I've been using smart for quite a while.
I decided to give zypper a try again, and I added the local DVD and the FTP and Updates mirrors.

First, there are no 'openmotif*' packages installed:

turnip:~ # rpm -qa | grep openmotif
turnip:~ # 

Then, zypper wants to install them, but it doesn't say why. Furthermore, it says that it is "downgrading" openmotif22-libs (which is not installed) and installing openmotif22-libs-32bit. 

turnip:~ # zypper up
* Reading repository 'openSUSE-10.3-FTP' cache
* Reading repository 'openSUSE 10.3 DVD' cache
* Reading repository 'openSUSE-10.3 Updates' cache
* Reading installed packages [100%]


The following patch is going to be downgraded:
  openmotif22-libs

The following NEW packages are going to be installed:
  openmotif22-libs openmotif22-libs-32bit

Overall download size: 2.4 M. After the operation, additional 6.0 M will be used.
Continue? [yes/no]:  


Assuming I go ahead and install them, I can remove them without penalty:

turnip:~ # zypper shell
zypper> remove openmotif22-libs
* Reading repository 'openSUSE-10.3-FTP' cache
* Reading repository 'openSUSE 10.3 DVD' cache
* Reading repository 'openSUSE-10.3 Updates' cache
* Reading installed packages [100%]


The following package is going to be REMOVED:
  openmotif22-libs

The following patch is going to be REMOVED:
  openmotif22-libs

After the operation, 3.3 M will be freed.
Continue? [yes/no]: yes
* Removing openmotif22-libs-2.2.4-84.1 [100%]
zypper> remove openmotif22-libs-32bit
* Reading repository 'openSUSE-10.3-FTP' cache
* Reading repository 'openSUSE 10.3 DVD' cache
* Reading repository 'openSUSE-10.3 Updates' cache
* Reading installed packages [100%]


The following package is going to be REMOVED:
  openmotif22-libs-32bit

After the operation, 2.7 M will be freed.
Continue? [yes/no]: yes
* Removing openmotif22-libs-32bit-2.2.4-84.1 [100%]
zypper>                   


And then if I ask (again) what needs to be upgraded....

zypper> up
* Reading repository 'openSUSE-10.3-FTP' cache
* Reading repository 'openSUSE 10.3 DVD' cache
* Reading repository 'openSUSE-10.3 Updates' cache
* Reading installed packages [100%]


The following NEW packages are going to be installed:
  openmotif22-libs openmotif22-libs-32bit

The following NEW patch is going to be installed:
  openmotif22-libs

Overall download size: 2.4 M. After the operation, additional 6.0 M will be used.
Continue? [yes/no]:  




This happens with a BUNCH of packages, not just openmotif22-libs...

samba-client-32bit-3.0.26a-3.5
pam_ldap-32bit-184-49.1
nss_ldap-32bit-257-17.1
xorg-x11-libXp-32bit-7.2-60
xorg-x11-libXmu-32bit-7.2-65
xorg-x11-libXt-32bit-7.2-65
xorg-x11-libXext-32bit-7.2-65
xorg-x11-libX11-32bit-7.2-75
openldap2-client-32bit-2.3.37-20
pam_krb5-32bit-2.2.17-14.1
libxml2-python-2.6.30-4.2
krb5-32bit-1.6.2-22.2
samba-winbind-32bit-3.0.26a-3.5
libxml2-32bit-2.6.30-4.2
libxml2-2.6.30-4.2
libcom_err2-32bit-1.40.2-20.2
xorg-x11-libxcb-32bit-7.2-51.2
libopenssl0_9_8-32bit-0.9.8e-45.5
libiniparser-32bit-2.17-25.1
xorg-x11-libXmu-7.2-65
xorg-x11-libXt-7.2-65
xorg-x11-libXp-7.2-60
xorg-x11-libSM-7.2-58
zlib-32bit-1.2.3-75
xorg-x11-libSM-32bit-7.2-58
xorg-x11-libXext-7.2-65
xorg-x11-libXau-32bit-7.2-54
xorg-x11-libICE-7.2-61
xorg-x11-libICE-32bit-7.2-61
keyutils-libs-32bit-1.2-42
cyrus-sasl-32bit-2.1.22-82