Knoppix Preview

**aay** · 01-07-2004, 06:14 PM

Ok. I don't want to get too many mouths watering, but Klaus posted an update as to what the next release of Knoppix and Knoppix 3.4 should look like. There's some very cool stuff there.

Here's the lowdown

Preliminary release plan:

- Update to Kernel 2.4.23 for the download edition of Knoppix 3.3,
should be finished next week. Note that the stated kernel brk
vulnerability is a local exploit, and does not breech too many new
security holes into Knoppix since you can alway switch to the root
account without password anyways there, if you are already logged in.

- Parallel working on version 3.4 with some major changes:
- switching to IsoLinux plus a 2 floppy boot option in order to
allow inclusion of more drivers in the kernel and initrd (USB and
Firewire, possibly), since the space on the 1.44 MB floppy is
exhausted for Kernel 2.6 alone already.
- Inclusion of ACPI. I know this will break many things, and you may
have to boot with "noacpi" on many machines.
- Kernel 2.4.23+ and/or 2.6.0+, depending on the first stability checks.
Maybe a dual boot option for different kernels.
- More utilities in the Knoppix service menus.
- Some more interactive options for selecting language/services on
bootup via dialog menus.
- NTFS write support by using a linux kernel loader for native
windows ntfs.sys (if present on the corresponding ntfs partition).
- Experiments with an overlay file system to allow easier on-the-fly
installations of new software and possibly eliminating the need of a
separate /ramdisk virtual partition.
- Project fork of a beginner and blind-friendly "talking" version with
different voices and languages, with most of the "complicated
expert-only stuff" removed. This version may rely on Kernel
2.6.0 because of the newer soundcard drivers for
cheap/badly-designed/windows-only soundchips.
- first release scheduled for the end of the first quarter of 2004,
maybe a download location for adventurous people who don't mind
destroying their hardware with the first Kernel 2.6 releases, will
be provided. I hope to be able to have a release ready for CeBit
2004 (end of march).

Regards
-Klaus Knopper

Klaus' original post can be found here.

Thanks Fabian for pointing this out to me!

Adam

**Rootman** · 01-07-2004, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by aay

Ok. I don't want to get too many mouths watering . . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Too late. Man I may put off my remastering efforts and wait for this.

Is KDE 3.2 in the works also?

**aay** · 01-07-2004, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Rootman

Originally Posted by aay

Ok. I don't want to get too many mouths watering . . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Too late. Man I may put off my remastering efforts and wait for this.

Is KDE 3.2 in the works also?

No, but Klaus has usuall upgraded KDE whenever it turns up in Debian Sid. I won't be putting it in there until it is officially released though. No betas.

**EmDee** · 01-08-2004, 01:51 AM

NTFS write support by using a linux kernel loader for native windows ntfs.sys

There's another thing from the 'dirty-hacks-using-windows-binaries-department' that i'd like to see in knoppix someday; this emulator for 54mbit wlan drivers: http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/

**aay** · 01-08-2004, 02:05 AM

Originally Posted by EmDee

NTFS write support by using a linux kernel loader for native windows ntfs.sys

There's another thing from the 'dirty-hacks-using-windows-binaries-department' that i'd like to see in knoppix someday; this emulator for 54mbit wlan drivers: http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/

I agree. I wrote Klaus about it. No word back yet.

**TheWind** · 01-08-2004, 05:26 PM

It would be also the occasion to include an another nice tool, it is NTLM Authorization Proxy Server http://apserver.sourceforge.net/ it allow you to authenticate via MS Proxy Server using the proprietary NTLM protocol, this is very useful for all the peoples wo need access to the net by an proprietary proxi server. It work great with 3.2 and 3.3 knoppix version, but to have it included in the cd will be great for all the people who need a fast access on the net without the need to install linux or customize knoppix!

Piero

**aratux** · 01-08-2004, 05:55 PM

What about adding support for the Arabic language too ?
We as Arab users, don't have Arabic fonts installed on KNOPPIX ??
Here is a link for a bug report where I have submitted a link to GPLed Arabic fonts.

http://www.knoppix.net/bugs/show_bug.cgi?id=345

Also, what about enabling the Arabic language in OpenOffice ??
It won't cost space, and will help Arabic users greatly.

Regards
Mohamed Eldesoky
Linux-Egypt