OpenSuse
The observatory's servers and control computers run on the openSuse distribution of Linux-based software. New systems are built with the 64-bit version 12.2 with xfce4. We install the base DVD with gnome the default user inteface on workstations, and xfce on other hardware. We then add all the options for software development. The prior versions 12.1 with xfce4, and 11.4 with Gnome remain in use on most systems.
During installation:
At the initial splash screen add the boot parameter "nomodeset" if a recent NVidia graphics card or GPU is present.
Add "nomodeset" to the kernel boot parameter list. It is already in failsafe.
Select Gnome as default display on systems with NVidia hardware and otherwise use xfce.
Select almost all packages including PHP, MySQL, and Apache except those clearly not needed.
From openSUSE using YAST:
Remove DVD from source
Update NVidia drivers and kernel if NVidia hardware is present
Reboot and configure display
Perform all updates based on default respositories as needed
Remove annoying pk-update-icon
Include the repository for gnome applications
Include the repository for education
Include the repository for vlc
Use caution with mozilla updates because of flash DRM integration in versions 13.0 and higher
Add findutils-locate
Add dconf-editor
Add lsb
Confirm gfortran
Confirm mysql-community-server
Add apache
Add php and packages
Add gsl and gsl-devel
Add libatlas3 and libatlas3-devel if available in repositories (or build from source as needed)
Add nano
Add timidity
Add audacity
Add celestia (KDE bindings)
Add stellarium
Add galculator
Add gnome-disk-utility
Add gnome-media
Add gnumeric
Add netpbm
Add libnetpbm-devel
Add python-dateutil
Add python-distribute
Add python-distutils-extra
Add python-Distutils2
Add python-cairo-devel
Add python-numpy
Add python-numpy-devel
Add python-qt4
Add libevent-devel
Add fftw3-devel, fftw3-threads, and fftw3-threads-devel
Add xfig
Add ufraw
Add gimp-ufraw
Add gphoto but not gphotofs
Add vlc
Add qiv
Add luvcview
Add openmotif
Add openmotif-devel
Add openmotif-devel-32bit
Add opemotif-libs
Add openmotiv-libs-32bit
Add yasm
Add yasm-devel
Add fltk
Add fltk-devel
Add libpng12-devel
Add libpng14-devel
Add fxload
From source or binaries in /usr/local:
Install nedit from rpm
Install hal from KDE rpm (needed for DRM management with Adobe Flash 11.2)
Install mplayer
Install ds9
Install xpa
Install cfitsio
Install grace (with local FFT modifications for normalization)
Install xephem
Install pyephem (easy_install pyephem)
Install pyfits (easy_install pyfits)
Install scipy
Install astrometry.net
Install swarp
Install sextractor
Install cinepaint if available or if it will build from sources
Install moodle (depends on mysql, apache, and php)
Install bbcp for multi-stream copy between servers if needed (requires port 5031 open).
From local software in /usr/local:
Install AstroImageJ
Install ImageJ
Install Aladin
Install alsvid
Install sidereal
Install xmtel (if needed)
Install xmccd (if needed)
Update /etc
Copy motd
Edit HOSTNAME
Comment out 127.0.0.2 in hosts if it exists
Add entries to /etc/rc.d/boot.local
Add profile.local
Edit /etc/dnsmasq.conf as needed
Edit /etc/sysconfig/locate to run as root
Settings
Configure network as needed for additional cards defined for internal zone
Add masquerade to firewall settings if internal zone present
Start dnsmasq
Desktop
Under Gnome 3 --
Run dconf-editor to set seconds and date on clock
Run gnome-session-properties to delete unwanted process such as network manager on an ifup system
Run nvidia-settings to set display for a system with nvidia hardware