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SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED), formerly Novell Linux Desktop is a desktop-oriented Linux distribution supplied by Novell and targeted at the business market.
The current version is SLED 10, which is developed from a common codebase with SUSE Linux Enterprise Server as well as YaST for installation and configuration. Ximian Desktop is used as the user interface and Novell ZENworks as its update manager. It also includes GNOME 2.12, KDE 3.3, Mozilla Firefox 1.4, Novell Evolution 2.4 and many other popular open source packages as well as some proprietary software such as RealPlayer.
Relationship to Other SUSE Linux Offerings
openSUSE and SUSE Linux Enterprise
Novell offers SUSE Linux under two major branches, openSUSE and SUSE Linux Enterprise. The former, openSUSE, is a freely available, community-oriented distribution project that releases on a comparatively frequent basis and generally uses more recent versions of the various open source projects that it includes. The SUSE Linux Enterprise branch is Novell's commercial edition of SUSE Linux, which Novell releases much less frequently in order to offer long term support more effectively for enterprise production deployments.
Novell typically uses a version of the openSUSE distribution as a basis for creating SUSE Linux Enterprise. For example, SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 was derived from the foundation set by SUSE Linux 10.1 (now known as openSUSE 10.1). Novell states that the reduced number of packages is preferred for enterprise use, whereas general community users generally prefer a less specialized distribution with extensive options.
SUSE Linux Enterprise: Server and Desktop
Within the commercial SUSE Linux Enterprise line, the two major offerings from Novell are SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. Each of these distributions has been selectively pared down to include the open source packages for its specific purpose. For example, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop does not include the Apache Web Server, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server does not include Xgl/Compiz.
Basic Office Workers
Although it has grown a significant community of adherents, desktop Linux generally has not been adopted in the business world. Most distribution vendors usually concentrated on the server side of Linux, where the platform was rapidly becoming adopted. Desktop Linux continued to be focused on technical workstations (mostly CAD, EDA, and software engineering) and "fixed-function" systems (data entry workstations, kiosk, etc.)
With SLED 10, Novell has positioned SLED as a competitor to Microsoft Windows by focusing on meeting the needs for basic office workers. Basic office workers are defined in this context as users who need basic desktop functionality, including an office suite, a collaboration client, a web browser, and instant messaging. Novell attempts to meet these needs by concentrating on making these components very compatible with existing enterprise infrastructure, such as Microsoft Office data files, Microsoft Active Directory, and Microsoft Exchange or Novell GroupWise collaboration systems.
Innovation
Novell's work on SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop brought about several new open source features for Linux desktops.
Desktop Effects
Desktop Effects was built upon Xgl and Compiz to enable a variety of advanced graphical effects in the user interface, such as "application tiling" (similar to Exposé) and a spinning cube that interactively switches between desktops.
Desktop Search
SLED10 includes Desktop Search, built upon the Beagle project.
OpenOffice.org Improvements
Device+Application Support
SLED10 also includes the ability to connect digital cameras and iPods to a computer, and have an appropriate application automatically start when this happens.
Legal MP3 Encoding
Through a partnership with RealNetworks, Novell provides legal MP3 encoding (ripping) using the Helix Banshee.
Recognition
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop earned Novell wide acclaim for producing an extremely polished, mature, and fully functional Linux desktop. At LinuxWorld Expo 2006 in San Francisco, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop won both the Best of Show and Best Desktop Solution awards. InfoWorld subsequently gave it the Technology of the Year award as "Best Linux Desktop" in January 2007(infoworld.com: [http://www.infoworld.com/slideshow/2007/01/29-2007_technology-7.html "SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 Wins Best Linux Desktop" -->.
People
Novell's effort on SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 was led by Nat Friedman, one of the two founders of Ximian. Nat was aided by a host of former Ximian and SUSE hackers, with product manager Guy Lunardi and engineering manager Kelli Frame.
Novell Linux Desktop 9 History
There have been a number of Service Packs (SP's) released for SLED 9. SP1 was released on February 11, 2005 and contained many updates. After that, SP2 was released on August 9, 2005, containing all the released updates and bugfixes since August 2004. SP3 was released on December 22, 2005.
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