Debian Live n Google SoC

Something to watch for, Google’s Summer of Code is sponsoring a graphical utility to create custom LiveCDs!

My proposal is to construct a graphical user interface that can be used in conjunction with live-helper to build Debian Live systems, allowing editing of existing configurations and including a ‘wizard’-style walkthrough for the first-time user.

Providing less experienced users with the opportunity to easily create live distributions will generate more exposure for live-helper, providing more valuable feedback for its developers and ultimately helping Debian’s image as an extremely flexible and free operating system.

KNOPPIX 5.2 Release Date

KNOPPIX 5.2 has been announced and will probably be showing up on the torrent sites soon, with an official release public release of 5.2.1 coming in April. Some of the major changes are inclusion of the Beryl 3D desktop, NTFS-3G 1.0, and a boatload of virtualization technologies.

As announced on Heise.de, the first special edition of Knoppix 5.2.0 is included in c’t magazines 7/07 issued during CeBIT 2007. This version is only available within the german magazine, plus distributed in limited numbers at CeBIT 2007, Heise-booth in hall 5, and at the booth of Rheinland-Pfalz in hall 9, C39/21. The next public download edition (5.2.1) will be issued as CD and DVD probably in April 2007.

Free Me: a DVD about free culture and free software

Free Software Magazine blogs about a new combination video and Live DVD.

A DVD that comes with lots of great examples of Free Culture which plays in your DVD player, with even more examples when you put it in your computer – including a GNU/Linux Live CD. The idea is simple: help to get the word out about Free Culture, including Free Software, by showing off what’s already been achieved; the thing is, we need your help!

Free Operating System For Blind: Adriane Knoppix

EFYtimes.com is reporting on a new project of Klaus Knopper to make Knoppix accessable to the blind.

It was my first meeting with the couple — Klaus and Adriane Knopper — at LinuxAsia 2007. I had already met Klaus Knopper, the creator of Knoppix, and was pretty much touched by his passion for developing Knoppix. This time he was accompanied by his wife Adriane Knopper who is visually handicapped and helps Klaus in developing Linux for the blind, Adriane Knoppix.

Fourth MEPIS 6.0 beta steps up to a 2.6.17 kernel

DesktopLinux report that the new MEPIS 6.0 beta has LiveUSB support.

As for the USB key support, the MEPIS System Assistant reportedly can now install either the 32 or 64-bit version from a CD to a USB key. According to Woodford, “it will also reformat the key so it will be properly recognized on any machine that can boot from USB key. This should only be done with a high-speed key. Unfortunately the key is incompatible with MacTel firmware, so this will only work on a PC.”

Fedora releases a live CD

Linux.com reports on the new Fedora LiveCD. Included is news about the upcoming graphical installer and possible LiveDVD and LiveUSB versions in the future.

The Fedora community got its first official live CD last month. Based on Fedora Core 6, it shows off the best of what Fedora has to offer. Furthermore, the tools used to put together the CD make creating and maintaining custom Red Hat or Fedora-based live CDs simple.