners like me it would be great, if there where a possibility to create an internetconnection via UMTS during the installation of opensuse (g.e. using UMTS-Mon or the betavine-sourceforge vodafone-mobil-connect-card-driver-for-linux). It's not easy for beginners to install that later, especially if the UMTS-stick/card is your only port to internet.

- MarzAttak, June 10 08

LiveDVD

Why don't you merge the GNOME and KDE LiveCDs and the installation DVD (shrink its size) together, and make a liveDVD? So that you could have both Desktop environments on only one DVD, instead of two CDs.

- samwang968, June 14, 2008

NetworkManager enhancements

• Integrate umtsmon: would be nice if you could open/close a umtsmon window directly from the GNOME (and KDE, though I don't care) NetworkManager applet, plus an option of having it opened automatically when connecting.

• Enable/disable LAN/WLAN menu items: dialup connections can be disconnected by left-clicking on the NM GNOME applet and choose "Disconnect", to disable LAN or WLAN you have to right-click and un-select a checkbox instead. Inconsistent GUI and rather unintuitive, at least to me - I would prefer to have "Disable Interface" menu items similar to the "Disconnect" for LAN/WLAN.

- lhaeger, June 23rd, '08

• Add option to change Firewall profile for a network interface from the network applet. Currently have to open yast, go to security->firewall and pick interface and change the definition. Would like to set FW profile from the desktop and via network interface settings. - mchristeson July 22nd, '08

Maybe even without a root password ...

• Add an option to specify arbitrary commands to be executed on interface going up/down (a general handler for every listed, handlers for various kinds of interfaces (wired, wireless, VPN etc.) and handlers for each specific interface). - b.m.kast, Feb 09th, '09

• Integrate huawei umtsmon: it would be great if it was easy to configure a UMTS connection with NetworManager (with both KDE and GNOME) using an internet USB key (as Huawei E169).

• A timer: it would be usefull if NetworkManager (with both KDE and GNOME) integrates a timer to know how long the connection's going on, simply putting the mouse over the NM icon on the Systray. It might also keep a log file as report of length of each connection.

- torredeldrago, march 3rd, '09

Live USB system creator

This tool creates a bootable Live USB medium from Windows /Opensuse Live CD. It is useful for Netbooks or computers without DVD-ROM reader.

It performs the following actions:

   * Detects available USB sticks 
   * Partitions USB stick.
   * Sets partition bootable
   * Writes MBR to USB stick
   * Formats partition FAT32
   * Installs bootloader (syslinux) to partition
   * Writes bootloader configuration file
   * Copies necessary files from running Live CD to USB stick
   

A simple install file format/installer

Tracked in Feature 305582

A program that automatically installs other programs that you have downloaded, like how windows automatically installs programs from .exe files for you.

Link: https://launchpad.net/liveusb

- aprietatuercas, July 22rd, '08

One Click Printer Install

Make a one click printer driver install configure application. Something similar that openSuse has for one click application install and that Microsoft Windows have to all and configure printers. The drivers for all the possible printers in the world should come from one click printer install wizard. May be same for scanners as well. This will make it amazing desktop OS. I have been using it for almost two years as desktop and this is a limitation as I see.

- added by User:Kaushalparikh 29 Sep 2008

Compile Rdesktop with alsa sound

Currently rdesktop is compiled without alsa sound support, this makes it hard to use the rdesktop sound redirect simultaneously with other sound applications. Compile with the flag "--with-sound=alsa" should fix it.

- patrutledge Oct 20, 2008

Add gptsync from rEFIt for better Mac Intel installation support

Adding the binary gptsync on the autoyast installer image from the rEFIt package on sourceforge would be very useful for people installing opensuse on Mac Pro or other Mac Intel based systems. Also, running gptsync before the bootloader is installed during autoyast would also be very helpful if it is determined that the partition map is GPT.

- patrutledge Nov 7, 2008

1. Idealistically a Linux installer should have an option where user can launch an xterm and run fdisk, mkef3fs, mkswap and edit proposed mtab before installation starts!

It could be run from a transparent ram disk.

This will solve all my problems I have experienced with recent YAST2. In 1990’s nearly all Linux used util-linux-fdisk and user specified mounting points therefore user had more choices to build own layout. Why not give that option again? It does not have to be an xterm, it can be something like disk layout program in Solaris 10 install. Solaris does not probe other partitions like current Linux does and that is better for some users. In the past, Solaris did all kind of damages to existing partitions but it has learnt to happily coexist with other operating system today - more cooperavely than MS Windows.

In fact I have recently bought open SUSE Linux and was not happy what it did to my disks. It realigned chain order on extended partition before even I committed to install. I spend hours for partition planning and create partitions in a clean consecutive order and Linux should honour predefined and/or preformatted ext2/3 partitions and not to change its logical chaining order or realign. I have tools to view and edit any sector up to 300GB and I chain them manually. After this incident I could not trust this installation program any farther so I could not install it. I am not happy unless I know CHS geometry for each partition and make snapshot file for recovery. It helps if they are daisy chained in an order relative to sector number.

2. Kernel needs block device access table reworked to be par with today’s disk size!

I had preformatted ext3 and swap partitions and was willing to give the installer programme mounting points, so Linux should not tell user what to do about other partitions. Linux has it’s own limitations that I am aware of: so called 15 partition rule per disk. Sometimes it’s 12 partitions maximum when there is no primary partition exists. Terminology of 15 partitions maximum is very ambiguous. It seems to me that it is pre-defined in current kernel, sda sda1 sda2 . . . . . sda15 as device files. Therefore, if I create one extended partition taking entire disk space with 12 logical partitions in that extended partition, Kernel still sees as 16 partitions even though actuality is 13 since device space between sda2 and sda4 are not used. This scheme needs to be urgently updated to meet today’s disk space. Giving one more bit gives you 32 device space per disk that is more realistic for today’s disk size. I know this sda sda1. . .sda15 (sda without number being MBR/partition table and being one device) scheme go back to late 1980s and no one has made any effort to update it. It is not adequate for the age of 1 terabyte disks.

I hope that these suggested improvements can solve some problem to some users leke myself. pinecloud.

Webkit Browser during Installation

Installing OpenSUSE is a little long so why don't propose a web browser during the files copy ? I guess webkit will fit nicely with the QT interface.

Event-based init daemon

Event-based init daemon like upstart will be more useful..

Load-Cycle-Count-Bug on Laptops

It should be more easy and transparent for new users, that bad things might happen to the hard drive with the increasing Load-Cycle-Count on mobile Computers. It should also be easy and transparent in the users language, which settings could be useful and there should be either a graphic way or a detailed instruction, how to take them.