openSUSE Project Releases Major Update

The openSUSE Project, a worldwide project sponsored by Novell, announced today that openSUSE 11.2 is immediately available for download at http://software.opensuse.org. openSUSE is a secure and stable Linux-based operating system that is easy to use and includes everything needed to get started with Linux on the desktop or server. The openSUSE distribution provides the foundation for the award-winning SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell.

What's New in openSUSE 11.2
openSUSE is an excellent Linux distribution not only for experienced Linux users, but also for users who are new to Linux and interested in experiencing the leading edge of open source software. The openSUSE 11.2 release reflects nearly a year of development and features new releases of Firefox, OpenOffice.org, GNOME, KDE, and more than 1,000 open source desktop applications. openSUSE also boasts a full suite of server software, and a rich selection of open source development tools.

Some of the new and interesting features of this release include:

• KDE 4.3, a major update to the KDE platform, which offers improved networking support, and better integration of Firefox and OpenOffice.org with the KDE environment.
• GNOME 2.28, the latest release of the popular GNOME desktop, which includes a brand new theme, improved software update application, improvements in GNOME's Webcam and video application, and new functionality to prepare the GNOME platform for GNOME 3.0 in 2010. This includes a preview release of GNOME 3.0 with GNOME Shell.
• OpenOffice.org 3.1 is a complete office productivity suite compatible with Microsoft Office. This release includes improvements to change tracking and collaboration in Writer, and major enhancements to the drawing application.
• Robust social networking capabilities with the addition of GNOME and KDE microblogging clients that handle multiple social network sites, including Gwibber and Choqok.
• Storage improvements such as the ability to encrypt the entire hard disk for greater data security. Users can also take advantage of the next generation of file systems for Linux with Ext4 or btrfs.
• First technology preview of WebYaST: a Web-based remote administration tool for openSUSE systems that enables simplified maintenance and administration.
• Usability enhancements which include the ability to install GNOME or KDE live media from USB, numerous improvements to make openSUSE 11.2 run better on netbooks, and support for in-place upgrades using Zypper, so users of openSUSE 11.1 can update to 11.2 without running an installer at all.

Availability
The openSUSE 11.2 release reflects the collaboration between Novell and the larger openSUSE contributor community. The release is available immediately in four versions on x86 and x86-64 platforms. openSUSE is free of charge and free to distribute. To join the openSUSE community or download openSUSE 11.2 today, visit http://www.opensuse.org.