Re: looking for a linux live cd that works

From: Andy Fraser (andyfraser31_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 11/12/04 

Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 20:34:44 +0000

In alt.linux, Brian Hughes uttered these immortal words:

> Unfortunately, somebody else could add or configure software. I'd beg
> to differ with Andy..Live CDs are the most promising
> development I've seen in a long time. It might sound like heresy, but
> I was never completely at ease with a 20 MB hard drive
> that couldn't be hardware write protected- meaning flicking a switch
> or removing a jumper- never mind 120GB. One malicious
> trojan could potentially land me in prison. A clean machine, with
> system and applications in ROM, and configurations and data
> on a removable pen drive is my way to go.

You might be surprised to know that I agree with you up to a point. I can
remember when OSes did come on ROMs. I can remember when upgrading an OS
meant prizing a ROM or two off out of their chip holders and inserting new
ones (the Acorn A3000 or early RISC PC IIRC). But there are problems with
this approach today.

If you use ROM chips for the OS and apps then you'd have to have *every* app
that exists on there. You can get most of the way there with Linux but how
would that work for Windows? Everyone would have every app from MS, Adobe,
Macromedia and every other software publisher there is? What happens if
just one app that some people use is missed? I know how stupid this sounds
written down like this but you proposed it. I'm sure you have answers to
these questions. (also see below)

I can see software development virtually grinding to a halt. We all moan
about having to patch software but given the complexity of today's apps
making sure they're 100% bug free and secure could take years otherwise
there'd be ROMs flying about in the post like nobody's business (which
wouldn't be as convenient as downloading a patch via the Internet). On the
plus side MS might not ever be able to release another version of Windows,
IE and OE again. ;-)

When you said the OS and apps were on ROM maybe you meant one ROM for the OS
and one ROM per app. They'd have to be available without opening the case
incase I need more OSes/apps than there are slots. Laptops would be a
nightmare if I need lots of apps. I could end up spending more time
swapping chips over than anything else.

The pen drives for the data would be very costly. Today a 8GB 40x compact
flash card costs nearly £500. I have more than 16GB of data so I'd have to
pay more than £1,000 just to store it. I could archive all but ~200MB to
DVD until I need to change it and use a 512MB card which would only cost me
£40 but that's hardly as convenient as having it all available on HD.

And after all that some configuration would have to be in a user writable
place. My needs for a web server will be different from someone elses.
Today I can write a httpd.conf file that works for me that will be
different from other peoples. How will this work with your idea?

I could think of dozens of other reasons why this wouldn't work but there's
enough to be going on with here. I know I've over exagerated this post
somewhat after a while some of the points would become moot but I'm just
highlighting how unworkable this idea is today. 

-- 
Andy.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Remove unused built in apps?
    ... another ROM might be in order! ... and dealing with the ^%$*&# dbcache. ... and where we load apps onto the device. ... Backup perform nightly backups at 2 AM--and this works fine. ...
    (comp.sys.palmtops.pilot)
  • Re: Why does Windows allow Worms?
    ... > virus attacks every couple of years. ... The OS in ROM won't help - I've installed secure networks across the ... there are about 1gb of apps that are vulnerable outside the kernel that ... you could install up to 3 or 4 ...
    (comp.security.misc)
  • Re: larger ROM or larger SD ?
    ... I think it's more like 128M of ROM, a portion of it is used for the OS and ... much difference in what you can install to the BiS or an SD card, ... you could concievably load all the apps that will load into ...
    (microsoft.public.pocketpc)
  • Re: Remove unused built in apps?
    ... >> will work in ROM, ... Please look at MemoryJack if you need more memory." ... they make no mention of the absence of flash ROM. ... you can still install apps to an expansion ...
    (comp.sys.palmtops.pilot)
  • Re: Deleting "Outlook E-Mail" from PPC
    ... Someone will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe all the apps MS ... ships with WM2003 are part and parcel of the ROM and cannot be removed. ...
    (microsoft.public.pocketpc)