This document summarizes the key features and timeline for the upcoming openSUSE 12.2 release. It highlights updates to components like Grub2, the Linux kernel, Plymouth, systemd, udev, Xorg, GCC, and desktop environments. The release candidates are scheduled for August 2nd and 30th with the public release on September 5th. The author is a SUSE engineer who works on booting and installation and participates in openSUSE community forums.

1. openSUSE 12.2 review
Michael Chang
mchang@suse.com

2. Who am I
• Software engineer on SUSE SLE team
• Booting & Installation (x86_64)
Bootloader
BIOS
ACPI
• irc.freenode.net
opensuse-factory, opensuse-tw
id :_mchang
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3. Roadmap
• Thursday, 2 August 2012: openSUSE 12.2 RC 2 release
• Thursday, 30 August 2012: openSUSE 12.2 GM (preliminary)
• Wednesday, 5 September 2012: openSUSE 12.2 Public release
(preliminary)
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4. Grub2 2.00 final
• Default bootloader
• Support most scenarios
• Intelligent proposed settings
• Automatic configuration
• Support legacy and efi boot
• openSUSE themed graphical console
• Serial console
• Failsafe kernel parameters
• Multiboot with other distro & Windows
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5. Kernel 3.4.6
• Big Btrfs improvement (3.3|3.4)
• GPU drivers (3.4)
noveau: Nvidia GeForce 600 'Kepler' (Early support)
radeon: AMD Radeon 7xxx and Trinity APU series
gma500_gfx: Intel GMA500 Medfield
• New X32 ABI: 64-bit mode with 32-bit pointers (3.4)
• x86 CPU driver autoprobing (3.4)
• Verifiable boot path with the device mapper "verity" target (3.4)
• Open vSwitch (3.3)
• Teaming (3.3)
• EFI boot stub (3.3)
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6. Plymouth
• Smooth animated booting
• Better transition from bootloader
• DRM native mode setting
• Flicker-free
• Fully openSUSE themed
• Integration with the Display Managers (KDM/GDM/LightDM)
• Passphrase input for encrypted partition
• Systemd units (service)
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7. systemd v.44
• A lot of fixes comes in 12.2
systemd-analyze crash
pkexec crash
systemd-jornal random crash & memleak fix
systemwide ulimit support
systemwide numlock status support
• More unit (service) integration from other packages
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8. udev 182
• USB auto-suspend enabled for some USB HID
• Support much more model specific hotkey keycodes
• Security fix (VUL-0: libudev using getenv() in suids)
• Some regression fix by missing links in by-path, by-id
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9. Xorg 1.12.3
• Xinput 2.2 (multitouch)
• Smooth scrolling
• NVIDIA binary blob compatible
• Intel driver 2.20.0
enabling new SNA and GLAMOR backend
new UXA bug fixing
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10. GCC 4.7.1
• Fix crash caused by C++ ABI change
• Fix a bunch of broken package build
• Rebuild the entire distribution to catch everything
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11. DE
• Gnome 3.4
• KDE 4.8.2 (default)
• XFCE 4.10
• LXDE
• (Cinnamon)
• (Razor-qt)
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12. Interesting topics on ML
• Secure vs usability
• /usr merge
• CJK default Input method “framework”
• Call for new development model
• UEFI secure boot
• About the Live CDs
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13. Q&A

14. Join us on:
www.opensuse.org
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