Looking for a Live CD for my aging parents

**rrolsbe** · 01-10-2005, 01:47 AM

Since XP can not be keeped up to date very easily via a dial-up connection, I have been looking at the various Live CD Linux distributions.
I also ran into a bootable XP distrubution called PE Builder that looked interesting..
Maybe someone can point me to a distrubution that comes close to the following requirements.

All my parents do with there computer is read Email and browse the WEB via dial-up access; therefore, they only need something along the line of the following:

A web browser that supports HTTP and HTTPS.
A good easy to use POP/IMAP Email Client.
A CD/DVD burner application with a easy to use GUI frontend.
Printer support. NOT sure if there Inkjet printer is windows only?
Modem/dial-up support. Their modem is probably a WinModem, but I have a real external USR modem I can give them.
Maybe Openoffice in case someone sends them a office document.
A picture viewer.
I will need to set up an area on a fat16/32 disk partition to store their user information, IE.. email settings, email for offline reading, WEB favorites,
pictures they might want to save/print.

Bottom line the full Knoppix distrubution is nice, but they will not use even a small portion of it capability.

It would be nice if LiveCD was small enough to run on a system with 256MB of RAM, IE.. Have the toram boot switch.; likewise, have the tohd and fromHD boot switches.

Any pointer in the right direction will be greatly appreciated.
Ron

**mmaki** · 01-10-2005, 03:19 AM

Its not a live CD but in my opinion one of the easiest distros to use and maintain is Xandros. Download via bittorrent or buy the CD.

**green1** · 01-10-2005, 03:53 AM

Knoppix certainly would do all that you ask, and then some.
However, something small and easy would be DSL (DamnSmallLinux).
DSL uses 50MB on a CD, preferably a business card size CD because that's cool, but any CD will do.
It runs Live and can be persistent or run from a USB pendrive. The forum support at www.damnsmalllinux.org is great, in contrast to others we may or may not frequent.
Give it a look.

**tdjokic** · 01-16-2005, 03:46 AM

Mepis is very good choice, http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=mepis

**j.drake** · 01-17-2005, 03:59 AM

If you haven't bought the hardware yet, I'd go Mac.

jd

**Rouskis** · 01-17-2005, 12:38 PM

Yes, Mac would be ideal... I'd suggest also Mepis and for the lighter system Xfld's brand new distro http://www.xfld.org/Xfld/en/index.html - it's a Knoppix with Xfce. And yet one smaller would be MorphixCombined-LightGUI-0.5-pre4.

**IntenseTech** · 03-13-2005, 06:21 AM

serious..

I've used the Linspire Live CD a lot - to troubleshoot simple stuff..

and it's pretty nice/friendly.. esp. for older peoplel, I would think they'd like it.

you tell me..

**lilsirecho** · 03-13-2005, 06:46 AM

Best for ease of booting and provides fast browser with no need for ID or passwd is Puppy Linux. It runs in RAM as well and the desktop is not busy.

I am 79 and I like it. My wife will soon be using it. She is 78(shhhhh).

**geovino** · 05-23-2005, 01:26 AM

I've been using Mepis on a second HD and I've had people over who nothing about computers and they feel just as comfortable with Mepis as WinXP. In fact the file system in KDE is easier than windows. I think Mepis is the best overall. Try it see... http://www.mepis.org

But do like Knoppix and Kanotix for live CD use! I just think Mepis has a easier wizard for HD install.