openSUSE live CD wiki needed ?

English Open Chat
1

Earlier today I answered a question from a friend about openSUSE LiveCDs. He is nominally an Ubuntu user, although occassionally he dables with other Linux distributions. Currently he is using slackware on one of his older PCs (CPU=450 MHz, 512MB RAM) because Ubuntu refused to install on his hard drive (problems with the partitioner). He tried some other distributions and they had the same problem, but slackware did not. He noted he did not try openSUSE and he asked some questions on openSUSE, one being what sort of light weight desktops he could have, and what were the choices of openSUSE live CDs (to minimize download).

That had me thinking that maybe the community could use a simple openSUSE live CD page, which listed the more popular of the various openSUSE live CD projects. There are many, since it is possible for any user to create a live CD (but not me - I’m too old and lazy to figure out how).

And of course my knowledge of liveCDs is extremely limited, as I normally install from the commercial DVD which I always purchase.

The sort of stuff I had in mind for a wiki is the following, which I shamelessly copied from the email I sent to my friend.

The wiki page could be maintained, and even keep track of older versions of openSUSE (on live CDs) where the download pages were still active.

Comments ? Views ?

========= email extract ===========
openSUSE liveCDs

Novell/SuSE-GmbH: There are various categories of the openSUSE-11.1 liveCDs from Novell/SuSE-GmbH:

  • official Novell/SuSE-GmbH produced version (KDE-4.1.3 live CD with separate 32-bit and 64-bit versions) Software.openSUSE.org or
  • official Novell/SuSE-GmbH produced version (Gnome live CD, with separate 32-bit and 64-bit versions) Software.openSUSE.org or

openSUSE community: There are the various openSUSE-11.1 live CDs from the openSUSE community:

openSUSE XFCE project: There is an openSUSE xfce project. Web page is here: Xfce Team - openSUSE and packages kept here: X11:xfce - openSUSE which lists repositories for modifying an existing openSUSE desktop to XFCE (which doesn’t really help you).

If one searches for “openSUSE XFCE” on Torrent Engine : Fenopy one gets this:
Search results for : openSUSE XFCE - Free downloads : Fenopy
where there are links to openSUSE XFCE liveCDs (at the top of the search page) but I do not know which openSUSE version they refer to. 10.3 ? 11.0? 11.1 ? I don’t kow.

For example, for openSUSE-11.0 (ie older than 11.1) I note this live CD for XFCE: XFCE Live - Wuala, social online storage

SOAD Linux: Possibly the most light weight liveCD is a Russian effort based on openSUSE-11.1, where there is an “Enlightenment” live CD link ( to SOAD Linux, which is SuSE On A Diet Linux) here: http://sda.scwlab.com/soad_linux.html This Enlightentment desktop is supposed to be more light weight than either KDE, Gnome or XFCE.

Alternatively create one’s own openSUSE live CD with XFCE : Xfce Live CD - openSUSE (which I have not tried and not sure I could do this msyelf)

In essence, because openSUSE now provides tools for users to create their own liveCDs there are many on the web. However the advertising for these many different variants is scarce, and of course the testing of them is equally scarce.

Text Install: With “advanced” openSUSE knowledge, one can do a “text” install of openSUSE from a liveCD (which is REALLY minimal) and then from the command line setup one’s openSUSE repositories to point to one’s desired desktop (this a tool to help here) and then install one’s desired desktop with a really minimal desktop :slight_smile: … but this is not for new users.

KDE-3.5.10 off of USB: And finally, one can also install openSUSE-KDE-3.5.10 off of a USB ! Here is the URL for the openSUSE community KDE-3.5.10 bootable USB (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions) Carlos Gonçalves: Unofficial KDE 3.5 Live CD for openSUSE 11.1

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I was checking out the wiki Live CD - openSUSE to try and figure out if I should add to it, or create a new wiki, when I stumbled across the fact there are openSUSE-11.1 liveCDs with updated Gnome: Index of /repositories/GNOME:/Medias/images/iso

Not being a Gnome fan, I missed that. …

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… and also Education LiveCDs: Education/Live - openSUSE

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So I updated the openSUSE wiki for liveCDs adding a few more liveCD projects:
Live CD - openSUSE

But that web page still needs more work.

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Just to let you know I’m watching this Lee. Didn’t want you thinking no one is interested, we are. But I find Wiki editing pretty awkward. I get by. I can never quite figure out where the root directory is (does that make sense). I can manage a normal web site, the root dir for the site in question and everything leads out from there. But I just can’t see this in the Wiki.

I think there is probably a good bit of work needed generally in the Wiki pages, I wouldn’t like to think it was all down to a few individuals - it could be demoralizing. I see John was doing some work recently too. Anyway, keep up the good work:)

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i just wanna encourage you to continue on which ever path you wish
(update/replace http://en.opensuse.org/Live_CD or WHATEVER you decide)

i encourage that because i’ve already found good reason to use your
posting above–THANKS for it…(SOAD is ‘sweet’ in a vBox)

and, i highly recommend no matter which way you go to mention which
require a user/password and which don’t…HOWEVER, i do think it best
to NOT INCLUDE the user/password on the wiki page, because EVERY
possible nudge to get folks to READ the instructions of the Live CD
maker should be encouraged…and, well i’m personally kinda tired of
trying to help microsofties and other openSUSE n00bs install from a
(password ‘protected’) 11.1 live CD made by any of the folks who are
now making them!!

that is, why should we actively encourage NOT reading documentation in
order to achieve an eye-candy high??

–
brassy

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I played with the SOAD live CD briefly. Initially I was quite excited about it, but my enthusiasm cooled when I could not get firefox, nor IRC chat, nor any Internet access program to work with the internet with SOAD, … which was strange because SOAD recognized and worked with my LAN (ie sftp/ssh worked fine with SOAD … ). I know it is not the router on our LAN, as the debian Elive CD (also an enlightment liveCD) worked fine, and also openSUSE-11.1 and 11.2 milestone4 work ok on that PC.

My sandbox PC (where I booted SOAD) is on a sub-LAN and that may have played a factor. But other liveCDs and distro’s never had a problem with this.

So there is something in the SOAD setup for the Internet on my PC’s hardware that causes Internet hiccups.

With my having played now with both SOAD and Elive, I think if I were to solve the SOAD Internet hiccup I encountered, I would then search for a way to install the Elive style desktop tool bar on SOAD (if it can be done without bloating). The Elive eye-candy from the tool bar helps make up for other Englightenment limitations (relative to KDE3).

I understand your point.

But I have users recommend HIGHLY to me that the password BE included (albeit they did not state it on this thread). They were quite STRONG and DETERMINED on that point.

Reference reading documentation, I agree with your point there. Reading documentation appears to be a fading requirement. Back in 1998 when I was on a sort of sabbatical, before I did my first Red Hat Install, I read documents on Linux for weeks. Show me today a new Linux user who reads the documentation or weeks, prior to installing an OS ? Not too many I think.

BUT, I don’t consider it my mission to convert users to reading documentation.

Anyway, so there one has it re: passwords for liveCDs. Some users STRONGLY want it, and some STRONGLY recommend against it. :rolleyes:

Thanks for the post.

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oldcpu wrote:
>> …SOAD… my enthusiasm cooled when I could not get firefox, nor IRC
> chat, nor any Internet access program to work with the internet with
> SOAD, … which was strange because

because of what you wrote AND firefox works fine here–though i’m on
10.3, and not a sub-LAN…

perhaps try it on a non-sandbox and a ‘real’ LAN…

> The Elive eye-candy from the tool bar helps
> make up for other Englightenment limitations (relative to KDE3).

yep, Enlightenment is pretty ‘stark’!

–
brassy

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My curiosity is perked now that I see you have had success. Possibly next weekend I need to take a more detailed look at this.

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Having a section of the Wiki just for LiveCDs, I think, is a good idea. I can’t seem to download the DVD (md5sum never matches) and my laptop doesn’t have a DVD drive either so LiveCDs is my best bet. Oh, and if I have problems downloading a DVD due to bandwidth or something, doing a Netinstall is likewise a test of patience.

Something that would be good to put on the Wiki page would be how to install or use a LiveCD onto a USB stick! I’ve been trying with UNetbootin without much luck yet and so far openSUSE is the only one I’ve run into this much trouble. Oh, and the wiki page assumes you are already running openSUSE (which if I was already running it, why would I need to … oh, nevermind)

Something that I don’t know if it’s possible with LiveCDs or could be a function to add, is the ability to install without having to go into a LiveCD session. This is great when you have the minimum specs, but not really enough for running the LiveCD AND the installer.

Otherwise, using a LiveCD is a great way to not only introduce people to Linux and the distro, but it gives them a starting point so when it is installed the user (should theoretically) has a running OS and a smart selection of applications to get them started plus the ease of Yast/whatever package manager to customize as they see fit.

So, things I think to include

  • Installing on a USB stick (easily, from Windows or other distributions)
  • How to save your changes (on a USB thumb drive)
  • Installing from the LiveCD inside or without the Live Session
  • Customizing LiveCDs
  • labels, etc. and Distributing LiveCDs (all in one handy location instead of having to go one place for downloaind the ISO and another for hte CD label…)
  • Newbie “how to burn the CD” and “how to use a LiveCD”
  • Documentation on how to use the partitioner?
  • Single place to list different spins (KDE, Gnome, Xfce, Educational, Recovery Disk, Enlightenment or LXDE, Games, etc.)

EDIT: Oh, and I forgot. DEFINITELY include the username and password for the system. Even with auto-login there is the chance something breaks, or they need to restart X and am not sure how to do that without logging out and logging back in! I’m not sure who does it, but some linux distro(s) counts down to auto-log in the Live user after something like 30 seconds.

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dragonbite, you have some good ideas, but I believe that references to Live USB sticks likely belong elsewhere. … I note there is a wiki here:
Live USB stick - openSUSE

Reference many of your other ideas, they are pretty neat, but I don’t have the expertise to implement them. Hopefully someone else does.

Reference downloading the DVD. … It is possible to purchase it. Not only the “pressed” DVD from the Novell boxed set (which is a very high quality DVD) but there are various places that sell copies (which IS legal) dirt cheap.

I don’t fully understand your user name password comment? From what I have seen, the liveCD root account has no password (just press <enter> ). The regular user account is called “linux” (at least that is what I read on the command prompt when I look at the live CD). I have not tested this, but do recall in an older openSUSE version the password for user “linux” was also “linux”. It would be nice if someone who uses the live CDs more than I tested the user names/passwords (on the live CD).

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re: Live cd
I can confirm root has no password, just press enter.

Booting to level 3, login as root
then using the vesa switch, (sax2 -r -m 0=vesa)

then doing startx

has helped some get to the desktop to run the installer

13

I burned the latest SOAD-3.2 live CD (released only a small number of days ago) and I initially had the same problem. SOAD could see our local LAN/SubLAN but could not get out on the Internet.

So I flashed up YaST and went into Network devices. I noted it had a bunch of internal LAN IP-addresses as the DNS. That made no sense to me and it appears SOAD dynamically selected those for some reason. So I deleted them, at which time the SOAD desktop gave me an error, noting it would attempt a recovery.

The enlightenment desktop crashed and recovered immediately albeit with the applications that were running previous now closed.

However at this point I had Internet access !! , so it appears removing those inappropriate DNS captures worked.

The “problem” is, my athlon 1100 with 1GB RAM (and a nVidia FX5200) is too fast for SOAD to “put its light weight” capabilities to test. SOAD runs FAST (very FAST) on this PC. I need an older PC to test SOAD on. :slight_smile:

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I think this is an excellent idea. My first experience of Linux was using a Live CD (Knoppix) to recover files from a completely broken M$ blue screen of death. With the live cd I could recover most of the important stuff, and it set me on the path of thinking why just use it to recover stuff, why not just use a better system, and not have the problem. So I did, changed to Linux and never looked back. So, without wanting to drag this off topic, though related to Live CDs of all varieties, may I suggest an area where window$ users can go and find out how Linux is going to save their bacon.

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I note SOAD is now available for openSUSE-11.2:
Soad developer Blog - language ?? : SOAD-Linux-3.3.1 is out
… how I still do not have a PC old enough to install SOAD on … I’m a big KDE fan and would not leave KDE unless I had no choice (such as having a really old PC that does not run KDE). I used to have an old laptop (Compaq LTE5200 with 84MB of RAM) but the wife gave it away to a university student a few years ago. :frowning: