SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 
15 SP6 (prerelease)

Release Notes

Abstract

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension is an
enterprise-quality Linux desktop with market-leading usability and
interoperability. This document provides a high-level overview of features,
capabilities, and limitations of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease) and highlights important
product updates.

This product will be released in June 2024. The latest version of these release
notes is always available at https://www.suse.com/releasenotes. Drafts of the
general documentation can be found at https://susedoc.github.io/doc-sle/main.

Publication Date: 2023-10-19, Version: 15.6.20231019

1 About the release notes
2 SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension
3 Modules, Extensions, and Related Products
4 Changes affecting all architectures
5 Installation and Upgrade
6 General Features & Fixes
7 Known Issues & Workarounds
8 Removed and Deprecated Features and Packages
9 Obtaining source code
10 Legal notices
A Changelog for 15 SP6 (prerelease)
    A.1 2023-10-19

1 About the release notes

These Release Notes are identical across all architectures, and the most recent
version is always available online at https://www.suse.com/releasenotes.

Entries are only listed once but they can be referenced in several places if
they are important and belong to more than one section.

Release notes usually only list changes that happened between two subsequent
releases. Certain important entries from the release notes of previous product
versions are repeated. To make these entries easier to identify, they contain a
note to that effect.

However, repeated entries are provided as a courtesy only. Therefore, if you
are skipping one or more service packs, check the release notes of the skipped
service packs as well. If you are only reading the release notes of the current
release, you could miss important changes.

2 SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension is
the market's only enterprise-quality Linux desktop ready for routine business
use. Developed and backed by SUSE, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
Enterprise Workstation Extension provides market-leading usability, seamless
interoperability with existing IT systems, and dozens of essential
applications--all at a fraction of the price of proprietary operating systems.

2.1 Interoperability and Hardware Support

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation
Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease) comes bundled with the latest versions of leading
applications such as LibreOffice office productivity suite, Mozilla Firefox Web
browser, and Evolution e-mail and calendar suite. In addition, it integrates
with Microsoft SharePoint for group collaboration and supports a wide range of
multimedia file formats, wireless and networking standards, and plug-and-play
devices.

Through the latest enhancements in power management and security, SUSE Linux
Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 
(prerelease) also provides an environmentally friendly IT experience (Green IT)
and an error-proof desktop. Finally, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
Enterprise Workstation Extension offers unparalleled flexibility. You can
deploy it on a wide range of thick client devices (including desktops,
notebooks, netbooks, and workstations), on thin client devices, or as a virtual
desktop. By leveraging the power of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
Enterprise Workstation Extension, your business can dramatically reduce costs,
improve end user security and increase workforce productivity.

2.2 What Is New?

2.2.1 General Changes in SLE 15

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15
introduces many innovative changes compared to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/
SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 12. The most important changes are
listed below.

Migration from openSUSE Leap to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
Enterprise Workstation Extension

    Starting with SLE 15, we support migrating from openSUSE Leap 15 to SUSE
    Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15.
    Even if you decide to start out with the free community distribution you
    can later easily upgrade to a distribution with enterprise-class support.

Extended Package Search

    Use the new Zypper command zypper search-packages to search across all SUSE
    repositories available for your product even if they are not yet enabled.
    This functionality makes it easier for administrators and system architects
    to find the software packages needed. To do so, it leverages the SUSE
    Customer Center.

Software Development Kit

    With SLE 15, the Software Development Kit is now integrated into the
    products. Development packages are packaged alongside regular packages. In
    addition, the Development Tools module contains tools for development.

RMT Replaces SMT

    SMT (Subscription Management Tool) has been removed. Instead, RMT
    (Repository Mirroring Tool) now allows mirroring SUSE repositories and
    custom repositories. You can then register systems directly with RMT. In
    environments with tightened security, RMT can also proxy other RMT servers.

2.2.2 Changes in 15 SP6 (prerelease)

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation
Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease) introduces changes compared to SUSE Linux
Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension SP5. The most
important changes are listed below.

Media Changes

    The Unified Installer and Packages DVDs known from SUSE Linux Enterprise
    Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP1 are deprecated
    and have been replaced by the following media:

      ? Online Installation Media: All SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 products can be
        installed with this stand alone media, after entering a registration
        key. The necessary packages are fetched from online repositories only.
        For information about available modules, see Section 3.1, "Modules in
        the SLE 15 SP6 (prerelease) Product Line".

      ? Full Installation Media: All SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
        Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 products can be installed without
        network connection with this media, for offline installation scenarios.
        The media contains all necessary packages. It consists of directories
        with module repositories which need to be added manually as needed. RMT
        (Repository Mirroring Tool) and SUSE Manager provide additional options
        for disconnected or managed installation.

Kernel

    SLE 15 SP6 (prerelease) includes the Linux 5.3 kernel. This new kernel
    release includes upstream features such as 16 million additionally usable
    IPv4 addresses, utilization clamping support in the task scheduler,
    power-efficient userspace waiting with the umwait x86 instructions and many
    more.

2.2.3 Package and module changes in 15 SP6 (prerelease)

The full list of changed packages and modules compared to 15 SP5 can be seen at
these two URLs:

  o https://documentation.suse.com/package-lists/sle/15-SP6/
    package-changes_SLE-15-SP5-GA_SLE-15-SP6-GA.txt

  o https://documentation.suse.com/package-lists/sle/15-SP6/
    module-changes_SLE-15-SP5-GA_SLE-15-SP6-GA.txt

2.3 Important Sections of This Document

If you are upgrading from a previous SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
Enterprise Workstation Extension release, you should review at least the
following sections:

  o Section 2.6, "Support statement for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE
    Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension"

  o Section 5.3, "Upgrade-Related Notes"

  o Section 6, "General Features & Fixes"

2.4 Documentation and other information

2.4.1 Available on the product media

  o Read the READMEs on the media.

  o Get the detailed change log information about a particular package from the
    RPM (where FILENAME.rpm is the name of the RPM):

    rpm --changelog -qp FILENAME.rpm

  o Check the ChangeLog file in the top level of the installation medium for a
    chronological log of all changes made to the updated packages.

  o Find more information in the docu directory of the installation medium of
    SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation
    Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease). This directory includes PDF versions of the
    SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation
    Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease) Installation Quick Start Guide.

2.4.2 Online documentation

  o For the most up-to-date version of the documentation for SUSE Linux
    Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 
    (prerelease), see https://susedoc.github.io/doc-sle/main (draft version).

  o Find a collection of White Papers in the SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE
    Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension Resource Library at https://
    www.suse.com/products/server#resources.

2.5 Support and life cycle

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension is
backed by award-winning support from SUSE, an established technology leader
with a proven history of delivering enterprise-quality support services.

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15
has a 10-year life cycle, with 10 years of General Support. The current version
(SP6) will be fully maintained and supported until 6 months after the release
of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation
Extension 15 SP7.

For more information, check our Support Policy page https://www.suse.com/
support/policy.html.

2.6 Support statement for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise
Workstation Extension

To receive support, you need an appropriate subscription with SUSE. For more
information, see https://www.suse.com/support/programs/subscriptions/?id=
SUSE_Linux_Enterprise_Desktop.

The following definitions apply:

L1

    Problem determination, which means technical support designed to provide
    compatibility information, usage support, ongoing maintenance, information
    gathering and basic troubleshooting using available documentation.

L2

    Problem isolation, which means technical support designed to analyze data,
    reproduce customer problems, isolate problem area and provide a resolution
    for problems not resolved by Level 1 or prepare for Level 3.

L3

    Problem resolution, which means technical support designed to resolve
    problems by engaging engineering to resolve product defects which have been
    identified by Level 2 Support.

For contracted customers and partners, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
Enterprise Workstation Extension is delivered with L3 support for all packages,
except for the following:

  o Technology Previews, see Section 2.7, "Technology Previews"

  o Sound, graphics, fonts and artwork

  o Packages that require an additional customer contract, see Section 2.6.2,
    "Software requiring specific contracts"

  o Some packages shipped as part of the module Workstation Extension are
    L2-supported only

  o Packages with names ending in -devel (containing header files and similar
    developer resources) will only be supported together with their main
    packages.

SUSE will only support the usage of original packages. That is, packages that
are unchanged and not recompiled.

2.6.1 General support

To learn about supported features and limitations, refer to the following
sections in this document:

  o Section 8, "Removed and Deprecated Features and Packages"

  o For supported file systems and virtualization options, see the Release
    Notes of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP6 (prerelease) at https://
    www.suse.com/releasenotes/x86_64/SUSE-SLES/15-SP2.

2.6.2 Software requiring specific contracts

Support for specific packages may require a support contract with a third
party.

2.7 Technology Previews

Technology previews are packages, stacks, or features delivered by SUSE to
provide glimpses into upcoming innovations. Technology previews are included
for your convenience to give you a chance to test new technologies within your
environment. We would appreciate your feedback! If you test a technology
preview, contact your SUSE representative and let them know about your
experience and use cases. Your input is helpful for future development.

Technology previews come with the following limitations:

  o Technology previews are still in development. Therefore, they may be
    functionally incomplete, unstable, or in other ways not suitable for
    production use.

  o Technology previews are not supported.

  o Technology previews may only be available for specific hardware
    architectures. Details and functionality of technology previews are subject
    to change. As a result, upgrading to subsequent releases of a technology
    preview may be impossible and require a fresh installation.

  o Technology previews can be removed from a product at any time. This may be
    the case, for example, if SUSE discovers that a preview does not meet the
    customer or market needs, or does not comply with enterprise standards.

3 Modules, Extensions, and Related Products

This section comprises information about modules and extensions for SUSE Linux
Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 
(prerelease). Modules and extensions add functionality to the system.

Note

Note: Package changes in 15 SP6 (prerelease)

For more information about all package changes since the last version, see
Section 2.2.3, "Package and module changes in 15 SP6 (prerelease)".

3.1 Modules in the SLE 15 SP6 (prerelease) Product Line

The SLE 15 SP6 (prerelease) product line is made up of modules that contain
software packages. Each module has a clearly defined scope. Modules differ in
their life cycles and update timelines.

The modules available within the product line based on SUSE Linux Enterprise
15 SP6 (prerelease) at the release of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux
Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease) are listed in the Modules
and Extensions Quick Start at https://susedoc.github.io/doc-sle/main/html/
SLES-modulesquick/ (draft version).

Not all SLE modules are available with a subscription for SUSE Linux Enterprise
Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease) itself
(see the column Available for).

For information about the availability of individual packages within modules,
see https://scc.suse.com/packages.

3.2 Available Extensions

The following extension which is not covered by SUSE support agreements,
available at no additional cost and without an extra registration key:

  o SUSE Package Hub: https://packagehub.suse.com/

3.3 Derived and Related Products

This sections lists derived and related products. Usually, these products have
their own release notes documents that are available from https://www.suse.com/
releasenotes.

  o SUSE Linux Enterprise Server: https://www.suse.com/products/server

  o SUSE Manager: https://www.suse.com/products/suse-manager

4 Changes affecting all architectures

Information in this section applies to all architectures supported by SUSE
Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 
(prerelease).

5 Installation and Upgrade

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension can
be deployed in several ways:

  o Physical machine

  o Virtual host

  o Virtual machine

  o System containers

  o Application containers

5.1 Installation

This section includes information related to the initial installation of SUSE
Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 
(prerelease).

Important

Important: Installation Documentation

The following release notes contain additional notes regarding the installation
of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension.
However, they do not document the installation procedure itself.

For installation documentation, see the Deployment Guide at https://
susedoc.github.io/doc-sle/main/html/SLED-deployment/ (draft version).

5.2 SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension
now supported in WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

During the initial setup of the SLES app in the Microsoft store, it is now
possible to choose between registering the image as either SUSE Linux
Enterprise Server or SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop.

5.3 Upgrade-Related Notes

This section includes upgrade-related information for SUSE Linux Enterprise
Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease).

Important

Important: Upgrade Documentation

The following release notes contain additional notes regarding the upgrade of
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension.
However, they do not document the upgrade procedure itself.

For upgrade documentation, see the Upgrade Guide at https://susedoc.github.io/
doc-sle/main/html/SLED-upgrade/ (draft version).

5.3.1 Migration failure due to insserv-compat

If insserv-compat is not installed prior to migration and other software has
already created the /etc/rc.d/ directory, the migration fails. As a workaround,
remove the /etc/rc.d/ directory and continue with migration.

5.4 For More Information

For more information, see Section 6, "General Features & Fixes" and the
sections relating to your respective hardware architecture.

6 General Features & Fixes

6.1 Desktop

6.1.1 Evolution confirmation when moving folder

By default, the user is asked to confirm before a folder is moved to another
place. If this is not the case, refer to https://www.suse.com/support/kb/doc/?
id=000020878 to reset the settings.

6.1.2 FTP support stopped

For security reasons Mozilla has removed the default support for clicking on
FTP links in Firefox. You can enable this support by adding
network.gio.supported-protocols=ftp: via the about:config settings. This will
enable desktop support via the GNOME Virtual File System (GVFS). See the GVFS
documentation for all supported protocols.

6.2 Miscellaneous

6.2.1 Enriched system visibility in the SUSE Customer Center (SCC)

SUSE is committed to helping provide better insights into the consumption of
SUSE subscriptions regardless of where they are running or how they are
managed; physical or virtual, on-prem or in the cloud, connected to SCC or
Repository Mirroring Tool (RMT), or managed by SUSE Manager. To help you
identify or filter out systems in SCC that are no longer running or
decommissioned, SUSEConnect now features a daily "ping", which will update
system information automatically.

For more details see the documentation at https://documentation.suse.com/
subscription/suseconnect/single-html/SLE-suseconnect-visibility/.

7 Known Issues & Workarounds

This is a list of known issues for this release.

7.1 Enabling GNOME Session Restore Does Not Work

You can have GNOME restore your previous desktop session when logging in. In
the past, this could be achieved by enabling the dconf entry /org/gnome/
gnome-session/auto-save-session. In GNOME 3.34, the upstream GNOME project
disabled this functionality because it caused issues under newer versions of
systemd. As SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation
Extension uses GNOME 3.34, the functionality cannot be used in SUSE Linux
Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 
(prerelease) anymore.

8 Removed and Deprecated Features and Packages

This section lists features and packages that were removed from SUSE Linux
Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension or will be
removed in upcoming versions.

Note

Note: Package changes in 15 SP6 (prerelease)

For more information about all package changes since the last version, see
Section 2.2.3, "Package and module changes in 15 SP6 (prerelease)".

8.1 Removed Features and Packages

The following features and packages were removed from SUSE Linux Enterprise
Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease).

  o Section 6.1.2, "FTP support stopped"

  o The imgen package, containing Mellanox firmware generator, has been removed
    in SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise Workstation
    Extension 15 SP6 (prerelease).

8.2 Deprecated Features and Packages

The following features and packages are deprecated and will be removed with a
future service pack of SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop/SUSE Linux Enterprise
Workstation Extension.

  o gnome-documents has been deprecated and will be removed from the media in
    the next release

9 Obtaining source code

This SUSE product includes materials licensed to SUSE under the GNU General
Public License (GPL). The GPL requires SUSE to provide the source code that
corresponds to the GPL-licensed material. The source code is available for
download at https://www.suse.com/download/sled/ on Medium 2. For up to three
years after distribution of the SUSE product, upon request, SUSE will mail a
copy of the source code. Send requests by e-mail to sle_source_request@suse.com
. SUSE may charge a reasonable fee to recover distribution costs.

10 Legal notices

SUSE makes no representations or warranties with regard to the contents or use
of this documentation, and specifically disclaims any express or implied
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SUSE reserves the right to revise this publication and to make changes to its
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Further, SUSE makes no representations or warranties with regard to any
software, and specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of
merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, SUSE reserves
the right to make changes to any and all parts of SUSE software, at any time,
without any obligation to notify any person or entity of such changes.

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A Changelog for 15 SP6 (prerelease)

A.1 2023-10-19

A.1.1 New

  o Initial 15 SP6 release

(C) 2023 SUSE

