News from the LiveCD World
Linux.com reviews Grafpup, and ends up liking this lightweight LiveCD.
What would you get if you were to combine good graphic programs such as the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP), Inkscape, and CinePaint with other open source biggies such as Scribus and Nvu? The answer: Grafpup Linux, a live CD heaven for all graphic designers.
Informit.com has a great overview of Linux LiveCDs. It starts by explaining the different uses of LiveCDs, and overviews many of the popular LiveCDs available today.
And if that wasn’t enough, specialized live distros can run from business card-sized CDs, USB thumb drives, and some that are intended as rescue CDs for virus-ridden PCs. There are even live routers and firewalls in case you want to use an older PC as your main connection to the Internet.
MozillaQuest magazine has part 2 of their Cheat Knoppix 4 to Improve Performance series. This one involves a very large USB flash drive.
All things cool are considered reviews PCLinuxOS and enjoys the friendly interface.
OSDir has screenshots of the new Damn Small Linux.
OSDir has screenshots of the AlienDrive LiveCD.
A new version of Damn Small Linux is out, with severall application changes and some interface improvements.
MozillaQuest Magazine tweaks the performance of Knoppix and lets you know what they did.
As part of the legwork for our stories involving the Knoppix Linux live CD and Live DVD, we gave the Knoppix 4.02 live Linux CD a spin on a somewhat older laptop.
BeOSNews.com tries to install the Zeta LiveCD to a hard drive and learns much in the process.
I’ve been working off-and-on writing a review/overview of the Zeta LiveCD, but one topic in particular kept distracting me: the question of whether or not the demo CD can be installed and run from a hard drive partition.
Linux Gazette’s #122 issues has an article about working with NTFS partitions in Knoppix 4.0.
In spite of having used other fine tools in the past to work through problems, Knoppix has become my toolbox of choice because it gives me an environment I am familiar with, GNU/Linux, and lots and lots of tools.
NewsForge is reporting there is a new LiveCD which allows you to try out Open-Xchange without the need to configure anything.
The Los Angeles Times has a nice writeup on Damn Small Linux.
Apart from being compact and fast, however, DSL Linux may change the way you use your computer. For maximum speed to rehabilitate an old PC, you can install it like any other operating system, directly on your hard drive, either for exclusive use or as an alternative to Windows. You can also start and run it from a mini-CD, even if the host computer has Windows on it. So when you do visit grandma, you can take your DSL Linux with you.
Connected.telegraph has a guide on creating and using BartPE.
ITworld.com has an article about keeping data safe by separating it from the computer’s operating system. Live discs make an appearance.
The other alternative that I keep handy for emergencies, is to boot completely from CD-ROM or DVD.
Kantipur Online has a review of NepaLinux. NepaLinux is aimed at the “common Nepali” looking to use a computer without needing to learn another language.
As desired, NepaLinux can either be booted from its live CD or installed on the hard disk itself. The operating system requires a 64 MB RAM, 2 GB hard disk space and a Pentium II or higher processor, and can co-exist with Windows operating system.
All about Linux has a review of PCLinuxOS 0.92. PCLinuxOS is a nicely made LiveCD and installable distribution that not everyone is aware of yet.
PCLinuxOS is released as a live CD which also can be installed quite easily on to the hard disk.
Amnews.com has a writeup in their tech section about SystemRescueCD and the usefulness it provides.
This week I want to introduce you to one of the most handy tools in my tech box. This handy tool that I am referring to is the free SystemRescueCD. This disk is one of the ultimate tools for a tech to have handy when working on computers.
Slashdot has a little writeup and request for testing from Mediainlinux. Mediainlinux is a LiveCD focused on multimedia developement, and also has a nice Gnome-based Knoppix LiveCD released.
DesktopLinux.com posted an article a few days ago about using a LiveCD as a primary OS, or in other words, never installing. This is something that is increasingly becoming more plausible, as memory prices decrease having a LiveCD load into memory becomes faster in many cases than an installed OS, and as long as you still have some kind of media to write to, you can install apps and save documents without fear of losing them from rebooting.
However, many liveCD distros can be used as a day to day desktop without ever installing them to your hard drive.
ServerWatch has an in-depth article on Bart PE. It’ll let you know what Bart PE is capable of, before spending the time to create your own.
BartPE stands for Bart’s Preinstallation Environment. Currently in version 3.1.3, it was created by Bart Lagerweij, a Dutch programmer, who, for a number of years, has been providing the Windows community with various software packages sharing common purpose: feature-rich operating environment invoked via removable bootable media (e.g., modular and highly customizable CD-Rom Boot Disk).