“In our previous ‘Taste of Linux’ feature, we looked at some
‘Live’ Linux versions that allow you to run a full-blown Linux OS
right off the CD, with no installation required and without
affecting your existing operating system. In this follow-up, we
look at three live versions from major Linux distributors SUSE,
Lindows and Mandrake. These editions generally don’t come with as
much software as you’d get if you bought the regular versions and
installed them to your hard disk. There’s still a fair amount of
software, but if you buy SUSE Professional, a subscription to
Lindows Click-N-Run Library, or Mandrake’s boxed versions, you’ll
get quite a bit more than what’s included here.“Remember, to use these versions of Linux, your PC has to able
to boot off of the CD. Check your bios settings and adjust them
accordingly if you run into any problems trying out these Live
versions of Linux. Since the OS is running from the CD (and not
your hard disk), response times for loading and running apps will
likely be significantly slower…”
Related Story:
ExtremeTech:
A Taste of Linux(Jan 27, 2004)