How about installing Gnome System Tools by default? I spent ages messing around on the console trying to set my IP number and netmask, when I could have saved hours by just using the network module of the system tools. It provides an interface very similar to the windows network control panel.

GST also includes configuration for:

* Users and groups
* Date and time
* Network configuration
* Bootloaders
* Runlevels

I'm not sure if all of these run okay on knoppix, but I know for sure that network config does.