PuppyLinux-Series-64

The best thing that happened to me apart from getting into Linux is downloading a copy of Puppy Linux.

Puppy Linux did everything that one needs in less than 100 MiB in its series 4.
It can be loaded into a Flash Drive, external hard disk.

Loaded to the RAM it does amazing things.
In its latest series Puppee has Google chrome and Puppy series 5 has net-serf web browser which is amazingly fast.

Puppy has spawned many other versions Wolfe and Quirk and many more.

SimplyMepis-63

Simply Mepis is one of the distributions I have installed in my laptop and desktop on a regular and permanent basis.
The other is Berry Linux. I must confess that I use them for demonstration of cute little distributions and not for daily work.

(Edited today 15-08-2010)
I think I have touched upon some intuition.
What is written below was before the download of Mepis DVD.
Thanks to Guys and Girls in Mepis for sweeper (which I call a Mind Sweeper).

Making me happy Mepis has introduced a package named Sweeper to clean up the system. It is a welcome I had being waiting for a long time. I had been doing this manually until now even with PCLinux.
This utility should be developed into MinD Sweeper for others to follow.

I use PCLinux (now 2010-01) on daily basis and it does not give any problem because it has the nice habit of deleting unnecessary files in tmp on a regular basis (at boot up) and there is no clutter or clogging due to large log files (large log files that are essential for a server and should not be used obsessively in a desktop).

I of course on a regular basis look at the available memory after three or four downloads and having archived the images delete big files keeping the distribution robust and up to date.

Whereas my wife and daughter who also use two different (both PCLinux-2009) desktops on a regular basis come up to me saying that Linux sucks memory since they download many photos and the like files.

Luckily I have not given them the administrative rights and when things are bad in five minutes I clean up the unnecessary files and get the box running like new.

The cardinal mistakes everybody makes is that, not running the box over 24 hours at least occasionally and to let the Cron jobs run. that do the clean up jobs in servers and desktops.

This is something that Linux desktop developers should look at and develop cron jobs, akin to frequent savings in office utilities.

I think a utility of this nature is essential for laptops.

What they should do is to send a message at random fashion while when the desktop is being used and asking the user whether it is safe to activate the cron jobs (name it the clean up jobs) without compromising the downloading and downloaded files still in the tmp.

Sorry for the diversion but I feel this piece of advice is vital for the newbies.

Coming back to Mepis it is one of the best distributions in a single CD and has everything one needs and sometimes things that are missing in PCLinux.

That is why I use them for some special occasions.

Mepis has a new DVD and bit 32 and 64 versions, I am currently downloading them and write few lines about them soon (having tested them).

Mepis is something one ought to have to get the fresh and Debian feel like Morphis.

Morphix-62

Morphix is something that I downloaded for testing and then completely forgot about it.

I was looking for gamers which Linux even now sadly lacking and this was one of the few that morphed form Debian into a successful distribution way back in 2003 when live CDs were not in vogue and I was immature to Linux.

But it has everything I am (now) looking for.
Debian base and hence stable.
Morphed into modules hence assembling is easy.
It is light weight and boots fast with many options at boot time.

Problem is that it has gone into long five year hibernation.

According to Alex it is in coma.

Thank god he left all 4 versions in various iso sites.

I am going to download all now that without them me writing a review is absurd.

Morphix Team should wake up from slumber and it is a distribution which should not be in the attic.

It has all the virtues.

You know when some body wakes up from a coma it feels very fresh and there is lot of energy left.

My kick-ass mentality is the only way to make one realizes its potential.

I am waiting are you ready.

KDE-61

As I expected and planned preemptively before the download I will fondly name this as the Gorilla Edition.

It is beautiful but like a Gorilla at a dinner party has voracious appetite for RAM.

In my 4 GB RAM in the Laptop (IBM) it took the same time it took to write a DVD (4.3 GB) on my desktop (IBM) with I GB RAM (IBM-1.8 speed).
There is no improvement except the face lift and I prefer the old 2009 version which boots faster both on my Desktop and Laptop.

If one wants to bloat an image (literally and metaphorically) without any addition to the personality this the one that fits!

Sorry guys / girls I could have said something nicer but I cannot cheat myself.

Gorilla in the Dinner Party

Gorilla in the Dinner party is the best analogy, classification wise, I can give to Word 2007 for its craving for RAM when used.

Unfortunately Open Office also fall into this family of Human Computer Descendancy (H.C.D for short).

I thought of using the primate family for classification of X-Windows on desktops and accidentally found bonobo (Linux terminology) was one of our ascendant / descendant primates in evolution.

I am currently downloading KDE 4 and fondly name it as the Gorilla of the X-Windows family of descendants.

I have gibbons, orangutans, chimpanzees to add to the family tree.

1. Bonobo is for Fluxbox.

2. Chimpanzee for xFCE

3. Orangutans for the LXDE (our closest ancestor).

This classification is better that the weight class category of human boxers and I will work on this quietly in my reviews in the future.
I welcome your suggestions for the family tree of descendants.

VLLinux-60

After many tries I mange to find a live version of Vector Linux.
Install versions I downloaded year ago did not live up to the reputation it claimed then finding difficult to configure graphic cards and the lot.I was thinking of writing something of all desktop versions active now but do not have a live version and want to include aLive and VL Linux but the things are moving fast and everybody now realizes of the live version (Zenwalk has only live version and that is almost one year old).

I could not find a live version of Salix.
Thanks guys and girls for thinking about this important product that we can use for promoting Linux globally without having an alliance to only one distribution.

My Motto is to have 100 in the same tradition as 100 fortune companies.
VL Linux has rectified most of its early deficiencies and now can claim its image as a versatile Linux distribution in one CD.
No Open office (K-iffice) a good starting point of convergence with other light weight categories.

KDE but it must produce a lighter version like LXDE.

In fact it has a lighter version which I downloaded today.
It is quite good,
Good work guys and girls.

WattsOS-59

Another Light weight (LXDE) distribution which is fast to boot on old and new computers.It is based on Ubuntu and has a rich repository.
Download and enjoy.

ADLC-58

ADLC is a German Debian based distribution for security and rescue purposes,
It boots on both English and German,
Even if you boot on it has enough English terms to get you around without rebooting.
That was something I liked very much since I am in the process of testing them.
I could find much literature on it by it looks like Xfce or Flusbox (very unlikely) environment.
Boots fast and sleek but I did like the black background (saving ob RAM, though).

Overall good distribution.

ExtiX-57

Based on Paldo, pure, adaptive linux distribution has almost everything one needs in a DVD with only 1.1 GB.
It has Skype and Wine which are value added additions.Boots fast and attractive.

It is for 64 bit Linux desktops and laptops.
Swedish in origin with English version and the installer is different to other distributions.

Good one to have if one is fed up of other distributions.

Fedora-56

Writing or avoiding writing something on Redhat or Fedora was not my intention.

I waited till I have scored, half a century (in short reviews) to write about Fedora.
It is a long story but I cut it short lest you get bored.

My entry into Linux started with Redhat 8.

Then I graduated to Redhat 9.
What was good about Redhat was it's book base.

Every time a new edition came, there was a plethora (pathological term for excessive congestion of blood) of books from little to big.
All those books were the only resources, I had and I never had a proper Linux Guru.
The plethora was a blessing in disguise to me.
Evey time I had a problem I could sort it out by reading a Redhat book.

Then they, the Redhat left me high and dry with the entry of Fedora.

I went up to Fedora 3 and I already had Mandrake installed in parallel with Redhat and decided to give a boot to Redhat and Fedora.

By then I have mastered Debian too (it took almost 6 months for me to come to term with it but it was worth the trouble) and booting Fedora and Redhat out was almost reflex action and automatic, with no regrets.
All the books were thrown to the attic.

Mandrake and Debian are well known for not having books written on them.
Debian, of course, because of its slow release cycles (of change) and the extensive online documentation (only a few access them for information) did not have to bother about the market forces but went on churning out (now over 42 CDs) package after package to boost the online community.

So I followed their progress to Lenny and when Mandrake became Mandriva I was fed up again.

I was left high and dry again.
I knew there were many equally frustrated like me out there.
I only knew that people who go with the market forces will fall with the market forces and I looked for new avenues.

I found an ally, that was PCLinux-2007 (of course Knoppix and Puppy Linux were there for my comfort).
I knew and believed that the next innovation has come to town (also the Flash Drive boot Pendrive Linux).
What happened with Redhat and Mandrake is now the dead past.

I thank them both for their diversion from the original philosophy.
They have given me the freedom of choice, lest I get hooked to any one of them for life.

This time not by market forces but my own choice.

Recent stock market crisis brought on by the greed is a reminder that profit making is not the only goal in life.

The sustainability in the minds of the users, here, there and all over that matters is the golden rule.
Few rich people or a few powerful politicians do not make this world better or make it go forward.

The rich philosophy of course will take us there.

I have already downloaded over 200 Live Distributions.
Picking the fifty (50) or hundred (100) is no mean task.
I have already 53 in the fold and Fedora 13-54 (CD) is also among them.
I suppose that I have made amends with Fedora, the CD I downloaded few days ago is good for any occasion.

Mind you I download every possible Debian both live and install (12 out of the 40 odd series is with me).
Why I do not write anything on Debian is, it is the God Father of Linux, anybody who wants to master should try Debian.

Live Debian is one among many and writing only about Live CD does not do justice to Debian Community!

CalculateLinux-55

Calculate Linux that comes from Russia has several versions.

Xfce distribution is cool, sleek and beautiful.

Like Epidermic it has included all that is necessary for an ordinary installation.
Its heavier version has more utilities but I like the Xfce.

It is Genitoo based and has KDE as X-windows.
Unlike ALT Linux it has better English language support.

Epidemic-54

Epidemic is a Debian based distribution with KDE.
It is a Brazilian based distribution with support for English.
In its (heavy category) 1.7 GB it has incorporated lot of games, scientific and specially DVD editing and presentation packages.
Everything one needs in an installation is there.
It something that you would like to have if you are not interested in adding utilities from the internet after installing.
Its installer is graphic intensive (easy for a newbie).

LinuxConsole-53

LinuxConsole that comes from France is one of the best Linux distribution for Multimedia.
It has several live CDS.
One for old computers with low memory with only 157 MiB.
One for Multimedia with 218 MiB which boots up fast and detects hardware and partitions well.
One Live Cd (2009).

Only difficulty I had was with downloading (it is fast).

The server abruptly terminates the downloading when the single is weak.

QIMO-2-52

QIMO is one that stands out when Linux distribution dedicated for education is brought up for discussion.
It is attractive and kids love it.

ADIOS-6.2-51

ADIOS Linux is a Fedora based Linux distribution slanted for education purposes.
It boots up and connects to internet fast.
However it is not possible to pack enough educational utilities in 700 MiB.
As a distribution it is stable coming from Redhat lineage.
But compared to Qimo Fedora has not produced enough educational utilities.

ToorOS-50

One of the best Genitoo based CDs which comes from Germany.

It has amazingly good throughput.

Like KDE which originally came from Germany (Knoppix included) the Linux guys and girls in Germany are very good and a well organized lot.

Thank to all of them letting the English users (failure of PCLinux-no international throughput) like me in the Asia have the opportunity to use the new developments from EU.

I had reservation on Genitoo Linux but ToorOS completely changed my mind.

Good work guys and girls.

I am waiting for Live CD from you (light weight edition), just like a-Live/ a-Linux!

Orion-49

One of the best Ubuntu based CDs which comes with many utilities that Backtrack has introduced.

It has amazingly good throughput.

Only blemish I found was that the password for live booting was missing.

I contacted the home (It has produced a very good PDF document) and got the details and downloaded the latest image and tested it.

All my earlier irritations (mostly due to poor internet connectivity) disappeared into thin air!
Good work guys and girls.

I am waiting for Live CD from you (light weight edition), just like a-Live, a-Linux!

OpenGEU-48

Another gem coming from Ubuntu family with E17-Enlightenment, X-Windows.
Breaking out of the boring brown Ubuntu it has produced an attractive live CD.
I have tried PCLinux-E17 (not quiet impressed yet) too but I have some reservation.

Both of them should look at Elive (which is the best Enlightenment package for me) and improve the out put of amazing E17.

Elive has a huge fan base due to change of its practice of letting the user uses ( test it) it before sending a donation.
This novel approach has made Linux very, very, user friendly.

Who will by a product without testing?

This is the failure on the part of Mandriva which make the user depend on its services and no feedback is possible.

Every new donation come from a happy Linux user but not from a grumpy user who had used Microsoft before (often a pirated copy)!
I hate pirates!
Mind you this comes from France.

U-lite-Ubuntu-Derivative-47

U-lite gets lot of points from me for its light weight edition, an Ubuntu derivative.
It is fast, sleek and instantly start many utilities on RAM.
On of the best in light weight category coming out of Ubuntu Family.
I have nothing but admiration for it.

aLinux-LiveCD-46

I downloaded at least 4 different aLnux CDs and none of them kept the promise the peanut Linux (small and efficient) from which it originated.
There was a problem with restart to begin with.
Boot loader was inconsistent and could not figure out my complex (not really) partitions at boot time.
I had to re-install my favorite light weight Linux distribution soon after.
I lost interest in it but quiet by accident I found aLive in the bottom of the list of 100 Linux in Distrowatch listing.
Finally aLive (aLinux) has produced a sleek live CD and I was quiet impressed by its performance.
It has packed lot of utilities in 700MiB which is an amazing feat while having KDE as X-windows(Graphic face is very attractive).
They have done lot of original work and what I like most is its packaging of its own creations under a-Linux/ a-Live.

Now I have cleared you from some of the early blemishes (still cannot restart after a session but with a few lines in the start up script one can rectify it- in the next release) you are going to ascend in the listing of Distrowatch in no time.

I am waiting to see your next release!
Good Luck guys and girls.

Mandriva-45

Finally I managed to download a correct MiB iso and test it on my laptop.
It lacks drivers, unlike PCLinux and does not support old hardware and it hangs up on my desktop. It is heavy and lacks games.
It is very slow to boot and configure.
K3B is missing and I prefer its 2007 edition from which it has not improved due to commercial interests, I believe.
I hope I am wrong.
Knoppix 6.2 is thousands time better with many additions including virtual box and games.

ArchOne-for Acer-06-Update

Arch one for Acer has done a good job by switching to Openbox,
By saving lot of MiB it has included Skype and open office.
Unfortunately it is only for the laptop,
I cannot use it on my old IBM desktop.

Knoppix-6.2-44

Knoppix is the best Live CD available for a newbie.
It boots up fast and now I am writing this for everybody to see.
It can be mounted on a Flash drive.
Unlike old editions it can be mounted on the hard drive too.
If you decide to mount it on your hard drive make sure that you have saved all your important files!
It has virtual box and can mount other operating systems if one wishes.
The memory for the virtual box can be allocated depending on the system's availability. I am one who does not fancy this scenario. It is far better to dual boot rather than taxing the resources one has (RAM).
Well done boys and girls!

Paldo-43

Pure adaptable Linux distribution, Paldo is one for the savvy.
It takes over 900 points in my scale of points.It has gparted, root and administrative functions that are basic needs of a Linux distribution, if one wants to delve into inner workings of Linux.

It has taken an innovative approach.
ScentLinux a derivative of Paldo is not a live CD but installable.

Try both and enjoy Linux.

I am looking for it's next innovation.

Zenwalk-42

Zenwalk is a derivative of Slackware which has organized itself like a Zen Master in meditation, rigid in discipline and conduct of its affairs.

I was waiting for its next release (2010 Live CD) but it never came and I have to preempt and write something now before I forget to include it in my 100 Linux live CDs.
It is of the mold of PCLinux, innovative in one sense and conservative in another sense.

It's live CD is xfce based has everything except installation script.

It has proprietary drivers in stock and works with both old and new computers.

It has Core CD, Standard Cd, Live CD, Zencafe, a new edition and several updates of its install CD and an open box version.
It is light weight, fast to boot and connect to internet instantly and it's home page is excellent.

It has all the ingredients I look for and is stable.

If I was not hooked to PCLinux this would have been my first choice.
Please read it's reviews (from user base) before you decide on it or believe me.
Please also give a donation and I hope they come out with a Live CD with install option for me to try, soon.

Well done!

Chakra-07-Update

Chacra has done a good job and has taken away black scrreen and has introduced the light KDE desktop.
Boots up quickly and connect to web without a hassel.
It has Avahi and Konquer which probaly has saved lot of MiBs.
K3b is a value added doisk burner.
The installer is still in black screen, probaly to save Mib but would make a newbie nervous and me somewhat blind.
This is the same critisism I (black screen) I leveled against it (Dark and black background) but Chacra has come of age and it has everything a savvy needs.

Thanks guys / girls.

We must offer generous donations if we care them to survive in the long run.
This writing was done live Chakra booted and running without any stain on my RAM.
They have included a neat script with passwords which is admirable.
By the way I downloaded Orion (ubuntu derivative) with 1.3 Gb and could not mount it.
There is no hint of the password for alpha in its release or documentation.
In a hurry for the release most developers forget simple things.

Thanks for including the password script which others should emulate.
There are no colour fonts since I am working live CD on RAM.

RIP-Linux-41

Recovery is Possible is the mission of R.I.P. Linux and stands true to it's name.

All the utilities packed in its 100 MiB Live CD is something a Linux savvy should have in his pocket Live CD.

I have not tested any of the utilities since my PCLinux 2010 does not give any headaches in spite of 200 odd downloads and the daily use and testing of other Linux distributions.
It is something a Microsoft guy should have to solve Microsoft's problems including many viruses.

It's release cycle is fast and updates come by the minute.

It rivals only the Damn Small Linux = DSL (which of course is Debian based and have very slow release cycles) which I use when I am in any trouble.

Well done!

Ylmf-ChineseOS-40

I had some difficulty downloading this partly due to the server (parent) problem and partly due to Telecoms inability to provide uninterrupted service.
Chinese developers have done a good job and hope they provide us a good server and updates.
it is Debain based and attractive adding Google services.

ChameleonOS-39

Mandriva,then Unity and now the next derivative lives up to its name chameleon changes its skin colour faster than it promises in its announcement.
What it has done with 500 MiB is an excellent achievement,

This is an eye candy distribution even an apple convert might enjoy.

Like PCLinux-2007 it should develop its own repository and its own community to support.No wonder it will give a healthy competition to PCLinux and a headache or two.

It should have at least 4 versions and like Netrunner2 (Mixture of KDE and Genome but heavy) take few of the Gnome packages into its armory but should not get loaded like the Netrunner2 (do not bloat it).

Make it slim and beautiful that's where LXDE is a good candidate for a different flavour.

Well done guys and girls and develop your home site accordingly to attract new fans.

I am going to be one of your fans.

Service Providers or Consumers?

I am writing this under a tube (fluorescence) light which is flickering incessantly (with a small diode light illuminating my keyboard, without which I cannot vent my feelings-which I bought in Singapore -two for the price of one).

It takes twice (may be thrice) the time to type this since, like the flickering light I am making spelling mistakes one after the other.

This is a typical day in my life quiet frustrated but letting my anger disappear with the touch of the key board buttons.

I am not a touch typist (I was never) so with very poor light my eye not focusing on the keys I am making mistakes after mistakes. Thank god the spell checker is there with the touch of the button, even then I type tenants for tenet and price for prize, career for carrier and vice versa (One day, I will post one without correcting any keyboard mistakes for posterity and I am sure I will be nominated for a writing prize by the English experts brought in from India to teach our teachers English).

I am one who was brought up with the zero error /defect principle, strictly by the old code of conduct, these irritations would have made me neurotic by the minute.

I am sane now and always (with or without elections and with or without Kings and Queens-Card Pack- Buruwa- Mentality) because I practice this moment meditation (nothing to do with Buddhist meditation) and attend to the task at hand not one before or not one that has not yet come from my young age (without me consciously knowing the scenario then but quiet cognizant of the fact with advancing age and the practice of insight meditation).

So nothing disturbs my inner peace or joy but overtly presenting myself to all and sundry, boring, ignorant and man without substance for my own safety-THIS IS ALSO FOR MY INNER PEACE-mediocre questions drives me nuts though).

The flickering low voltage luminance for me is the driving energy to put some thoughts into words. I should have done / written this ages ago but never too late should be the guiding principle and the angles' message (that disappeared from this land of opportunities).

Weekends heralds disaster for me.

That is because the IT industry (Telecoms) keeps me up in the night.

Even now I am keeping my eye on the flicker / blinker of the router to see whether it is shaking hand with the server or not.

1. IT and Telecoms

Now I will start with the Telecoms, then go to Water Board, Electricity Board, Highway and the Municipality to illustrate how the zero defect principle should operate in this country.

Even though, Telecoms promises so many KBs or Mega Bites for a second, the throughput is never what they promise, it is way below the mark.

Often 10 or 15 instead of 50 or 200 they promise.

The Microsoft computers cannot measure the throughput but my Linux box does accurate measure of downloads and their speeds.

Currently it is 25 KB per second and below and almost two thirds of the country is in deep sleep now and / or not using a computer.

How come?

Who is responsible for it?

Not only that it goes to zero after midnight.

The guys / girls working in the night are very nice and moment I give them a call they put me on line.

Problem is the directors and top managers who have no understanding of IT are taking the perks from the coffers but doing nothing to run a zero defect industry.

They do not have a business plan or management skills.

They are all political appointees!

No wetting no appraisal or scrutiny!



2. Water Board

To me the most corrupt institution from President Premadasa's time.

I will not talk about late Mr. Premadasa.

I have more respect for him now than then except highlighting his blemishes in the Water Management in Kandy,

Only after his demise (I was away abroad but fully involved) I got involved with few of my friends who were engineers and got the Nilambe Project come into existence with the help of President Wijetunge.

Now what happens?

The guys who came after the Project was commissioned are having a whale of a time.

They divert the water to Kandy meant for the people of the project to please the politicians who frequent Kandy to invoke blessing for themselves (not the voters who voted them in).

Water Board is fully politicized!

3. Electricity Board

Flickering lights is not the only manifestation. I have to get up many a times to switch on / off the computer.

Mind you I have downloaded over 200 Linux distributions in spite this handicap.

Since, I am intending to write a review on hundred (after seen the 2010 updates) distributions I still have to download many.

Watching the flicker of the router has become a hobby (not watching any more of Sir-Lankan Cricket).

Just browse the BBC sports for Indian scores though!

Our Electricity Board cannot provide standard constant voltage supply 24 hours a day and I have lost so many valuable equipments worth millions in current value including computers and microwave ovens over the last two decades and I have stopped buying new ones any more.

If this happened abroad I would have sued.

A lady in UK won millions of worth of compensation for a faulty milk bottle with pieces of glasses or something similar.

What about Sir-Lanka ? Yes Sir Lanka

A bottled mineral water with a condom inside was hushed up!


4. Kandy Municipal (Kunu Mawana / Kawana) Council

It cannot provide safe breathing air (see my writing on Warning Inland Fish Eaters) and come Perehara cats and dogs are provided as delicacies.

5. Highway!

Come and see for yourselves during the Perehara to see the side roads where politicians with power never travel!

Whats the point in writing this?

There is something for you.

If you look at the statistics nearly 40% did not vote.

Nearly 25% voted against.

If we let the 35% to run the country nothing will change.

It is time for the Citizen's Bureaus to be formed (not new political parties) and Consumer Protection Societies to be formed and take people doing wrong things to task in courts of law.

Whether our Judiciary System is ready I am not sure but it is worth investing our frustrations and energy.

Our political system (both in power and out of power) are too corrupt to respond to the needs of the consumer.

We all are consumers.

Why not take the plunge?

Asoka with Vision!
18th July, 2010
PS.
The Flash bulb flicker never stopped!
The download speed never went up above 25!