Knoppix 5.0.1: A solid live DVD
Submitted by srlinuxx on Thu, 11/02/2006 - 04:49.
Debian-based live CD distribution Knoppix is widely known as a distro with excellent hardware detection. The latest 5.0.1 version, released in June, builds upon its legacy and continues to improve.
Knoppix comes in both a CD and a DVD version. For the purpose of a live Linux system, a DVD makes more sense, because there's much more room to fit software -- a whopping 9GB of compressed packages and applications, translating into more than 2,600 titles. The Knoppix 5.0.1 live DVD includes KDE 3.5.2 (the default environment, though it also has GNOME), OpenOffice 2.0.2, KOffice 1.50, Firefox 1.5.0.3, Gaim 1.5.1cvs, GIMP 2.2.11, Thunderbird 1.5.0.2, and hundreds of other packages. You name it and chances are Knoppix has it, with everything running on a 2.6.17 kernel. Not every package comes in the latest version, but because it is Debian-based, Knoppix makes use of the great APT package management system, so upgrading anything is a cinch.
In the changes department, users of older Knoppix releases will appreciate the newer kernel, newer Xorg, even better hardware detection, newer KDE and GNOME, newer (and better) installer, and, generally speaking, newer everything.
(My Thoughts).
Is Knoppix the last word in Debian applications ?
Knopper locked down the v5.0.1 for the ultimate in Debian applications, not caring for the latest kernels(Debian philosophy of kernel independence).
To try it in livecd, you should have a dram of 4 gb for maximum speed and response; even then you have to invoke toram option which is recommanded, putting the rest of the dvd content in hdd(compressed drive).
It is a reference edition so to speak. You have to strip it down to your running version yourself. Great for administrators to program for any institution, and livecd can do troubleshooting in difficult situations.
Unfortunately, Debian is still open sourced applets. Enterprised applications are missing. Perhaps, if Knopper reads this, and will start an enterprise version with distributed database, supply chain software(object technology). ajax type applications, he will achive the last word in Linux.