» Project launch: openSUSE Software Portal / Application Manager

Today we had our first/kick-off IRC meeting about the "openSUSE Software Portal / Application Manager" project. Read a description about the project and its goals here: Software_Portal The transcript of the IRC meeting is available here: Software_Portal/Meetings/2007_05_12/transcript The interesting bits are that we're going to have a shot at a brilliant solution for managing application/package installation/update (both from a technical point of view and in terms of ease of use), and that the initiative and the resources come from the community (currently, Justin, Benjamin and I, with sPiN joining for web design and Francis later on).

openSUSE folks, it's time to stop whining, step up and make it happen. If you're interested in joining the project, you're more than welcome, especially if you've got good skills in Java development, web design, artwork design, Python/YCP development, or just ideas, wishes, time, and feel like contributing to the effort. Just get in touch with me or, better, subscribe to the mailing-list and let us know about it.

» Dropping support for 9.3 and removing packages

I've stopped building packages for SUSE 9.3 in my repository as it is EOL since end of April. Also, I've removed basket, smb4k, kompose, qtcurve and krusader as those packages are all available from the KDE:Backports repository in the openSUSE Build Service with the same feature set (i.e. not crippled in any way). So if you're using those applications and were previously fetching the latest releases from my repository, make sure to add the KDE:Backports repository to your favourite package manager. With smart on openSUSE 10.2, that would be (as root):

smart channel --show | grep -qx '\[KDE:Backports\]' \ || smart channel --yes --add \ http://software.opensuse.org/download\ /KDE:/Backports/openSUSE_10.2/KDE:Backports.repo

With zypp (YaST2 without ZMD), do the following (as root):

zypper sl | grep -x '/KDE:/Backports' \ || zypper sa --repo \ http://software.opensuse.org/download\ /KDE:/Backports/openSUSE_10.2/KDE:Backports.repo

» Enable smooth fonts on openSUSE 10.2

Wrote a short howto on opensuse-community to enable subpixel hinting (openSUSE 10.2): http://opensuse-community.org/SubpixelHinting

» Dropping gaim/pidgin 2.0.0, use GNOME:Community instead

As James Ogley has announced that he is maintaining pidgin (= gaim 2.x.x) packages in the GNOME:Community repository, I shall stop building them in my own. If you want to install pidgin 2.0.0 (final), add the GNOME:Community repository to your preferred package manager and upgrade from there. With smart on openSUSE 10.2, that would be (as root):

smart channel --show | grep -qx '\[GNOME:Community\]' \ || smart channel --yes --add \ http://software.opensuse.org/download\ /GNOME:/Community/openSUSE_10.2/GNOME:Community.repo smart update GNOME:Community && smart install pidgin

» US mirror at unixheads.com

Thanks to Scott, there is now a mirror of my package repository in the US: http://guru.unixheads.com/ e.g. for openSUSE 10.2, use the following URL: http://guru.unixheads.com/rpm/10.2/RPMS/

» Stopped building for 9.2

I've stopped building RPMs for SUSE 9.2, and I'll soon stop for 9.3 too as they're both EOL.