KNOPPIX is a bootable Live system on CD, DVD or USB flash drives, consisting of a representative collection of Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals.
KNOPPIX can be used as a productive Linux system for the desktop, educational CD, rescue system, or adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. It is not necessary to install anything on a hard disk. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it (over 9GB on the DVD “Maxi” edition).
Depending on your choice of CD or DVD, a variety of software packages from the Debian software repositories is installed. The CD version contains at least:
- LXDE as the standard desktop,
- Open Office,
- Chromium and Firefox WWW Browser,
- GNU Image Manipulation Program GIMP,
- MPlayer Multimedia System,
- Internet-access software for (W)LAN, modem, isdn, umts/gprs,
- Tools for data rescue, network analysis and system repair.
| Working state: | Active |
| Desktop: | LXDE |
| Init Software: | systemd |
| Package Management: | APT |
| Release Model: | Fixed |
| Platforms: | i486 and up |
| Home Page: | www.knopper.net |
| Developer: | Klaus Knopper |
| This article is part of our Big List of Active Linux Distros which is currently under development. |
What's a Linux distribution ("distro")? |
| A distro provides the user with a desktop environment, preloaded applications, and ways to update and maintain the system. Each distro makes different choices, deciding which open source projects to install and provides custom written programs. They can have different philosophies. Some distros are intended for desktop computers, some for servers without a graphical interface, and others for special uses. Because Linux is an open source operating system, combinations of software vary between Linux distros. |
This page was written with the help of a visitor who completed our distro form.
The first time I tried GNU/Linux was on a KNOPPIX Live CD in 2007. Even back then, I was highly impressed by the sheer amount of apps available. KNOPPIX seems to be very under-rated – it get’s mentioned rarely.
It’s a bit long in the tooth nowadays and not as useful as it once was given that the major distros let you boot to a live version.
Knoppix is not just “a” live distribution, it is the FIRST complete live distribution! Give some respect! And it has been updated and improved all throughout its history.
Respect? Where did I show disrespect? It’s a fact that KNOPPIX isn’t really needed any more. It was very useful when it first came out, but nowadays most distros let you boot into a live environment.
And let’s get the record straight.
Tempora mutantur, et nos mutamur in illis