Bootable Linux CD to try.

[Phaelon]

If you are feeling ambitious and want to try out Linux but don't have a spare machine to put it on, try This.

What is KNOPPIX�?
KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals. KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it.

Presentations and program sources
Knoppix talk, May 2003 (PDF, German) [screen presentation] [print version]
Knoppix reloaded - Remastering Knoppix, May 2003 (PDF, German) [screen presentation] [exercises]
Slides for the cloop presentation at the Chemnitzer Linux-Tagen 2002 (PDF, German)
From the Attic: First KNOPPIX paper for the Annual Linux Showcase 2000 (English) [HTML] [PDF]
Archive: slides for the presentation at the Annual Linux Showcase 2000 (PDF, English)
Slide updates for the presentations at the IFA 2001 (English) [Postscript] [PDF]
Sources for the special components of the KNOPPIX-CD



What software is installed on the KNOPPIX-CD?
The following Highlights are available in version 3.3 of this Debian-based (www.debian.org) CD:

Linux-Kernel 2.4.x
KDE V3.1 as the standard desktop with K Office and the Konqueror WWW-browser konqueror
X Multimedia System (xmms) an MPEG-video, MP3, Ogg Vorbis Audio player and xine
Internet connection software kppp,pppoeconf (DSL) and isdn-config
Gnu Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) Version 1.2
utilities for data recovery and system repairs, even for other operating systems
network and security analysis tools for network administrators
OpenOffice(TM), the GPL-developed version of the well-known StarOffice(TM) office suite
many programming languages, development tools (including kdevelop) and libraries for developers
in total more than 900 installed software packages with over 2000 executable user programs, utilities, and games

What are the minimum system requirements?

Intel-compatible CPU (i486 or later),
20 MB of RAM for text mode, at least 96 MB for graphics mode with KDE (at least 128 MB of RAM is recommended to use the various office products),
bootable CD-ROM drive, or a boot floppy and standard CD-ROM (IDE/ATAPI or SCSI),
standard SVGA-compatible graphics card,
serial or PS/2 standard mouse or IMPS/2-compatible USB-mouse.

How is KNOPPIX started?
To start the CD, set up the BIOS of your computer to boot off the CD, put the CD in the drive, and power up the computer. If your computer doesn't support this option, you have to use a boot disk. You can create this disk from the image in KNOPPIX/boot.img on the CD. With the KNOPPIX-terminalserver (available from version 3.2 and later), KNOPPIX can also be booted over the network from a computer already running the CD.

Mirrors for download. - http://www.knopper.net/knoppix-mirrors/index-en.html