TechNotes: Fixing SuSE 7.3
When Little Problems Get Big

Dennis E. Powell
Friday, November 2, 2001 03:48:16 AM
Those who read this week's .comment column on LinuxPlanet.com learned of the
difficulty that I and some others have encountered in installing, configuring, and using
SuSE Linux 7.3. These problems are not universal, but for a substantial number of users
they render a nonfunctioning or barely functioning system.
As it turns out, at least two significant problems can be relatively easily solved,
even by users who have little Linux experience. A third problem is not a critical issue
but still one for which a solution remains elusive.
The problems are these:
- Difficulty of installation and limited usability on machines using the Matrox G-400
video card and perhaps other cards in the MGA series.
- Unattractive rendering of anti-aliased fonts for video cards that can use them, for
users who choose the KDE desktop.
- An inability to apply the Ext3 journaling filesystem to existing partitions.
The first problem was solved through a suggestion made on the SuSE English-language
mailing list. The second has been solved by a SuSE employee who encountered it while
preparing the Japanese language version of the distribution. The third problem, well,
remains a problem. But because this is Linux, that will probably be sorted out within a
day or two.
Next: The G-400 Issue: Kill that Framebuffer! »