Vlogcanic

Knoppix is a very popular live linux distribution based on Debian GNU/Linux created and still mainly developed by the german engineer and software consultant Klaus Knopper.

It was among the first ever distros to be engineered into a LiveCD so that it could be used without installing it in the hard disk or altering in any way the host system’s hardware, which is one of the factors that account for Knoppix’s popularity. Others are its ability to detect and configure hardware automatically (which includes network cards AND using them to connect automatically to the available network), and a set of utilities for system repair and troubleshooting –yes, I know, it doesn’t sound like so big a deal now that Dell is selling computers preinstalled with Ubuntu, but at the time of Knoppix’s first release those features were basically unheard of.

KDE is the default desktop in Knoppix, but GNOME and others can be selected at startup, depending on the version and edition you choose.

Knoppix is typically available in two editions since version 4.0 in 2005: a LiveCD with up to 2GB of compresed software available and the Maxi version, which runs out of a LiveDVD and offers over 9GB of compressed software. They both include free and propietary software.

Persistence.

Unlike most LiveCDs in which you lose all the work and environmental changes you make, Knoppix will scan your storage volumes in order to find the file knoppix.img, in which changes to the filesystem, installed applications, or files written to your home directory can be stored.

Adriane Knoppix.

Named after Klaus’ wife, Adriane, Adriane Knoppix is a Knoppix-based distro also developed by Knopper aimed to provide usability for the blind and visually impaired by being voice-based, featuring a screen reader and a speech engine for normal output. It was first released in 2007 as a LiveCD as well.

Other Knoppix-based distros.

Because all of its good features, Knoppix is often used as a development base for other distros, some of them very popular as well.

• Damn Small Linux is a minimal distro for very old hardware. It takes the whole of 50 MB while still delivering a pleasing graphical desktop.
• Musix GNU+Linux a distro tailored for the free software geek and musician.
• Quantian a LiveCD aimed to scientific users, specially who need MatLab clones and/or statistical analysis tools.