PDA

View Full Version : Live CD - Evaluation



jkrems
August 18th, 2011, 06:55 PM
Hi everyone!

It's a couple of years since Live CDs of various Linux distributions are available. Was there any evaluation in the meantime if and how people actually use this feature? Are there statistics about conversion rate? Or about how many people directly click install without trying the system out for a second? I'm no expert on Linux so please excuse me if I posted this in a totally inappropriate place. :)

Jan

P.S.: I guess some sentences in this post are grammatically totally messed up - I'm not a native speaker, the typical excuse.

An Sanct
August 18th, 2011, 08:45 PM
Welcome to the forums!

Well, AFAIK, there is no data on how many people try the OS first and then install it. For this, the OS would have to spy on the user and that is not the way of Linux (other unnamed operating systems do that).

Live CDs and USBs are a very good thing, they are actually live savers :) -> mess up fstab and the way to retrieve it from a backup is via a Live session CD/USB (!Always make a backup and keep a Live CD/USB near!)

I personally also use a Live USB as a mini development tool, with LAMP and other software installed I have my working environment in my pocket, which can be booted from any computer and unlike the OS, that is mostly there, is fully UTF-8 and with all my personal passwords and stuff where I want/need them.

jkrems
August 18th, 2011, 09:52 PM
I thought maybe there would be surveys of some kind. It only occured to me when I was installing Ubuntu and Fedora on VMs the other day and the only way to do it was to launch the OS from CD (at least that's the only way that is advertised towards new users). I asked myself whether "actual" new users do that. Or if they'd rather be irritated by booting the OS to install the OS. Short: Whether this mode of installation is the right one to acquire new users.

Sure, Live CDs are an awesome tool. I know some people (once I was one of them) who use Ubuntu Live CDs even as a rescue tool for their Windows Systems. And didn't mean to argue against it being a superb tool für pro-users (people who will build their own Live CDs according to their needs) and network admins. I just wonder if they are a good "first contact" experience or rather if anyone tested if they are. :)

P.S.: Full disclosure - I used a lot of different OS' over the last couple of years and kind of settled now for MacOS. But I find Linux kind of fascinating and it bugs every time when I think "Okay, screw this, don't have time for this. I'm going back to X." - because I'd really like the idea of Linux. :)

uRock
August 18th, 2011, 10:11 PM
Not a support request. Moved to the Community Cafe.

Actonix
August 18th, 2011, 10:32 PM
I thought maybe there would be surveys of some kind. It only occured to me when I was installing Ubuntu and Fedora on VMs the other day and the only way to do it was to launch the OS from CD (at least that's the only way that is advertised towards new users). I asked myself whether "actual" new users do that. Or if they'd rather be irritated by booting the OS to install the OS. Short: Whether this mode of installation is the right one to acquire new users.

Sure, Live CDs are an awesome tool. I know some people (once I was one of them) who use Ubuntu Live CDs even as a rescue tool for their Windows Systems. And didn't mean to argue against it being a superb tool für pro-users (people who will build their own Live CDs according to their needs) and network admins. I just wonder if they are a good "first contact" experience or rather if anyone tested if they are. :)

P.S.: Full disclosure - I used a lot of different OS' over the last couple of years and kind of settled now for MacOS. But I find Linux kind of fascinating and it bugs every time when I think "Okay, screw this, don't have time for this. I'm going back to X." - because I'd really like the idea of Linux. :)

Hi there jk

I can't answer answer your question on if any evals have been carried out but I can speak for myself and if others do the same that could probably serve as some sort of mini-eval ;)

Personally, given the choice and as was the case with Ubuntu I would always use a live-CD to evaluate any new OS or distro especially if it provides a realistic environment to test out the OS in full. One of the first things I was interested in finding out about was security, zeitgeist, IYKWIM, and other functional aspects that would be available to me if I decided to make the leap into installing the OS/distro ;)

I was able to do virtually everything I needed from the Live-CD that would ordinarily have required a full-install including downloading and testing various packages that provided me with added functionality which allowed me to decide on one application over other similars before I actually went ahead with the install - personally I think it is a brilliant way of drawing in and expanding on ones user base - and especially so when there are no time-limitations imposed on one as some other dozy OS's enforce on one ;)

For me Linux is most definitely the OS of choice even from way back in the day when installing and using Linux required a lot of playing around at the command line, now it's almost as easy and in some cases easier than installing Windows - and the fact that one now has a veritable selection of apps at their fingertips from the open community to rival any OS with even more enroute on a daily makes it an OS that is hard to beat, the only thing that is beginning to get up my nose is the intrusive nature of the so called powers that be trying to stick their noses up where they don't belong but I suppose that applies everywhere else too, an unnecessary necessary evil for want of a better way to describe things, but I digress ;(.