For the last few weeks, I've dug deep into the Linux universe, using and testing a new operating system called SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10. Is it a mouthful? Well, just call it Linux Desktop 10, or SLED 10 for techies. Novell's major upgrade from the old Novell Linux Desktop 9 is aimed at taking on Windows Vista in the enterprise market. I am now running the final release on my newly built PC.

I am truly taken with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10. For starters, a very well-thought out and designed "Computer" Menu on the bottom left corner of the desktop includes six default applications, intergrated Beagle search tool, a submenu that allows you to add favorite apps to the Computer Menu, as well as recently used applications and recent documents. To the right on the Computer Menu is another submenu for accessing the Control Center, logging out or locking down the PC as well as the Software Installer for Linux.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is the first to include several applications that put Linux at the front line with Mac OS X and Windows Vista. Helix Banshee is the first legal MP3 player built with the help of Real Networks' Helix foundation. Also, Open Office Novell Edition now supports VBA Macros in Excel spreadsheets so that Excel documents created in Microsoft Excel can now be viewed in Open Office Calc.

But most of all, and my favorite, SUSE Linux Enterprise is also the first Linux distro to include XGL in its release, a new 3D desktop effects environment which allows 3D effects such as wobbling windows while dragging, fading, window transparency and the 3D desktop cube. Another favorite already available on Mac OS X but now on non-Apple platforms is application window tiling should you get lost in numerous open windows.

Beagle is extremely powerful as a desktop search client. You can type in a key word of a file name or words any where in the file, and Beagle will pull up any documents with that keyword, as well as web sites with that keyword that you may have viewed. If you have an e-mail saved you cannot find, Beagle will also pull that saved e-mail up in the Beagle window. Even better, all documents, websites and e-mail names will be displayed in actual preview on the Beagle window instead of a plain icon.

Now, there are still caveats with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10, and some I hope Novell will soon fix. For starters, video codecs are still not included for DVD playback. This proves frustrating for those wanting to use SLED 10 as a multimedia platform. And, SLED 10 is aimed squarely at the enterprise market instead of the individual consumer, and I can only hope that the next version of SUSE Linux 10.1, to be named openSUSE 10.2, will have these features included. The third Novell is working on... commercial applications that will run natively in Linux. Novell is working to partner with Adobe Systems for Linux versions of Photoshop CS and Dreamweaver, since those are the most highly demanded applications for Linux users, according to Novell's customer survey of wanted applications.

Overall, however, this is the best, most professional and polished desktop, with proprietary software (sorry, it's a necessary evil) that I have used to date. Sure, Linspire does give a complete out-of-the-box experience, but Linspire is way behind on many levels.

Good job Novell! Keeping the Linux ball rolling.

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