Wishlist For YaST

From openSUSE

1. Disk Quota in GUI for Users of LDAP etc etc
2. Fast loading and option for rendering windows in the same form
3. Gpedit for Windows Clients
4. .Chm files
5. Add,edit,delete YaST moduals for example add the LDAP server modual from SLES9 to SuSE 10+
6. Manual Log of what YaST has done [See /var/log/YaST2/y2log*, for example].
7. Port YaST say move the hard drive from on PC to another and it still works save reinstalling every time you upgrade your computer, one of the most hated things on Windows [This should work, but you have to be careful to attach the hard disk to the same cable, say primary-controler+master].
8. WebYaST like have an Admin tool over http similar to Webmin.
9. YaST Mobile say boot YaST off a cd to Administrator Redhat/Debian clients etc.
10. Store Shell Commands as a modual in YaST.
11. Faster Apps Loading.
12. Better Games and Multimedia Performance. [Enhanced by module yast2-games-and-multimedia-performance?]
13. Ghost for Linux, say you can Ghost a Windows and Linux machine with Ghost.
14. Make Live DVD of the operating System that you are running.
15. AutoInstaller for Source files.
16. RPM's more options in installing other than File conflicts when you use stuff from older SuSE you want to be able to use it on the newest SuSE or Redhat person moving to SuSE dont want to have the same problem as Win98 and WinXP compatiblity.
17. More than one HDD, say you have a hard drive with 10Gb and a second with 20Gb but you have your OS on the 10GB HDD and want to install stuff on the second hdd you should be able to. [Use the `yast2 disk` and/or modify the partiton-proposal during installation]
18. Remote Controle Modual in YaST graphical and SSH [Try `yast2 remote` and/or `yast2 firewall`]
19. Better Laptop support like WAN etc.
20. Intergrated wireless configuration a little bit like that of Windows and OS X, would be useful to have features such as scanning for wireless networks, profiles for known wireless networks, and of all of the general stuff built right into YaST, it would make the network configuration a lot more "complete". Mandriva has these features built into DrakConf, could br handy to look at for inspiration.
21. Add New Hardware option in YaST like External Modems some times dont get recondnised. [Try `yast2 modem` in this case]
22. New Server for YOU When adding a new server, it should not go to user-defined location, you should be using that button to add a server to the list permanently. [Implemented in 10.1. Online updates are solved differently, just run the online update configuration to setup your online update account and/or `yast2 inst_source` and add the server if you know some.]
23. Simultaneous Downloading for YOU When performing an online update, YaST should be able to download simultaneously from available servers. This should account for multiple installation sources from the same server, and connect to the next, different installation source server. Too often, YOU takes far too long to download all of the updates when high speed connections are available.
24. Posibility to hide downloadable packages When doing a Yast Online update, it would be good to be able to hide packages like NVIDIA graphics driver. An option to later "Show all packages" would enable the viewing of the hidden packages.
25. Yast ldap server module A module with basic ldap server configuration to enable user login and mounting of home directories from a server. (automount can be enabled in the client)

Please visit: "User:XTrez" for more improving SUSE Linux Idea's and comments.

Improving SUSE Linux for Desktop, Network Enviroments, and user friendly use

In this wiki I'll try to explain as best I can about some additions to the SUSE Distro to make it more user friendly, covering many peoples' needs.

How would I know?

I'm a Network Administrator in a Secondary and Primary College. I see the needs of an Operating System for all kinds of people, Department of Education and Training, Teachers, Students, Administrators, General IT sales personnel.

I work in areas with Windows Administration, MAC OS X Administration and Linux Administration. I mainly use SUSE Linux as my home computer (Latest version of openSuSE & SLED 10). I have one business Computer that is forever having SUSE installed. I also emulate SUSE Linux for the IT students at the schools so they can learn environments other than Windows. I also build test servers (Currently Windows 2003 and SLES 10) for IT students to test and configure in a real life situation.

Some of my recommendations about SUSE Linux's future development are as follows:

Machines Used in Testing:

 (Mostly Used)

Intel Celeron 2.0Ghz Gigabyte GA-81848P-G Intel Chipset 512MB RAM 40GB Samsung Hard drive 32MB Nvidia TNT2 Graphics Card

This may not be the best Machine but one of the most common machines used by most home users. To be a good Operating System it should be capable of running on the most minimal Machine with reasonable performance.

AMD Turion 64 512MB RAM ATI Chipset 128bit Radion Mobile X200E 60GB HDD 801.11g Wireless

RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE SUSE LINUX

Most of these recommendations are for the novice, in other words a GUI for easier migration or integration into or from a Windows/MAC environment.

-Performance is vital. Many people judge the Operating System by how fast it can process and by how fast it can start up!

-Routing and Profile: being in a Network with two different subnets you run into problems. With Windows Routing there is no easy step for the novice unless using software like IBM connection Manager. In moving to a Linux Desktop, would it not be great to be able to go into YAST and start a wizard for Routing two networks. Also, it would be nice if it notified you what was currently in use.

For example: One point is Network A and another was Network B. You plug in Network A and it will notify the users what network he or she is connected to, IP address (or location) is entered in Wizard. Also it would be great for Wireless Network A, and ethernet Network B.

-YAST Wizards: should be an option to use or not use Wizards to configure options in YAST. (Great for Novice users), maybe "YAST (BASIC)" and "YAST (ADVANCED)".

-Wireless: has to be some notification of Wireless in range etc.

-Device Management: what Drivers are installed, what are not etc.

-Disk Quota: Much like windows Quota for any folder. For example you wish for folder "Stuff" no be no bigger than 10MB. Also be great in networking environments like schools.

-Description to files and folders: SLED 10 have successfully done this with the notes option even adding a little icon to the document/folder (Great job). Dose that note stay when you backup your information, formate computer and re-apply the documents, or transfer documents to another machine??

-Deb and apt integration: In order to be safe from growing Debian Operating Systems like Ubuntu Linux.

-Read .CHM files

-Compatible with Windows Applications (From MSDOS to Vista) (Mac OS X Leopards attempt), IBM OS/2, and Apple MAC OS/X.

-Backward compatible with previous Linux application (Such as stuff from SUSE 7 to 9.3 etc) (Novice friendly).

-Dependencies can be a pain, what ever happened to all-in-one install files.

-SLED 10 Update of Drivers: Installs updates for the machine. If your a newbie and have a TNT2 and do an update, there goes the Graphics after a reboot due to a wrong driver being installed. (Detection would be handy for future errors like this.)

-Performance: A VMware service in the back ground makes performance decrease a lot (VMware Server).

-Store Own Modules in YaST: Add and remove modules in YaST like plug-ins/

-SLED10: Costomise the all applications, add your own group move around, delete etc.

(MORE COMING SOON)

SLED 10

-In Gnome indicate when something has failed to load and why etc.

-Indicate when something is loading (like Windows Time glass, KDEs jumping jack).

-In Gnome: Add source to YaST on right click, like Actions in KDE etc

-The Notes on files to be portable, so you can view them on another machine, for example, you have just backed up your data and moved to a new machine, the notes are gone :O All the hard work knowing what the files where for is gone :(

-Live Cd/DVD A Live version of the DVD is great for data recovery etc. PowerPC edition would be nice too.

-PowerPC version. + Live Version

-Tell why somehting did not load: Example, If I installed a YaST modual from SLES server and it wouldnt work or a modual from SLES 9 on to SLED 10... Not just an ERROR, and Explaination.

-Mouse over displays NOTES written for the file Similar to KDEs Discription wonce mouse over.

-Adding sources: Unable to create installation source from URL "Location of directory" Detail: invalid path name component "directoy" try again.. Come on, how stupid is this!! This should not happen at all.

-NTFS resizing: During an install of SUSE linux, resizing the NTFS partition fails and resets the setup... Insted of the error = -98338 whats ever, it should give a solution so people dont keep trying it.

-Novell Client: Include the novell client in the installation of SLED :)

-For SLES: Is there Novell ConsoleONE snapins for ZENworks etc.

-Cannot add wallpaper... Will not add Wallpaper from a directory.

-Drop down boxes to inclused "desktop" or the user for easy navigation (Trust me, Teachers have asked).

SUSE 10

I have noticed some proformance issues with Multimedia in SUSE 10. Movies skip, lag loading etc. Has not been tested in SUSE 10.1.

LINUX "What it can learn from Windows, Mac OS X and other Operating Systems":

-Installing Software: Needs to be more user friendly to the customers/users of the Operating System.

-Dependances: At the rate of trying to install something from SUSE Linux 10.1 or 9.3 to SLED 10 or any other Linux OS, you run in to Dependancy problems ALL the time... Where is the backwards compatablity here... Come on, Linux is ment to be the Operating System of the Future!!!! Upgrading every year, isnt the best solution for something that wants to be the top OS. You need backward compatiblity, quickly and Easery.

NEW IDEAs'

- XML: Have kind of like XML/HTML view of folders, where notes are discriptions and the file name is the link.

-Boot Virtual machine: If you have dual-boot system, saving rebooting all the time, install windows for example on one partition and view it as a full fuctional OS on a program like VMware or something similar. Handy, if ou have all your Docos on SUSE and your Mail agent/ConsoleOne/Windows compatible stuff needed for everyday business on the windows side.

-Like Gpedit.msc would be nice for a linux work station.

Thanks

Trevor H

tripytrev@hotmail.com

Note: Please, see the public YaST-Tools project for more information how to contribute to YaST. Since YaST is released under the GPL license, everybody can modify the current modules by their needs or help to create a new one. After that, Build_Service can be used for building RPMs from these sources.