Linux Goes Live on Gentoo CD release

The Linux distro is due to release a version of its operating system that can be run directly off a CD-ROM, so that people can try Gentoo without installing it.

The next version of Gentoo, due for release in February 2005, will include a Live CD that allows users to run the operating system off a CD, and a graphical installer that allows users to automatically install the same set-up on multiple machines.

Gentoo is a distribution of Linux that its developers claim is fully customisable for any application or need. According to a Netcraft survey in July 2004, Gentoo experienced the fastest percentage growth rate out of all Linux distributions over the previous six months, increasing from 0.7 percent of Web servers in January 2004 to 1.0 percent in July.

Chris Gianelloni, the operational manager for Gentoo’s Release Engineering group, said the Live CD will be produced for the x86 and AMD64 platform and will be “very similar” to Knoppix, a Linux Live CD which is based on the Debian distribution. Gianelloni said this is the first time that Gentoo has produced a fully functional Live CD - a “LiveCD” is already available on the Gentoo Web site, but this is primarily an installation CD, according to Gianelloni.

The next version of Gentoo, 2005.0, will also include a graphical installer that will allow users to automatically install the same set-up.

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