YaST, a good friend in OpenSUSE

Some time ago I commented that, due to a 'bad maneuver' call also take the shortest way, it had broken the boot of my PC and I could only start my partition from Windows.

You guys gave me tons of solutions but after trying several, the GRUB happy he was still firm with error 13 (and depending on what he did with the SuperGrubDisc, varied to errors 15, 17 and 21).

Finally, I came to the conclusion that the installation problem was not my PC, it was not Windows, not even the partitioning or other issues: the problem was the CD with OpenSUSE 11.0 with which he tried, over and over again, to restore the GRUB.

Luckily, this was solved yesterday with the smooth and flat reinstallation full distro de Linux, Changing KDE by GNOME. I just had to boot after installing to get everything to work on rails.

I think I had also commented to them that, after having used Kubuntu, then Ubuntu, Linux Mint and now SUSE, I have a predilection for the KDE graphical environment (it is truly a personal matter, for many people GNOME environments are more intuitive and similar to Windows).

So now I must start a task not so long nor so arduous to install the graphical environment, the applications and configure, as I like, the desktop.

Imagine if this same task had to be carried out in Windows. Should:
* Install the applications that I want (and hope that they are functional);
* Uninstall the ones that I no longer want (if possible ... after IE we already know that some Windows applications should be left in place);
* Customize the desktop;
* Of course, you will need to restart your computer as many times as necessary :)

How long do you think all of this would take? Yes… quite.

But in OpenSUSE I have a good friend: called YaST. Let's go to the wiki:

YaST (acronym for Yet another Setup Tool, roughly translated as " Yet Another Setup Tool " ) is an application for the openSUSE Linux distribution, as well as the commercial versions of SUSE Linux, which facilitates system administration and software installation. . Its history dates back to the beginning of distribution. YaST, along with SaX, is among the most powerful and user-friendly tools for Linux system administration
.........
In its early days, YaST was closed source but after Novell's purchase of SuSE Linux AG it was released under the GNU GPL license.

Its functions include:

* Administration of super server services (inetd and xinetd)
* Apache web server administration
* Postfix mail server configuration
* User and group management
* Security politics
* Install / uninstall software
* Generic hardware configuration (sound cards, mice, joysticks, video capture cards, disk management, printers, scanners, Bluetooth, network cards, WiFi ...)
* Generate boot disks
* Load manufacturer's driver disks (reads most windows .inf files)
* Advanced system management (sysconfig)

What does this mean? That all the modifications, installations, uninstallations, the handling of package updates and others I will be able to handle in a way centralized using this tool.

Of course, admin or root to make modifications using the YaST (to avoid problems, always remember: when you use Linux, you are fully responsible for the correct or incorrect use of your PC).

Finally, just by logging into YaST as administrator and installing the patterns: KDE4 desktop environment and KDE4 base system, I already have all the applications I need installed IN ONE TIME.

I think I am not wrong in saying that YaST is a strong candidate to become a good friend of mine: razz:. And if not, we can always turn to the console.

And you, What good friend do you have on your Linux distro?