What's New with Knoppix
Kyle Rankin
Quinstreet Inc.
What is Knoppix?
A complete Linux distribution that runs directly from a bootable CD-ROM, Knoppix has many uses:
What is Knoppix?
A complete Linux distribution that runs directly from a bootable CD-ROM, Knoppix has many uses:
- Demonstrate Linux
- Portable Linux Distribution
- Install Linux
- System administration
- Rescue disc
- Live CD creation
- Many other uses
What's New in Knoppix (~4.0)
- Dual release: CD and DVD
- Programs
- UnionFS
What's New in Knoppix (~4.0)
- Dual release: CD and DVD
- Programs
- UnionFS!!!
Dual Release: CD and DVD
Dual Release: CD and DVD
Background
Dual Release: CD and DVD
Background
- Knoppix always has been CD-based
- DVDs unofficial up to 4.0
- CD out of space
- CD/DVD dual release announced winter 2004
- 3.9 -- last CD-only release
Dual Release: CD and DVD
Today
Dual Release: CD and DVD
Today
- 4.0 DVD preview released at LinuxTag
- 4.0 Official out RSN (when CD version finished)
- DVD release =~ eleventy billion packages
- UnionFS-enabled for the eleventy billionth and first package
Programs
Programs
Updates
Programs
Updates
- 2.6 kernel by default
- KDE 3.3.2
- OpenOffice 2.0
- Gimp 2.2.7
- Firefox 1.0.4
- Thunderbird 1.0.2
Programs
New Desktop Apps
Programs
New Desktop Apps
- Gnome 2.8.2
- KOffice 1.3.5
- "Gnome Office" (Abiword 2.2.7, Gnumeric 1.4.3, etc)
- Gnucash
- DVD Authoring tools
Programs
Other Apps
Programs
Other Apps
- Apache 1.3.33 and 2.0.54
- PostgreSQL 8.0, MySQL (4.0.24)
- BIND 9
- Blender 2.36
- Wireless utilities
- Kitchen sink
UnionFS
UnionFS
Background
UnionFS
Knoppix pre-UnionFS
UnionFS
Knoppix pre-UnionFS
- Knoppix 3.7 and older
- Most of the filesystem read-only
- /etc, /var, /home in ramdisk (lots of symlinks)
- New packages installed on-the-fly to ~/.dist/
- Big giant HACK
UnionFS
Knoppix with UnionFS
UnionFS
Knoppix with UnionFS
- Starting with Knoppix 3.8
- Ramdisk on top of /
- Write anywhere (UnionFS figures it out)
- Install packages with apt-get, aptitude, synaptic
- Limited by ramdisk
UnionFS
Short Term UnionFS Issues
UnionFS
Short Term UnionFS Issues
- Live software install gone
- Notable affected programs:
- Captive-NTFS
- Nvidia driver
- A few others
- Workarounds available
UnionFS
Knoppix UnionFS Persistence
UnionFS
Knoppix UnionFS Persistence
- Store any changes to disk (usb, hard disk)
- Automatically load at next boot
- Ubiquitous computing
- Automatic encryption available
Conclusion
- Knoppix 4.0 is coming soon
- UnionFS is good
- Get it!
Any Questions?
Other Resources