openSUSE Linux

My primary distribution of choice is openSUSE Linux. Most of my Linux experience has been with openSUSE so most of this site will be for this distribution.

There are three variations of the distribution:

Leap, a “regular-release” version that has a 12 month release cycle;

Tumbleweed which is a rolling release, you get the latest stabilized version as it rolls out and

SUSE Linux Enterprise aimed at businesses and this one is not free. At this time, I use Leap, it is free as I need to ensure system stability and I’m a little slow to accept change. The kernel (core of the operating system) is the same as is used for the Enterprise version so has had more time spent on ensuring its stability.

My primary concern is getting work done, whatever that work may be. A computer is a tool and a toll that needs to work consistently yet remains flexible so, depending on the specific requirements of the computer, I will use Leap or Tumbleweed. As a rule, If I touch the machine every day, I may use Tumbleweed, if it is something that has a specific purpose that I don’t want to touch often, I will use Leap.

openSUSE Basic Installation

Simplified instructions with my recommendations.

Basic Zypper Reference for the Terminal

Basic Usage of Zypper, the package manager for openSUSE in the terminal. This is by no means comprehensive, just boiled down to make easier for the beginner.

openSUSE Breeze Dark Theme

I have more recently became “aware” of the benefits of a more unified appearance in my desktop. As long as my Desktop has been dark, I have been fine with it. After seeing some other distros and how they do a fine job of unifying the theme, I took it upon myself to make the openSUSE Breeze Dark theme for Plasma and GTK toolkits.

openSUSE Breeze Dark Plasma Style

The Breeze Dark Plasma Style is great and looks fantastic in nearly every application I have used. I say nearly because there are some broken GTK applications that don’t play nicely. For any Qt based, built for Plasma application I have used, i am very pleased with how this looks. The only issue I have with the default Breeze Dark Plasma Style is that it uses blue hints and doesn’t have the openSUSE Button logo for the Application Menu.

The easiest way to install the theme, at this point, is to go into the Plasma System Settings, select Plasma Style and select the “Get New Plasma Styles…” button.

openSUSE Breeze Dark Color Scheme for Plasma

Placement path:

~/.local/share/color-schemes/

Alternatively, you can import the file within SystemSettings > Colors then Select Install from File

openSUSE Breeze Color Scheme

Based on the Breeze Color scheme and my openSUSE Breeze Dark color scheme, I have a lighter theme that, combined with the openSUSE Breeze Dark Plasma Style would make for a rather nice openSUSE Themed “Breeze Twilight” look.