A Debian ["LiveCD"] is ["Debian"] distro (that contains as much of your software as possible) stored on a bootable [CD-ROM] that can be executed from it, without installation on a hard drive. Nothing is installed, and the system returns to its previous OS once you pop the ["LiveCD"] out.
One can use a ready CD or burn an ["ISOImage"] downloaded from the internet. Because of the large size of the image files many people use a ?download manager and, more actually, ["jigdo"],for this.
Some ["LiveCDs"] come with an installation utility launchable from a desktop icon that can optionally install the system on a hard drive or USB ["keydrive"]. Most ["LiveCDs"] can access too the information on internal and/or external harddrives, diskettes and USB Flash memories (i.e. to store data -home directory- or to be used like rescue systems).
For example, in Dynebolic the nest file is called dynebol.nst and it keeps all your home and settings inside (/home, /etc, /var, /tmp). The available space for your nest is found by dyne:bolic thru your partitions on harddisk or usb storage devices (like usb pens, smartcards or even photo cameras). This approach doesn't requires any change in the data structure of the partitions: just one file is created (dynebol.nst).
Generating Debian LiveCDs
Projects and tools for creating a Debian Live CD from standard Debian packages:
[http://alioth.debian.org/projects/debian-knoppix debian-knoppix] reintegration. Announced [http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2003/debian-devel-200311/msg01501.html here] with an interesting thread following.
NEW: Now experimental knoppix from scratch available! See [here .http://lists.debian.org/debian-custom/2004/07/msg00096.html]
[http://packages.debian.org/stable/utils/bootcd bootcd] debian packages
[http://holbytla.org/fai/ fai-bootcd]
[http://metadistros.hispalinux.es/tiki-index.php?page=Metadistros Hispalinux metadistros Project]
[http://mklivecd.sourceforge.net mklivecd]
Related software:
["jigdo"] [http://www.debian.org/CD/jigdo-cd 1] [http://atterer.net/jigdo 2]
- mkinitrd-cd
- cdbackup
- ["Syslinux"] where the majority of the ["LiveCDs"] are based on.
Mini-LiveCDs
A Mini-["LiveCD"] is a [bootable business card] Linux distribution, this is, small enough to fit on a CD-ROM that has been cut, pressed, or molded to the size and shape of a business card (designed to fit in your wallet or pocket).
Mini-?LiveCds are able to hold about 50 ?"MB".
LiveMove
?LiveMoves are the set of a ["LiveCD"] and a bootfloppy or USB key.
I.e. ["?MandrakeMove"] is a new ?MandrakeSoft product that benefits from a [Mandrake Linux] ["LiveCD"] which doesn't need to be installed to run on a computer, and a USB key that automatically stores ["bootloader"], hardware configuration and personal data.
MoveKey
A ?MoveKey is a linux mini-distribution in a USB ?"keydrive", like ["Flonix"]
VMware
With ?"VMware" you can try a ["LiveCD"] without burn it to a CD or boot the computer.
List of Debian based LiveCDs
- ["Knoppix"] the mother of all ["LiveCDs"]:
- [Damn Small Linux] for a mini-CD.
["Flonix"] fits on a USB ?"keydrive" too.
- clusterKnoppix has openMosix support
- Quantian is a scientific variation of clusterKnoppix
- ["Morphix"].
[wiki:?CD ["GNUstep"] Live] a ["GNUstep"] live CD, http://www.linuks.mine.nu/gnustep/.
- ["Oralux"], a Knoppix-based GNU/Linux distribution for blind or visually impaired people. Its user interface is based on Emacspeak, an audio desktop.
- ["Mepis"]: user-friendly Debian for ["newbie"]s.
- ["Gnobian"] versions:
- ["Gnoppix"]
["?LinEx"]
- Gnome ["Morphix"]