FYI: Gnome vs. SLED10 SP3 with Novell Client

[tbreeden]

If I was running SLED 10 SP2 and considering updating to SLED 11 I wouldn't install SLED 10 SP3 unless I decided that I definitely wasn't going to SLED 11. Why spend the time and go through the hassle of applying a major OS update if you're then going to replace it shortly afterwards?

Anyway, if you do go to SLED 11 I second Malcolm's recommendation to do a clean install. I don't think I've ever installed an major new version of an OS on top of an older version. If I want to update a Mac to a new version of Mac OS X I'll back up any data then do a clean install wiping the disk in the process. If I wanted to update a machine running Vista to Windows 7 I'd wipe it. (Not that I own or am responsible for any machines running Vista.) When I wanted to update all the machines I manage that were running SLED 10 SP 1 to SLED 10 SP 2 I did it by telling them to look at different repos and then install updates, (after having done suitable testing of course), but now I'm updating them from SLED 10 SP 2 to SLED 11 I'm doing clean installs.

I've always been wary of the Novell Client for Linux. If I was using it I would look for evidence that it would definitely continue to work if I updated my machine with a service pack let alone a new major version. IIRC, and maybe I don't, when SLED 10 SP 2 was released there was a considerable delay before the Novell client was updated to work with it. Maybe it's better these days, I haven't looked at it since as I don't actually need it.

Yes, of course you are right about major OS upgrades. I would not dare try updating from XP to Win7 (even if it is "supported" by Microsoft).

The SP2 to SP3 update should have been smooth (and, except for the ncl for linux, appears to have been). In fact, we use Netware now only for iPrint (no more Groupwise and no more Netware file sharing) and I always interact with that via the web, so the Novell Client has been out of sight/out of mind for a while.

However it does seem to work quite well when I do use it. It's a shame, but around here one has to keep under the radar if he wants to set up a non-Windows server.

Tom