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Knoppix To Split Into 'Light,' 'Maximum' Versions

Posted by timothy on from the when-they-meet-it's-a-happy-land dept.

prostoalex writes "Everyone's favorite Knoppix project will be split into light and maximum editions, which should end the argument on whether the Live CD operating system should focus on small footprint, or greater support for external applications." From the linked ZDNet article: "'We will split the mainstream edition of Knoppix into two versions: a 'maximum' DVD edition with a complete Debian installation, and a 'light' edition on CD that contains the most popular desktop and server software only, for older computers or smaller systems that don't have a bootable DVD drive yet,' said Knopper."

8 of 225 comments (clear)

  1. Windows Manager by goofyheadedpunk · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm curious, will Fluxbox be on this "light" disk? I ask because the summary says that the most 'popular desktop'. That would be KDE, but light it is not!

    --

    What if the entire Universe were a chrooted environment with everything symlinked from the host?
    1. Re:Windows Manager by jm92956n · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm curious, will Fluxbox be on this "light" disk? I ask because the summary says that the most 'popular desktop'. That would be KDE, but light it is not!

      Pure conjecture, but I expect the light CD would include KDE. I think the light CD will be quite similar to the latest Knoppix release, except with a variety of package updates. The maximum CD should have everything, including the token "kitchen sink"

      It all depends upon your definition of an "older computer." Theirs, I think, is still in the P-III range (650 mhz - 1.8 ghz). Mine, however, is completely different. My primary computer is a Celeron 500 and I don't expect to upgrade any time soon. KDE is painful on my system, but other lightweight WM's run flawlessly. I beleive they're leave the "really eh'fin old" computer segment to distros like Damn Small Linux (which, incidentally, is a heavily stripped down version of Knoppix).

      --
      An effective signature identifies a particular user amongst a base of thousands.
  2. Re:Who? by Olaserov · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can think of two fairly good reasons for always having a Live CD handy.

    First, for those unfortunate incidents in which I screw up a new kernel compilation and lock myself out of my computer.

    Second, for scaring the crap out of my computer teacher -- "What did you do to Windows? What the **** did you do to Windows?!?"

    --
    * Olaserov is in the process of thinking up a signature.
  3. Yes But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is it digitally signed?

    1. Re:Yes But... by anamexis · · Score: 5, Funny

      And thus, the next Slashdot cliche is born.

  4. A note on bloat by Animats · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Operating systems expand to fill the available boot media.

  5. You know, I love this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Microsoft is bitching about how people can't trust code that doesn't belong to them, Homeland security says we can't trust what should be a simple piece of software *by* them...

    meanwhile, Knoppix is a wonderful, portable, safe, stable distribution that can go anywhere you do, and is so easy to use that my 87 year old grandmother who is so frial she can't leave her bed (we've had a hospital bed put in her room for her) can literally boot an old laptop (with DOS 6.2 installed) and use it to email and *even instant message* her grandson (me), who is 300km away.

    And its free.

    If there were *ever* a prime demonstration of what can be accomplished by OSS in action, surely Knoppix is that demonstration.

    P.S. I told my grandmother about the microsoft-flaming-firefox thing... she said (and I quote, verbatim)"Someone should tell those... those... those Microstuff people (shes a little poor of hearing) to smarten up or be quiet."

    Grandma, How I Love You.

  6. Re:Who? by ticktockticktock · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, Knoppix does touch the drive if you have any swap partitions around. For any kind of forensics usage of Knoppix, pass it the "noswap" option.