Review: United Linux 1.0

United?

A close look into the package scope of the United Linux CDs and the functions of the installed system reveals two circumstances: On the one hand, SuSE kept close to the United Linux pre-specifications and components as given in the initial UL whitepaper.

On the other hand United Linux is more or less exactly identical to SuSE Linux Enterprise Server. The UL CDs contain 887 packets , the SLES add-on disk only 87 packages. Of those, 49 are absolutely SuSE-specific binaries, most of which refer to the administration via SuSEs proprietary management tool YaST2. At the end of the day, a United Linux system differs from a generic SuSE server in only 4 percent of all components.

Moreover, already during system installation the notorious SuSE chameleon salutes from he screen with a friendly smile. In the directory tree nearly 90 files and folders containing SuSE in their name can be found. As the three United Linux disks serve as common, identical base for the "powered by United Linux" distributions of all UL companies, the conclusion reads: "United Linux" simply is a friendly paraphrase for "Global SuSE".