For a general overview of installing Linux at home, see Installing Linux at Home. For a general overview of installing Linux at work, see Installing Linux at Work.

There are my personal notes about installing OpenSuSE 11.4 on a home computer.

OPENSUSE 11.4 INSTALLATION NOTES

0. Before You Begin
   a. Save your root crontab (with crontab -l) so you won't lose any nightly
      scripts or backup programs you may have installed.
   b. Backup any databases.  With MySQL, use "mysqldump -p db_name > 
      sql_command_file_to_build_db.sql".  With PostgreSQL, use "pg_dumpall >
      output.dat".
   c. Backup /root with tar cfvz root.tgz /root
      Especially important so you can save your SSH keys (in the .ssh
      directory), email inbox and other configuration settings.  It may be a
      good idea to back up /home and /etc as well.
      If /home is a separate directory, most programs attempt to install
      by merging configuration file changes.  You always run the risk of
      ending up with a bad configuration file, especially if you're
      updating across more than one version.  It may be a good idea to
      move of your home directories under another /home folder
      (like /home/ken_old/) prior to attempting an install. Of course,
      do this from the administration (root)  account. Then copy key
      folders back before attempting to start a new program, so it's
      easier to identify bad configuration errors.  For example,
      copy from /home/ken_old/.pidgin to /home/ken/.pidgin, fix the file
      ownership is necessary and start pidgin.  If the new pidgin fails
      with the old configuration in place, delete /home/ken/.pidgin and
      set up pidgin again from scratch.  If successful, you're old settings
      will be intact without having to re-enter all your friends into
      pidgin.


1. Basic OpenSuSE Install

  OpenSuSE 11.3 had a broken network manager for wireless connections.
  I was hopeful to gain wireless access again with 11.4.

   You have the option of a LVM partition install.  For RAID suggestions,
   view my 11.1 install.  For my laptop, I used a non-LVM, non-RAID install.

   This install assumes you chose a Gnome desktop (as opposed to KDE or
   another desktop standard).

   Once you get to the basic desktop, configure your hostname and domain in
   Yast/Network Settings In Control Panel / Screensaver (and Power
   Management ie. by clicking that button in the Screesaver window), change the
   default from an annoying 5 minutes to something greater so you can monitor
   the install more easily.  Change any Compriz effects you desire in Control
   Panel / Desktop Effects (e.g. animations).  Configure Yast / NTP for
   a server (e.g. time.nrc.ca).

   Select additional repositories in Yast / Software Repositories.  You can
   select all the repositories if you wish, though this will slow down
   software updates.  I used Gnome Apps, Education, Games, Packman,
   main repo contrib . Import the new keys.

   Run online update to get the latest basic patches and reboot after it is
   complete.

   a. Command Line Applications

      alpine - popular text-based email reader with POP support in case you
             have problems accessing your email graphically.  Also, easy to
             check your email via ssh. (formerly pine)
      lynx - popular text-based web browser.  Again, useful from the command
             line.  Also useful from ssh.
      nano - text-based editor based on pine mail reader's pico editor. Easy
             alternative to vi
      findutils-locate - for some reason, locate isn't included with OpenSuSE
             but for me is an essential tool for finding files quickly
      bsd-games - includes your daily message with fortune (now hypenated)
      wipe - secure file deletion
      iotop - top for io performance

   b. Command Line Development Tools
      gcc-ada - the software engineering language used in aerospace industry,
             about as powerful as Java
      gcc-java - the GCC Java system
      gcc-c++ - (already there?) the old standard, again, not installed on SuSE by default
      gcc-fortran - (already there?) why not?
      gcc-objc - (already there?) why not?
      java...-openjdk-devel - that is, Sun's Java development tools (the SDK)
      ruby - (already there?) I don't use it but it's good to have it around
      cvs - (already there?) supplanted by Subversion but some people still use it
      git - newer source control
      zoo - an old compression program
      tidy - HTML testing tool
      bsh - bean shell (why not?)
      scala - if desired
      groovy - must be downloaded separately
        unpack in /usr/local
        ln -s your groovy dir groovy
        Add to /etc/profile.local: export PATH="$PATH"":/usr/local/groovy/bin"
   d. Your Desktop
      avant-window-navigator & extra applets - for the OS X look
      gdesklets - for floating news and weather applets (not working in OpenSuSE 11.1 due to a loading problem)
      acroread - Adobe Acrobat PDF reader
      openal-soft-devel - for rss-glx below
      *realplayer - absent
      pidgin (gaim) (already installed) - messenging program
      kino - video editor - is back (absent in 11.2)
      amule - Peer-to-Peer file sharing on the edonkey network
      *Frostwire - GNUtella client
      *vuze (azureus) - popular, easy to use (if slow) bit torrent client
      MozillaThunderbird - an email program (if you get tired of Evolution)
         Thundebird-lightning - calendar program
      - error installing
      celestia - cool 3D space exploration program
      Scribus - desktop publishing
      opera - popular web browser, useful to check your web development work
      unison - computer file synchronization tool (keep your laptop up-to-date)
      *winff - video converter
      xvidcap - video capture of desktop

      Bluetooth or palm sync tools if you need them.

      Misc. Applications
      bibletime - from "education" - online bible reader for publically
      available bibles.  alternatively xiphon (?) for gnome
      games: *ufo2000, ufoai, torcs, smc, xarchon (missing), crossfire/client,
      gnome-video-arcade
      gnome: anjuta, conglomerate, ghex, gnome-applets-brightness (laptops),
      gnome-panel-extras, memprof sound-juicer, compiz-plugins-extra,
      compizconfig-settings-manager, desktop-data-openSUSE-extra,
      gos-wallpapers
      dvd programs: devede, *chaplin, *acetoneiso, dvdinfo
      fonts: sgi-fonts
      laptop: powertop, laptop-mode-tools

   e. Sound and Graphics Development
      There are several programs that have support for some playback or
      encoding standards disabled.  You can either build these programs
      from sources or select an alternate repository (like packman).
      w32codec-all
      liboil
      gstreamer010 (packman version)
      totem (already installed)
      totem-browser-plugin (already installed)
      libdvdcss - if it is legal in your country
         must be installed manually now
         http://download.videolan.org/pub/libdvdcss/last/
      # kaffeine plus mozilla plug-in (packman) - watch DVDs
      # kaffeine-gstreamer (packman) - gstreamer support for kaffeine
      acetoneison2 - image management
      audacity - popular sound editor (e.g. for making podcasts)
      traverso (absent) - another sound editor with different features
      cmus - text-based music player
      easytag
      icecast (maybe I'll get around to configuring it this time) so I can
      listen to music from work
      xmms and audacity - simple winamp-style music players

   f. Desktop Development Tools
      gvim - sometimes you just want to use a graphical vi editor
      ddd - popular front-end to the GCC debugger
      eclipse - No longer in Yast, download from
        www.eclipse.org/downloads/
        unpack in /usr/local
        change file ownership to root:users for all files and directories
        add eclipse to /etc/profile.local: export PATH="$PATH"":/usr/local/eclipse"
        see more at bottom
      kdevelop4 - Linux's most popular development environment
      jogl - 3D Java library to make OpenGL applications
      esvn - desktop interface to Subversion
      mysql-community-server/client - the MySQL database (server)
      postgresql - MySQL's chief rival - client
      postgresql-server - the PostgreSQL database (server)

   g. Web Developer Tools
      amaya - web browser for testing page standards
      flash tools (for work)
      quanta - KDE's web development suite.  When you run Quanta, you may be
        prompted for additional packages like Kompare, KFileReplace,
        KXSLDbg, KImageMapEditor, KLinkStatus and Cervisia.
      kompozer - another web development suite
      php5 - web page embedded scripting language
      php5-mysql - MySQL support for PHP
      phpMyAdmin - handy web interfice to MySQL (perhaps a little redundant)
      pgaccess - GUI access to postgres
      php5-pgsql - Postgres support for PHP
      apache2 - web server
      tomcat6 (for java) - application server
      wine (no winetools?) - run Adobe Flash developer environment or
               Internet Explorer to test your web pages under Linux
      blender - 3D graphics

  h. Building PegaSoft Software
      libopenssl-devel - for databases
      SDL-devel - for building SDL programs (especially for "sdl_config")
      SDL_image-devel - same
      SDL_image (already installed) - SDL image handling library
      libmysqlclient-devel - for building programs accessing MySQL
      postgresql-devel - for building programs accessing PostgreSQL
      SDL_ttf-devel (not needed but...)
      SDL_ttf (may already be installed) - SDL truetype font library*

2. Desktop Setup

   Note: if you are adding side panel bars, be aware that the 3D desktop
   settings overwrite the autohide feature so you won't be able to access
   your icons.  To avoid this, use 3D desktop with show hide buttons
   instead of autohide as a workaround.  Alternatively, go to
   Control Panel / desktop effects /edges and disable left/right edges.
   You may also want to enable shift-switcher initiate on the upper-right
   corner, if you like this application select feature from 11.2.

   If you like green, the Sonar theme looks good.

    a. Avant (OS X -like application bar)
       Start with more apps / utils / avant navigator
       Add Avant to the Gnome control panel sessions tool: Control Center / 
       Startup Applications.

    b. gDesklets
       start with more more apps / utils / gdesklets
       add the desklets you want
       add more desklets from http://www.gdesklets.de/?q=desklet/browse
       Add gdesklets to startup list in Control Center / Startup Applications.

    c. Mail Client
       Evolution:
       re-paste signature from conf
       PGP signing?
       Configure

       Pine (Alpine)
       The name of "Pine", the text email reader, has changed to Alpine due to
       legal/trademark reasons.  "pine" is an alias for "alpine" when starting
       the program.
       To setup pine for SMTP/POP, enter setup / configure:

       SMTP Server (for sending) = your server
       Inbox Path = {your server/ssl/user=ken}INBOX
       Enter setup / signature.  Read conf/signature.txt as the signature.
       User Domain = your domain, e.g. pegasoft.ca

    f. Firefox web browser
       Install Noia, Web Developer, Firebug, Httpfox, Venkman and Sage.
       If you have an old /home, Firefox should still work with all your installed
       themes and extensions.

    g.  ssh keys
        $ ssh-keygen -t rsa

    h. Google software

       Install any Google/Linux software you want, like Picassa or GoogleEarth.

       http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html
       Download 64-bit RPM for OpenSuSE.
       (The next time you run Yast you'll be prompted for Google's key.)

       Picassa photo software.
       http://picasa.google.com/linux/download.html
       Download the SuSE RPM

       Chrome web browser.
       http://www.google.com/chrome/index.html
       However, chromium (the open source version of chrome) is available
       in YaST, so I installed that instead.

    i. Skype (Chat Program)
      Skype from http://www.skype.com/download/skype/linux/
      For 64-bit systems like mine, install libpng12-0-32bit, libqt4-x11-32bit,
      org-x11-libXv-32bit
      yast --install ./skype-2.1....i586.rpm
      Create desktop icon "/usr/bin/skype"
      Add skype to startup list in Gnome control panel session tool.

    j. Wine, IE7 and uTorrent (Windows Emulator)
      Wine is a free Microsoft Windows emulator.  It is useful for web
      developers who want to run Internet Explorer under Linux to test their
      web pages for IE compatibility.  Instructions for Wine under OpenSuSE
      are at http://en.opensuse.org/Wine

        i. winecfg. Run winecfg and ensure Windows XP and sound config works.
           Quit to set default directories

      Run winecfg and ensure sound config works.

      Run winetricks to install Core fonts, gecko, Internet Explorer 7,
      uTorrent and set Windows version to Vista.  You may be prompted for
      various licenses, etc.  "Doesn't support 64-bit architecture."

      Create a desktop launcher for the paths given by winetricks. e.g.:
      wine 'C:Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore'

      Winetricks reported an error with utorrent.  You can still download
      utorrent yourself and run it with the wine command and "/noinstall".

      PlayOnLinux, the Wine game configurer, is similar to winetricks.
      However, it is no longer on the Packman
      site and doesn't work with OpenSuSE 11.3.  It appears to go into
      an infinite loop.  (The site links to Packman for the OpenSuSE
      download, which is obsolete.) However, if they
      get it working, it's written in portable Python: just download and
      install the generic version of from the PlayOnLinux home page and
      unpack it (as root) under /usr/local.  Then create a laucher to
      /usr/local/playonlinux/playonlinux.

      You Don't Know Jack installs and runs perfectly.
      Winamp installs and plays--use classic skin as modern skin doesn't
      refresh properly or show the songs in the task bar.

   k. Silkroad Online and Runes of Magic (Multiplayer Online Games)
     Silkroad and RoM should run on Linux, though you may want to switch
     to a non-3D desktop for better gaming performance.  I didn't install
     them this time around.  However, just download the installers and run
     with wine to install.

   l. Mu torrent (Bit Torrent Program)
      See part i and winetricks.

   m. BibleTime.
     Install sword (libsword) separately.
     Will create ~/.sword directory to install Bible texts.
     Many modern bibles like NIV are not available (probably copyright
     issues).  Can install LXX and KJV for starters.

3. Hardware

   a. Printer - Canon PIXMA MP830

   Turn on printer.
   Leave line blank and search for drivers to get all.
   Chose one of the drivers (e.g. Canon PIXMA MP830...Gutenprint/simple).
   Limited to 600x600 resolution.

   b. Ramdisk /tmp

   Add to /etc/fstab

none                 /tmp                 tmpfs      noexec,nosuid,nodev   1 2

Add option size=xM to set the size to x megabytes

4. Database Configuration
 This assumes a basic database configuration for development on a single
 machine.

 MySQL Configuration
   a. mysql_install_db --user=mysql to create the default MySQL system tables.
   b. Start MySQL with "/etc/init.d/mysql start".
      /etc/init.d/mysql start warning -- can't get hostnames but hostname
      shows for localhost login?
   c. Create the root password.
      /usr/bin/mysqladmin -u root password 'new-password'
   d. /usr/bin/mysql_secure_installation
   e. Create a user account
      grant all privileges on *.* to 'ken'@'localhost' identified by 'password' with grant option;
      Check with "mysql -p" from the ken account.
   f. PHP MySQL support.
      Install optional PHP modules (include MySQL or PGSQL for database
      support).
   g. Restoring databases:
      i. Target machine: drop database db_name ; create database db_name;
      ii. Target machine: mysql -p db_name < sql_command_file_to_build_db.sql
          where the sql file was created with mysql_dump (see above).
   h. Use "chkconfig mysql on" to enable MySQL on startup.

 PostgreSQL Configuration
   a. /etc/init.d/postgresql start will create the database directory and start
      the PostgreSQL server.
   b. Create a user database.  e.g.
      # su -
      $ su - posgres
      $ createdb ken
      $ createuser ken
      Check with "psql ken".
   c. Restoring databases: use "pg_restore output.dat" where output.dat
      was created with pg_dumpall (see above).
   d. Use "chkconfig postgresql on" to enable PostgreSQL on startup.

5. Apache Configuration (Web Server)

 This assumes a basic web server configuration for development on a single
 machine.

   mod_include is disabled by default but it's used for the PegaSoft web site.
   a. Add "Options +Includes" in default-server.conf in the  tag
      in place of "Options None".
   b. Uncomment "AddType text/html .shtml" in mod_mime-defaults.conf
   c. Uncomment "AddOutputFilter INCLUDES .shtml" in mod_mime-defaults.conf
   d. Change .shtml to .html in these two statements since all .html files
      are to be processed by mod_include
   e. Start Apache with /etc/init.d/apache2 start.  To make Apache run on
      boot, use "chkconfig apache2 on" to enable Apache on startup.

6. Open Essential Firewall Ports

  Set the firewall to "external zone" for best protection but opened
  SSH, aMule and Azureus ports.

  TCP 6881 (bit torrent)  8088 (music server) 4662 (amule)
  UDP 6881 (bit torrent) 4672 (amule)


7. SSH Setup

   Add "ClientAliveInterval 300" to the /etc/sshd configuration file to keep
   connections from timing out.

   Change prompt and global variables in /etc/bash.bashrc.local:

# Ken was here --------------------------------------------------------------

# CVS repository string

export CVSROOT="/home/repository/cvs"

# Shell colours

export LS_COLORS="$LS_COLORS""*.dio=00;35:*.ali=00;31:*.o=00;31:*.html=00;33:*.php=00;35"

# Shell prompt

if [ "$LOGNAME" = "root" ] ; then
   PS1='\n\w\n\u@\h \['`/usr/bin/tput smso`'\]#\['`/usr/bin/tput sgr0`'\] ' ; export PS1
else
   PS1='\n\w\n\u@\h \['`/usr/bin/tput smso`'\]$\['`/usr/bin/tput sgr0`'\] ' ; export PS1
fi

8. Restore /root files.
   Login as root and restore root's home directory (/root) using
   tar xfvz root.tgz --keep-newer-files

   Restore the root cron backup scripts with crontab "root.cron" (or whatever
   you saved your crontab file as).

9. Remote Audio Streaming with Icecast and IceS

   Not yet complete.  Assuming it's the same as in my OpenSuSE 11.2 notes.

10. Eclipse

Download eclipse and unpack in /usr/local (i.e. so there is /usr/local/eclipse).
Add /usr/local/eclipse to your path.