For the Linux beginner this is about the best of the bunch. However, until there are some standards set for Linux distros, you are advised to stay away from Linux for the desktop. All of the distros are essentially closed systems. That is, whatever packages you got with the distribution are all you are going to get. There are only a very limited number of downloads available. Look at the total number of Linux downloads at File Forum - about 250. While there are thousands for Windows.
The reason these people can brag about their stability is they don't accept packages, even from other Linux distributions. How much software can be installed on a Windows system - infinite and some of those don't play well with others. That can really screw up your system. If Linux was as open to downloads as Windows, there would be systems crashing all over. I have run various Linux distros on various systems. Bottom line, they're not ready for the average desktop user.

It would be very interesting to see how well a Linux distribution could handle an infinite amount of freeware installations. I'd recommend Linux-Bootable-CDs to ten year olds, how haven't used the internet before - they'd only need it for text documents and poor games.

Booting Linux distributions off CDs has been around for some time now. I've used: Mandrake 9, Knoppix 3.2, Lycoris, Xandros v2 - some Boot off the CD. However, I haven't been able to install one of them onto HDD. It had something to do with Linux distributions not supporting all the newest hardware, go figure.

You shouldn't be deceived into believing that Linux distributions are the only OS' that can boot off a CD. BartPE lets you take your current Windows installation disk and install it onto a CD. The difference here is that you can be assured that your hardware will work. You also have the choice of what software you want installed on the CD. Available for free at http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

"Users simply boot from the CD on any compatible PC." ~ Mandrakesoft Linux is on the Move / By David Worthington, BetaNews / October 6, 2004, 10:44 PM

Not too many users are gamers. I've tried several different flavors of Linux because I don't like a lot of what Microsoft does and want to switch. The problem for me is that I like to try different software to find things that are useful to me. Although there is a lot of useful Linux software out there, I have never been able to find a guide to installing it or removing it from a system. I am not a programmer and until someone has the knowhow to invent a simple install/uninstall utility for Linux, it just doesn't fit the bill for me. I'd still like to move to Linux (which is why I viewed the article), but I will never be satisfied with a static, load it and never change it desktop experience.

Blah Blah Blah.....a whole linux OS on a bootable CD.....Blah Blah.

Linux was a fad about 2 years ago. Linux would have more of a share of things if it was worth while. It came out in 1991, and it's still just sitting around. I tried Linux for almost a whole year at home. It sucked.

Nothing new here indeed. If you want a nice coaster, order the CD :) or download it and burn it to CD....it all makes the same coaster :)

A bit cynical, don't you think? Granted, not many home users are switching to Linux, but its usability has still grown exponentially. I think around 2006 (to compete with Longhorn) we'll start seeing Linux that really attempts to replace Windows. In reality, the only thing holding it back now is compatibility, much like the Mac OS. People don't switch because their programs won't run. If Wine and WineX could be fluidly integrated into the OS so that CD's autorun and Win32 applications run when double-clicked, Linux might have a real shot. Until that day, most people (including myself) will put up with the inherent flaws of Windows because it does what people need it to do and it came with the computer (or was a required purchase).

I agree with you that Linux is starting to get pretty user friendly. One thing that I think is holding it back from more mainstream use is the lack of native games. While you might to be able to emulate Windows it is going to be very difficult to get enough speed to ever run performance hungry games at an acceptable speed. Once you get some more game developers to start providing quality ports to Linux you are going to see people flocking in force to Linux.

linux will never be as popular as windows unless they find a way to get into mainstream pc makers pcs as the default option. further linux will never have as friendly an interface as windows unless linux is willing to commit millions of dollars towards usability studies.

whether you consider linux to be more secure than windows is up for debate in my opinion. personally i doubt that it is anymore secure. groups are subjecting windows to ridiculous amounts of tests while linux isn't getting anywhere near as much testing.

I don't think that linux will be as popular as windows unless they find a way to get into mainstream pc makers as the default option.
I think the way is more in developping 'softwares' widely used but clearly not present in Linux world ... I don't say developping similar softwares ... I say that the Win program has to be dvpped for Linux. I'm reseller ... basically my customers (I don't not talk about institutions, big companies) want what? Software to manage invoices of their commerce and games for their childrens. Software like EBP (one of the main invoice management soft. in France) is not developped for Linux.
A second way to help linux is a learn program in high schools => if you learn at school how to use a system X, you will most probably use this sytem at home.

Someone else is going to probably say the same thing but aren't there already a number of other live cd distributions available. Other from being able to keep settings on a usb key I am not seeing a whole lot that is particularly novel about this.

It's true that Move is one out of many in a whole sea of bootable media - that part is nothing new. I remember when I ran BEOS from CD many years ago. Knowing that it was nothing new, I forced myself into objectivity (as always) and felt that Mandake's use the USB key was significant enough to merit coverage. I was originally going to quote an analyst to provide a little more clarity, but couldn't reach one by deadline. It's something new to me and I hope that you agree that it is interesting. Of course, you also have the right to disagree with anything that I write. ;-)
Sincerely,
Dave

I like Linux I like the control. Windows is too controling way too much spyware and exploitable On the fly distro's are so that people can see if linux will fit thier needs and preform everyday tasks like windows does , Linux does everthing I want or need in an Os and its very ponit and click Like windows is. linux is moving up in the ranks.It might not be the OS of choice right now but its working towards an more user friendly home desk top Operating System .IMHO Linux is gaining poularity and users and could very possibly give M$ a good run in 2006 when/if Longhorn is released .

Even the USB key is not novel...Knoppix has had that option for awhile. In fact, there are a couple of distrobutions that run *solely* from a USB key.