Things to do after a fresh installation of openSUSE 12.1

This guide is a summary of the steps I take to customize a default installation of openSUSE.

This particular guide was rewritten for openSUSE 11.2, but most stuff should be applicable to other versions as well.

first: repos

first, type

# zypper lr -d

• delete source and debug repos and installation dvd repo

zypper rr < number of repo or name of repo or alias of repo>

• add community repo: Packman

zypper ar -f http://packman.inode.at/suse/openSUSE_12.1 packman

In the end you should have the following repos:

# zypper lr --uri
# | Alias                              | Name                               | Enabled | Refresh | URI                                                         
--+------------------------------------+------------------------------------+---------+---------+-------------------------------------------------------------
1 | Updates-for-openSUSE-12.1-12.1-1.4 | Updates for openSUSE 12.1 12.1-1.4 | Yes     | Yes     | http://download.opensuse.org/update/12.1/                   
2 | packman                            | Packman repository (openSUSE_12.1) | Yes     | No      | http://packman.inode.at/suse/openSUSE_12.1                  
3 | repo-non-oss                       | openSUSE-12.1-Non-Oss              | Yes     | Yes     | http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/12.1/repo/non-oss/
4 | repo-oss                           | openSUSE-12.1-Oss                  | Yes     | Yes     | http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/12.1/repo/oss/    

Kernel stuff

Install this stuff now, because sooner or later you will need them. And sometimes the install/compile of a kernel module will fail without these

zypper in -y kernel-source linux-kernel-headers kernel-syms make gcc

utils

zypper in -y mc findutils-locate nmap yakuake krusader chromium clementine vlc unetbootin p7zip krename

For multimedia stuff & codecs:

# zypper in -y flash-player flashplayer-kde4 mplayer ffmpeg a52dec mencoder x264 faac w32codec-all lame kdemultimedia4-thumbnailers

optional:

# zypper in -y gstreamer-0_10-plugins-good xine-browser-plugin swfdec-browser-plugin gxine-browser-plugin gstreamer-0_10-plugins-bad gstreamer-0_10-plugins-ugly mplayerplug-in libxine1-codecs k3b-codecs gstreamer-0_10-ffmpeg

for windows movies in webbrowser:

# zypper in gnome-mplayer gecko-mediaplayer

fonts

To install MS fonts so that LibreOffice documents looks closer to those on my colleagues' screen, execute the following (as root):

zypper in fetchmsttfonts

Language:

zypper in -y ispell-dutch myspell-dutch

If you have installed from liveCD, localization may be missing:

zypper in -y kde4-l10n-nl kde4-l10n-nl-data kde4-l10n-nl-doc

firefox:

• install add-ons: adblock, xmarks
• add 'new tab' button in buttonbar
• configuration:
  • download location always ask, close when ready etc
  • start with blank page
  • do not remember history, suggest from bookmarks
  • search for text when I start typing
  • no check my spelling as I type
  • no check to see if FF is default browser
• ==>install silverlight plugin http://go-mono.com/moonlight-beta/<== maybe not
• type about:config in addressbar and change:
  • network.dns.disableIPv6 -> true
  • create this one: content.notify.backoffcount -> 5
  • also create nglayout.initialpaint.delay -> 0
  • network.http.pipelining true
  • network.http.proxy.pipelining true
  • network.http.pipelining.maxrequests 8

KDE:

• edit /etc/sysconfig/windowmanager and change this option to 'no'

KDE_USE_IPV6="no"

(probably already is)

• taskbar:
  • add system monitor CPU usage widget
  • digital clock: add day of week
• add yast2 and configure desktop to quick start area (next to suse-icon)
• configure desktop - personal settings:
  • region and language: region: dutch. add dutch to languages
  • advanced -> session manager: start KDE with empty session
  • autostart: yakuake konversation pidgin
  • desktop screensaver: random
• desktop: add analogue clock widget
• configure powermanagement
• configure kwin
• configure fonts

Yast2:

• configure NTP settings 194.109.22.18 (XS4All time server) or choose from pool.ntp.org

OOo

• User details
• quickstarter

Printer configuration

• cups printer 192.168.1.1 ++ALWAYS USE IP++