Survey of CD "minimal" version by K. Knopper
I've got the permission to quote Discussion? (Re: Knoppix 7.4.x CD). You can answer within this thread.
Quote:
Since it's quite a lot of additional work to create the stripped-down CD
version (it always means _losing_ some software in each new release
since space is limited), my idea (withoutout having announced this) was
to wait and see if there are actual complaints about the CD edition of
Knoppix >= 7.3 missing. Actually, this is the very first one, so I
guess that most people are happy nowadays with the DVD sized version,
and USB sticks large enough (>=8GB) are now affordable as alternative to
the vanishing DVD drives.
For computers that cannot boot from DVD or USB flash drive, but from CD
only, there is the "boot-kernel-only" CD iso inside the "KNOPPIX"
directory, which even fits on a 20MB Mini CD.
On the other hand, since I need a very small edition of Knoppix for
derivate projects every now and then, I do want to continue the CD as
well, but there would be a somewhat larger distance between releases.
Of course I would be happy to discuss this on the list: How important is
the CD "minimal" version of Knoppix to you, maybe someday really only as
a tiny rescue system, compared to the DVD edition?
Regards
-Klaus
A different point of view
.
I would like to propose that Klaus K view this survey from a different point of view.
Rather than assume we all need a DVD-size Knoppix, and ask 'Who needs a CD-version of Knoppix ?',
let's ask 'Who needs CD-size Knoppix? and, Who needs a DVD-size Knoppix?
I suggest everyone needs a CD-size Knoppix, almost no-one needs a DVD-size Knoppix, and
almost everyone would like some elements of the DVD-size Knoppix in addition to that
which the CD-size Knoppix provides.
Knoppix has a built-in procedure for combining individual isos which works elegantly so long
as there is no overlapping use of the same final memory locations. This built-in capability
is often used to provide additional material on CeBIT products.
It is conceivable, to me at least, that Knoppix might alternatively be provided by issuance always
of at least a CD-size Knoppix iso, and as time permits of the provider, additional isos which
add additional capabilities in packages each of 4 Gb or less. Said capabilities of the
CD-size iso and the totality of these additional isos amounting in the aggregate to that of
a former DVD-size Knoppix.
Knoppix currently may combine up to eight isos, two should suffice in principle to allow for
both a CD-size iso and a DVD-size adapter iso . But, it might be wiser to use more isos, each with
some some different but additive specialization. And I expect it might be possible to so apportion
the aggregate additional capabilities into separate isos such that no user may ever need
to actually implement the total aggregate.
This apportionment of isos with additive capabilites might also allow the provider
to delegate the programming of different isos to different subordinates.