News from the LiveCD World
PerformancePC reviews the latest version of Puppy Linux.
Though worthy Linux distributions from Ubuntu and SUSE run very well, they are also rather large collections (though certainly not as bloated as Windows is!) and this has led to the creation of some smaller incarnations like Damn Small Linux and Feather Linux. The best of these lite Linux versions, though, has got to be Puppy Linux, which, in its 2.14 version, shows that it can run very comfortably with the big hounds.
KnoLinux review the Sabayon Linux 3.26 LiveDVD. Lots of screenshots and an installation walkthrough are included.
Linux.com reviews an interesting new LiveCD designed for learning software security.
“The main idea behind DVL,” says Schneider, “was to build up a training system that I could use for my university lectures.” His goal was to design a Linux system that was as vulnerable as possible, to teach topics such as reverse code engineering, buffer overflows, shellcode development, Web exploitation, and SQL injection.
Blogbeebe reviews Knoppix 5.1, included are a few screenshots.
Linux.com reviews the STUX live CD.
STUX is a Slackware/Knoppix-powered live CD with the Morphix-like ability to build a custom ISO. While the combination has high potential, this implementation leaves something to be desired. It’s worth the experience if you enjoy using new distributions, but if you’re looking to replace your current desktop OS, look elsewhere.
Linux Tech Daily reviews the latest Sabayon Linux LiveCD and takes the installer for a spin.
Phoronix has screenshots and a review of the Fedora LiveCD 7 Test 1 Preview
Linux.com has a review of the latest Elive LiveCD.
Elive is a live CD Linux distribution based on Debian that uses the Enlightenment window manager. Elive aims to provide an aesthetically pleasing environment with a full suite of desktop applications that runs efficiently on older systems. Its developers aren’t finished yet, but they’ve come a long way with Elive since the release of 0.3 more than a year ago. This CD shows how beautiful distributions can become without being bloated.
NewsForge reviews the new FreeSBIE 2.0.
Last year the Italian FreeBSD user group, GUFI, rekindled the FreeSBIE project to develop a live CD based on the FreeBSD operating system. After more than four months of development, and an equal number of beta releases, the project released FreesBIE 2.0 this month. Codenamed Clint Eastwood, the live CD is based on the recent FreeBSD 6.2 release, and is an ideal platform to experience BSD and learn how things are done in BSD land.
A great example of how LiveCDs can be used, this programming book comes with an Ubuntu LiveCD with all the code examples and code editors installed and ready to use.
There’s a live CD included so you can boot up Ubuntu Linux and see all the projects – not only view and play with code snippets via the Bluefish programming editor (noticeably superior to the text editor I’ve been using to write my PHP), but also running the final applications off the disc.
EFYTimes has a review of, um, Klaus Knopper, creator of Knoppix.
Knopper is known as the man who can put a system to life without even touching its hard drive. And what makes his efforts notable is the fact that he is a one-man army. He has an infectious sense of humour which I noticed when I met him last year during Asia’s biggest Linux event, LinuxAsia 2006.
Linux.com has a review of the Super Gamer 2 LiveDVD.
I was intrigued when I heard about SuperGamer, a beta live DVD based on PCLinuxOS. The DVD includes, in demo version for the most part, 3-D shooters America’s Army, Doom 3, Postal 2, Cube, Enemy Territory, Nexuiz, Quake 4, Soldier of Fortune, UFO: Alien Invasion, and Wesnoth. Unfortunately, my SuperGamer/PCLinuxOS experience was as bad a Linux experience as I can remember having.
Linux.com has a short review of the latest Knoppix release.
The new year has brought a new release of the Knoppix live CD. Along with the usual updates to application software, the most noticeable change in version 5.1.1 is the inclusion of the Beryl 3-D desktop with the Emerald theming engine.
Tuxmachines.org reviews NimbleX 2007, a recently released lightweight LiveCD.
DistroWatch Weekly has reviews of both the BSD based LiveCD TrueBSD, and the completely free software based gNewSense.
gnuman.com has a review of the security LiveCD INSERT.
ServerWatch brings us an introduction to the recovery LiveCD/DVD/USB/CF/PXE/* which goes by Recovery Is Possible or RIPLinuX.
Recovery is Possible (RIP) sounds like a 12-step program, or some kind of self-help regime. RIP is (yet another) specialized Linux rescue distribution. RIP comes in a number of bootable images: CD/DVD, USB key, Compact Flash, PXE netboot, and even a tiny FreeBSD-based image. You can get a version with X windows, or one without.
Techgage has a review of the soon to be released Sabayon Linux 3.2. Included are many screenshots of this impressive distro.
DistroWatch Weekly takes a look at one of the most visually impressive LiveCDs available.