SuSE Linux 9.0 Professional (new version SUSE Linux 9.1 Pro asin: B0000CGTV9)

With its easy-to-use installer, Yast2 (now more user-friendly than ever), provision of the latest stable releases of KDE and Gnome, support for 32 and 64-bit CPUs and a raft of features including a pain-free NTFS partition resizer and new modules to handle the likes of Apache and Samba, there's enough Linux goodness here to suit almost anyone.

Installation from the five-disc set is a dream; Yast2 should pick up all your hardware without a murmur of discontent. In look and feel there's little difference from the 8.2 release. Some new games have been added and the 1.1 version of OpenOffice.org is included, folding in some basic support for Office XP file and template formats for anyone making the leap over to Open Source from the world of Windows.

Winmodems, a perennial pain for Linux adopters, is now auto-detected with stronger support, which should please many who have systems with built-in modems. DSL connections and ISDN lines are now catered for during setup.

A veritable storm of applications is packed into the box, covering subjects from instant messaging through to DVD authoring. There's even a demo version of the professional quality video-editing suite Main Actor for those with an audio-visual bent.

After running SuSE Linux 9.0 for a couple of weeks it becomes obvious that this is the company's strongest release to date. It has a feeling of real quality and Yast2 is now a truly pleasant tool to work with, giving easy, graphical access to many parts of the underlying operating system that have, in the past, been way too scary for many people to venture into. While the Linux purist may shy away from the GUI in favour of a command-line interface, opening up the internals in a way that's clear and easy to navigate can only make the OS more attractive to a wider audience. --Chris Russell

SUSE LINUX 9.0 is based on the Linux kernel 2.4.21. This kernel has been optimized by SUSE and already includes some important features of the next kernel generation 2.6, such as the improved scheduler, ACPI, and ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture). For experimental purposes, SUSE LINUX 9.0 delivers a test version of the next kernel generation 2.6 for technically skilled users.

The installation and configuration tool YaST2 has been expanded by a number of new modules and functions that greatly facilitate administrative operations. For instance, a new YaST module and Samba 2.2.8a enables even inexperienced Linux users to network Linux and Windows hosts in no time. DNS, DHCP, and web servers for the home network can easily be configured by means of graphical dialogs. The YaST network profile manager enables the deployment of your laptop in various networks with different network and hardware configurations. The new XNTP module can be used to synchronize the host with an atomic clock time server.

Apart from the widely-used Internet protocol IPv4, SUSE LINUX 9.0 also supports the next generation IPv6. Apart from the proven Reiser file system, three other journaling file systems are included: ext3, jfs, and XFS. SUSE LINUX 9.0 provides ACL support for (almost) all file systems. Quotas can be used in reiserfs. SUSE Firewall2 can be configured in YaST in order to protect your host from intruders. PGP encryption makes sure only authorized recipients can read your e-mail. Thanks to the crypto file system which saves your data in encrypted form, your data will be protected against unauthorized access even if your laptop is stolen.

The "User Guide" and the "Administration Guide" deliver first-hand Linux know-how in connection with the installation and configuration of your system as well as special issues such as network configuration and security. The "Administration Guide" features new chapters on the LDAP directory service and the Apache web server as well as a revised passage on Samba.