Chapter 2. An Introduction to the WFTL Edition Knoppix Disk

Included with this book is a full-featured Linux distribution that runs entirely from the CD-ROM. The WFTL Edition Knoppix CD is a Debian-based Linux distribution that runs entirely from your PC's CD-ROM drive. That's right. You can run Linux on your system without having to change your system or uninstall Windows.

Note

Because it is running from the CD drive, WFTL Knoppix does run slower than if you actually install Linux and run it from the hard disk. Keep in mind that the performance you experience from the CD is not indicative of the performance you can experience from a Linux hard-disk install. At their fastest, CD-ROM drives are no match for even the slowest hard disk drive.

You should also know that the version of Knoppix included with this book is not the official version but one that has been slightly modified to provide you with a comprehensive companion to the software described in this book. I would like to express my admiration and thanks to Klaus Knopper, the creator of Knoppix, for his fine work. But any questions regarding the included disk should be directed to me via the WFTL-LUG or the forums on my Web site.

Running WFTL Knoppix is as easy as putting the CD in the drive and booting. A couple of minutes later, you are working with a great-looking, modern desktop (Figure 2-1). This CD is full of excellent software. There are hundreds of applications and literally thousands of programs on the disk. You'll have access to e-mail applications, Web browsers, word processors, spreadsheets, games, and more. In fact, you should be able to follow along and play with the software you'll explore in this book and do most of the things that are covered without having to install Linux at all.

Figure 2-1. Meet your new WFTL Knoppix desktop!

The bootable CD is a fantastic introduction to Linux, providing you with a no-commitment way to take Linux out for a spin, but there are limitations. I've already covered one issue related to CDs, that of performance. The other limitation is also CD related. Because this bootable Linux does not install itself on your hard drive, you are limited to the packages on the CD. In other words, you can't add or install any new software. If you are truly ready to make the move to Linux, consider installing a full Linux distribution.

Note

Actually, the WFTL Knoppix CD does have an experimental software installation mode for things like a Flash plugin for Web browsing, graphics drivers, some system utilities, and a few games. That option is under the main menu, KNOPPIX, Utilities, and "Install software while running from CD."