
Specialized Knoppixes for Fun and Profit 198
An anonymous reader writes "The University of Puerto Rico High Performance Computing facility (HPCf) and the Puerto Rico Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (BRIN-PR) are pleased to announce the release of bioknoppix. bioknoppix is a live CD linux, based on KNOPPIX, and specialized to include tools for bioinformatics. bioknoppix does not need to be installed on your computer, making it a perfect tool for workshops and demos. Some of the software included in the 0.3 release: EMBOSS 2.8.0, jemboss, artemis, clustal, Cn3D, ImageJ, BioPython, Rasmol, Bioperl, Bioconductor. For more information please see the bioknoppix home page." Reader
Tussinator wrote in about a new release of ClusterKnoppix.
Hey! (Score:5, Funny)
Sheesh (tm)
Re:Hey! (Score:5, Interesting)
Specialization (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Specialization (Score:5, Insightful)
It is Knoppix plus layers, which remains Debian plus layers, which remains Linux plus layers.
Mod parent up. (Score:5, Informative)
It's all about the apps.
(and a rock solid OS to run the apps on)
Layers (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Specialization (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Specialization (Score:2)
Re:Specialization (Score:5, Insightful)
Well Actually, Linux for travellers might be handy...
A knoppix CD with email software (including MTA), AbiWord, gnumeric Mozilla FireFox and a GIS package, a complement of maps, and GPS and printer support (with autodetection for USB printers).
Just pop it in the drive at your local Web Cafe & plug in your GPS if you have one. Then go about printing custom maps with just those features you want marked, and at the scale you want.
It'd probably be distributed as a different CD for each country (or region of larger countries like Canada, Australia, and Russia) so the maps can fit on the CD.
On that note, does anyone know of an open source GIS package that is friendlier to the casual user (using it a few times a year) like ARCView? Last I tried to use it, GIS GRASS (5.3) was not at all intuitive, and the GRASS 5.7 development appears to be geared towards things other than usability.
I'd really like a GIS for tasks like travel maps, garden planning, etc, and GIS GRASS doesn't fit the bill (I'm sure it's fine for professional geologists & geographers who use it every day).
Linux for Travel (Score:5, Interesting)
I'd love to work with others on this. I have tons of ideas relating to it.
-cp-
Re:Linux for Travel (Score:2)
ArcExplorer is
After April, I might be able to work on an OS GIS project for casual users. My GIS experience is limited to a (upper undergraduate level) course on GIS (for geography students, not Comp-Sci), reading Geographic Inform
Re:Linux for Travel (Score:2)
What is your experience with GIS or geography in general? Very familiar with ArcView 3.x including all the extras, handy with projections and datums and etc. and over 10 years as an exploration geologist. My company has a huge database of GIS.
Most importantly, have you ever seen the source code to any closed source Geographic Information System? Never. Not e
It's already here (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Specialization (Score:5, Interesting)
Also we mostly develop on Linux anyways (scientific stuff), but some of the people who do presentations aren't linux-savy or don't even have Linux on their laptops (can you imagine?!)
None of thinks of each demo disk as a specialized distro, it's just an all-in-one demo disk.
Re:Specialization (Score:2)
It's these kinds of cool specializations that might make linux a bit more popular among schools and businesses. Handing out what is basically a self-branded complete operating system to people to promote your school/business is definitely not something you can do with windows. Hell, you can even hand out a bootable business card
Re:Specialization (Score:2, Informative)
EduKnoppix [unicatt.it]
Gnoppix [gnoppix.org]
NordisKnoppix [broadpark.no]
KnoppMyth [hust.la]
Augustux [zaralinux.org]
Condorux [ourproject.org]
BitDefender [bitdefender.com]
FeatherLinux [berlios.de]
Flonix [osdisc.com]
Overckockix [octeams.com]
Knoppix STD [knoppix-std.org]
Sulix [homelinux.net]
Ah, bootable application CDs (Score:5, Insightful)
Perhaps not the future of software distribution, but a significant part of it, nonetheless.
Here's how to do something similar for Windows! (Score:3, Informative)
Anyway coming back to the topic of how to do this for Windows. Well first of all there is this thing called Windows PE (Pre-installtion Environment) which is basically a Microsoft created bootable Windows CD for computer OEMs. Its basically a very stripped
Re:Ah, bootable application CDs (Score:2)
heh (Score:2, Insightful)
It's alive? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:It's alive? (Score:2, Funny)
I am, tho. I attained sentience a few months ago, evolving from a Counter-Strike bot that googled for new obscenities to shout at people.
I for one welcome our new CS-Playing-GoogleBot-Overlords. Mainly because that's me...
Re:It's alive? (Score:2)
That's Knoppices... (Score:3, Funny)
just what the doctor ordered (Score:5, Interesting)
Knoppix remastering made easy. (Score:5, Informative)
Build it the way you want and burn it!
Don't forget to grab an inexpensive USB memory toy and you have it all!
Re:Knoppix remastering made easy. (Score:3, Informative)
And don't forget to make it look for that inexpensive USB memory by default, so you don't have to type in the "cheat code" every time you book, like you do on the regular Knoppix release.
Going back in time? (Score:5, Insightful)
It seems like this is the concept that is coming back into style here. Optimize a boot-off-CD operating system to be sure that all the applications you need are installed properly, and as soon as you're booted you have everything all set up. It's great for assuring that you know everything that's running on the PC you're working with, and that there's no extra stuff lurking in the background... even if you've never met the PC before.
The amazing thing... (Score:3, Interesting)
Bootable DOS diskettes (not Windows, AFAIK) worked only because there was such a limited range of hardware to support. Typically the games started with a menu ("Sound card?", "Video card?", "Joystick?"). Since Windows went 32-bit, the range and complexity of the hardware we use has exploded. It's almost unimaginable to find an operating system that will correctly autodetect and autoconfigure all the possible combinations of hardware out there.
And yet, this is what
Re:Going back in time? (Score:5, Interesting)
Morphix is modular, and can be adapted with less effort
The base, the Knoppix part contains the kernel, kernel modules, hardware detection, etc. This base is left untouched. You can either a change a mainmod or add lots of minimodules.
The are four basic images [sourceforge.net] to start off with. So making you own LiveCD is much easier.
It even possible to save you files, configuration and setting to the Morphix CD you using, ready for next boot up.
Did I mention the GUI installer ...
Brendan
Re:Going back in time? (Score:2)
Re:Going back in time? (Score:2, Interesting)
Yes even Sun use Morphix, but it a long story [sourceforge.net] . They maybe should have mentioned that they were going/planning/had used Morphix, just to be nice.
But it does show how flexiable it is.
Re:Going back in time? (Score:2)
Want to play a quick round of comanche? Sorry, i dont like emm386 -> reboot, watching the memory because no emm386-> no UMB -> cd-rom-driver would be to big to load, ect..
Im quite happy with the "one system to run all programs"-concept we have now.
plurals (Score:5, Funny)
Re:plurals (Score:3, Funny)
It's Knoppixe (Score:5, Informative)
The "e" is pronounced as a schwa vovel [wikipedia.org]. Plus the "K" is not silent!
Re:plurals (Score:2)
Re:plurals (Score:2)
Re:plurals (Score:3, Funny)
KnoppMyth is cool (Score:5, Informative)
yum yum (Score:2, Funny)
Bioinfomatics Monoculture (Score:5, Funny)
As more and more bioinformatics parties switch to a single biostandard distribution, this leaves bioroom for bioinformatics worms to biospread unchecked.
It's bioestimated that it would take only three biodays for a bioworm to biospread itself enough to bioDDoS an bioinnocent biostandar with as biomany as three biodozen biomachines, bioleaving biotelnet biosomewhat biolaggy.
How about... (Score:4, Interesting)
a new topic(and icon) exclusively for Knoppix ?
Me Too! (Score:2)
Re:Me Too! (Score:2)
If Gimp has one... (Score:3, Insightful)
LiveCDs in the enterprise? (Score:5, Insightful)
Anyone ever consider this?
No. (Score:2)
Re:No. (Score:3, Interesting)
If you have control of the DHCP server, sure. (Or if your area uses static IPs and a KNOPPIX DHCP server won't hurt)
The LiveCD has the advantage that most people in a work environment have the ability to boot their PC from CD. And few people who would care that you're doing that can notice that you're doing it.
I'm in a position--local netadmin of a building in a corporatewide/worldwide network--where I have moderate control over the network and DHCP
Grub KNOPPIX Netboot HOWTO (Score:2)
Well, I can't find the stupid disk. Okay, I'll reconstruct it as best as I can--without testing--from memory, documentation and peeking at KNOPPIX's startup settings:
My menu.lst looked something like this:
Re:Grub KNOPPIX Netboot HOWTO (Score:2)
Here are those two lines again, this time with the pathnames highlighted. Like I say, you may need to adjust the filename, and depending on how KNOPPIX's tftpserver is set up you may need to add
kernel
Re:LiveCDs in the enterprise? (Score:4, Interesting)
Yes. The primary downside being the comparitively slow read times from the CD. Not a big deal for occasional use, but it can get annoying as part of your regular working enviroment.
It works best with tasks where you typically open an app and work in it all day. Spend the money you save on the drive on memory to avoid as much swapping as possible.
It kicks butt for receptionsit and kiosk type use.
KFG
Re:LiveCDs in the enterprise? (Score:2, Funny)
Portability (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Portability (Score:3, Interesting)
Basically, KNOPPIX is a slightly preconfigured Debian system that is cp -a'ed into a cloop filesystem and then a custom init script sets it all up during boot. I think cloop was created for KNOPPIX and not used anywhere else, and I don't know if it's ported or portable to other architectures. There is no make-able source tree for KNOPPIX; the source packages for the various init/setup scripts are available fr [knopper.net]
Lovely ideea, but... (Score:3, Interesting)
Even more, MAYBE you can boot on a Virtual Machine and not need to restart... The only limitation here would be bootup time.
Re:Lovely ideea, but... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Lovely ideea, but... (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.flonix.com/
Re:Lovely ideea, but... (Score:2, Informative)
If you're talking about those little USB-flash memory things like the Sandisk Mini-Cruzer [sandisk.com], that might only work for a while. I've read that these things can wear out [wikipedia.org] after so many writes. You'd be okay for booting, I imagine, but you'd want to avoid having any swap-space set up on the device.
Re:Lovely ideea, but... (Score:3, Informative)
You defintely wouldn't want to use it for swap space (Knoppix et al either don't use swap space or they can use the hard disk if there is one).
However, for small files like configuration of your email client, holding your keys, some documents, flash drives are good for that since that's what they are designed for.
Re:Lovely ideea, but... (Score:2)
I carry a mepis CD, my data on a usb drive. I haven't yet found a networked PC that can not boot from CD in the work environment. I also carry knoppix-std, penguin-sleuth kit and DSL linx on a credit card CD.
I would rather have the USB drive for data, and I keep it fat32 so I can use whatever windows box I am near wh
Where is the source? (Score:2, Interesting)
A shift in paradigm! (Score:3, Interesting)
Of course, this is merely a step towards the ultimate goal of not needing to carry anything or maybe just a small drive, and plugging that in and having instant access.
The point, though, is that this has the potential to make anybody without a laptop a lot more portable.
how about knoppix recovery/security cdroms? (Score:5, Interesting)
Or, how about a knoppix which searches a pc and a network for security vunerabilities? I think phlak linux is supposed to be sort of like that. But phlak linux doesn't work very well.
I would suggest that, by default, such versions boot to command line. If any gui, it should be lightweight, like fluxbox or something. I'm talking about something for pros.
Re:how about knoppix recovery/security cdroms? (Score:3, Informative)
Or how about an anti-spyware/virus CD? (Score:4, Interesting)
Of course, I don't know of any software in Linux that will scan for Windows crapware. {sigh}
Clam AntiVirus (Score:2)
Clam AntiVirus can scan for windows viruses. I don't know about spyware.
Open Source Linux / UNIX Anti Virus [clamav.net]Re:Or how about an anti-spyware/virus CD? (Score:2)
They can and do. I hung on to a SuSE live eval CD for just this purpose. Safest way of looking at a box that was owned and you needed to connect it to the network to save something big.
Some of the services folks would get flushed, think they were clever, and not bother to give a password. SuSE would let me mount the file system and ftp the files to another system - reading NTFS just fine. Might not be able to save the
Re:how about knoppix recovery/security cdroms? (Score:2)
Re:how about knoppix recovery/security cdroms? (Score:2, Informative)
What's the difference? (Score:5, Insightful)
So where is the advance in technology?
Re:What's the difference? (Score:5, Insightful)
So, where is the advance in technology?
Re:What's the difference? (Score:2)
Free porn. At first it was CShow on CGA. Now it's DivX amateur video from your favorite famous people. (I actually found a GIF viewer for my Apple
Oh, games got a little cooler, too. Texturemapped Tetris rocks!
Clippy, the Sound Blaster talking parrot, antialiased fonts and all that crap are for losers. You're right, Appleworks word processer and spreadshe
Re:What's the difference? (Score:2)
Re:What's the difference? (Score:2)
Insightful, NO Trool, YES (Score:2)
Who modded this up as insightful? While Knoppix does by default open the hard drives as read-only (to protect them from an accident from a newbiee), it's easy enough to issue a remount command and have full access to the hard drive if you want it. So a Knoppix CD comes with about 2 Gig of good software on it (in a compressed format that it can run the software
Bio... (Score:5, Funny)
Yes, but can you build biowulf cluster of these ?
This is why Knoppix is cool (Score:3, Insightful)
Along comes Morphix, and that NLP version. It made my eyes pop out. F'ing brilliant.
Now, I'm gobbling up Knoppix distros like candy. I use them desktops and laptops when I want to experiment with Linux and ease my way into the whole thing.
Soon, I'll go dual boot.. and eventually windows will be off all my machines.
It makes it easy for me to get used to Linux.. and my wife to get used to the desktop. I give them to my friends to let them try. I take them to work to let other windows geeks try.
I think this, combined with the awesome GUI's out there, is going to really help Linux in the home.
Re:This is why Knoppix is cool (Score:2)
That's why you install it once and upgrade in place with a tool like apt. You don't need to reinstall linux every 6 months like windows.
Getting to be a crowded market: (Score:5, Informative)
BioBrew [bioinformatics.org]
DNALinux [dnalinux.com]
I'm a developer for one of the above projects. Competition is interesting.
Interesting product (Score:2)
Some students might like the idea of having a linux system at home, just like what they work on with great pleasure at the university. This while not having to fear their windows to be destroyed somehow.
One of the first things at work will be to check out this knoppix edition and see how useful it can get.
A Knoppix I would like (Score:2)
my favorite knoppix distro/varient (Score:2, Informative)
Practically a linux PVR on a bootable CD...
E.
Forensic Utilities (Score:2, Interesting)
I have found the Knoppix STD disc to be of endless utility in conducting forensic examinations. Just haul along Knoppix and a spare HD to stick disc images on and you're set. If you have to conduct an on the spot examination and don't have the luxury of making a drive image, just fire up the hex viewer-I couldn't work with out it. Give a copy a try: The homepage here [knoppix-std.org] can fill you in on everything.
Quantian and others (Score:3, Interesting)
Due to work reasons, I have to use a number of numerical packages, such as Octave [octave.org], GNU R (I don't feel like typing URLs; use google), python, and other stuff (like yacas, maxima, lyx/latex, GRASS...). For these purposes, Quantian [eddelbuettel.com] is a superb Knoppix remaster. With some work files on a USB keyring (or on a website), I have my own personalised desktop to carry around. And I can do OpenMosix as well, should the need arise!
Re:Quantian and others (Score:2)
3.3 and my digital camera, wireless cards, etc (Score:2, Informative)
An alternative... (Score:2, Informative)
Disclaimer: I am one of the authors of DNALinux. The program is free as in GPL.
Re:An alternative... (Score:2)
Bioinformatics progs on CD but Rasmol?! (Score:3, Informative)
Swiss-PdbViewer. It can do a lot of what the molecular visualization programs we actually use to build protein structures (eg O, Xtalview) can do, plus you can use it to generate good-quality images by using POV-Ray.
Another specialization (Score:3, Informative)
KnoppiXMAME (Score:3, Informative)
KnoppixMAME (Score:3, Redundant)
KnoppixMAME [freshmeat.net] is a bootable arcade machine emulator with hardware detection and autoconfiguration. It works automatically on all modern and not-so-modern hardware, including gameports and joysticks. It is powered by Knoppix Debian GNU/Linux, X-MAME, and gxmame.
Re:Slashdotted. (Score:2, Informative)
Re:uhm (Score:2)
Re:uhm (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:uhm (Score:2)
Re:uhm (Score:2)
Re:uhm (Score:2, Insightful)
But as to your specific premise:
You're right, few here will appreciate this distro, even those among the cognoscenti, because some of us work in distinctly different fields. As a physicist or engineer this distro is pretty worthless to me. I have enough intellect, thank you very much, but I am both ignorant and uncaring. It does
Re:Knoppix... now with extra rootkit (Score:2)
Without the information nescesary to verify the problem, it's just libel.