Slashdot Mirror
IBM Using iPod to boot Linux on PCs
Applejack writes "Looks like iPod fever has caught on to Big Blue. IBM has a yet unreleased iPod-based software for rescue, restore, and recovery of failed Windows PCs. I read this description of the software on Amit Singh's blog, whose group at IBM apparently created this stuff. If I understand this correctly (and I think I do), the iPod contains IBM's rescue software along with Linux. A crashed PC boots into Linux from the iPod, after which you get all kinds of rescue & restore functionality ... web browsing and all, even if the PC's drive is totally hosed. All this while the iPod keeps working normally as a music player as it would. The blog has pointers to further information, including a Windows Media demo of the thing. " Should be noted this is not iPod specific; USB devices will do.
This of course is for the home users. For business users, at a nominal fee a powerbook will be provided with backup software.
In other news recent posts to freshmeat indicate that IBM is looking for some 31337 wallpapers for Project Branding....
I'm not so much upset about my liver leaving me. Its really fair enough, I guess. But did it have to take the dog?
Sure, that was modded funny but it can be a serious problem. People can also make more subtle changes that can make recovery impossible. It's also possible for viruses and other malicious software to mess things up. Viruses can also be spread this way. Fortunately they're using Linux so this is less probable.
Yes, I admit this has this has some advantages over a using a bootable CD or DVD for recovery but it also has some pretty serious disadvantages. It's nice to not have to worry about messing up the recovery software.