Unity Coming to openSUSE After All

Last Winter we got news that Unity was in process of being ported to openSUSE along with several handy indicators. By February it was looking less likely to happen. However, Nelson Marques has announced that Unity 2D packages would indeed be available soon.

For openSUSE users who wish to test the new interface that's getting so much attention, you'll soon have your chance. Once uploaded to GNOME:Ayatana, Marques says he will provide 1-Click packages for the adventurous type. GNOME:Ayatana is one of those extra-project repositories that provide additional software for openSUSE at the openSUSE Build Service. The openSUSE Build Service provides an online mechanism for building packages for openSUSE and other popular distributions. GNOME:Ayatana also sports such software as Empathy, Evolution, Metacity, Banshee, and several Ubuntu Indicators for openSUSE 11.4 and Factory.

Marques' packages feature launcher auto-hide, the workspace selector, and extras such as transparency; but are also showing a few deficits. Right now, icon text in Dash isn't showing up, AppMenu isn't working quite properly yet, and multiple background images aren't supported. Marques is working to correct these and other small niggles before uploading.  No estimate of completion was given, but it's looking pretty good so far.

Unity (3D) is still on Marques' TODO list.