Something cool to do with an extra USB flash drive?

[Enalia]

I've got an extra flash drive now.... it's 4GB (I know, right?) and I'm trying to think of something fun/cool to do with it...

I've thought about all kinds of stuff... Perhaps put an installation of Ubuntu on it?

One thing is that I heard flash drives can only be written to a limited number of times so I dunno if an OS would be a good idea on a flash drive...

Then I thought maybe I'd come here and see if anyone has another idea, and if you've got Ubuntu (or another OS) on a flash drive- is it cool? does it work like it's supposed to? How often do you actually use it?

[The Noble]

An Ubuntu installation would not be that damaging to your flash drive(hypothetically...), as the only thing that is written to a bunch on a hard drive is the swap, so if you allocate something like the Vram (http://gentoo-wiki.com/TIP_Use_memory_on_video_card_as_swap) or another flash drive as swap then there would be minimal writing to the OS. Sounds like a cool project if you are really bored.

I am currently using PortableApps on my flash, which lets me use OOo and firefox wherever I go (if the computer is windows or Linux with wine).

[Sunflower1970]

I am currently using PortableApps on my flash, which lets me use OOo and firefox wherever I go (if the computer is windows or Linux with wine).

I just found portableapps today, while looking for a browser to put on my flash drive. I'll be getting rid of the U3 (or whatever it is) software on it, and installing the entire portableapps suite tomorrow. :)

I also carry music on it, so I can listen to it at work. :)

[Nano Geek]

I just found portableapps today, while looking for a browser to put on my flash drive. I'll be getting rid of the U3 (or whatever it is) software on it, and installing the entire portableapps suite tomorrow. :)

I also carry music on it, so I can listen to it at work. :)But its Windows only. Isn't it?

[The Noble]

Yes, it is windows only, but I think most of the applications will run in wine if you are really desperate. Also, wise choice in ditching u3, as it is way outdated and has very few programs.

[Enalia]

I checked out Portable Apps a while ago... saw that it only worked with windows and decided against it...


but now that I think of it, if I'm ever away from MY computers that'd be the time I'd use my neat little thumb drive... and chances are it'd be a windows machine I'd come across... hmm maybe i'll check it out.

Or, hey, wouldn't it be possible to partition the drive? Perhaps put ubuntu on 3.5GB and use the rest for Portable Apps? I'll try that out.

[Outrunner]

Take your pick - PenDriveLinux (http://www.pendrivelinux.com/)

[Spr0k3t]

Linux on a USB stick is something I've been wanting to do, just haven't had time to do it. However, I recommend the PortableApps to everyone. Don't download the application launcher, instead, download the portable applications and run them one by one as you need them. There are other applications which work well as portable apps such as Eclipse and Inkscape.

[jariku]

I'd partition the USB drive to two: a small partition (maybe 512 MB) for the Portable Apps stuff for Windows and the rest for a Linux installation.

[smoker]

puppy linux is great on a usb flash drive, and the live puppy cd has an installer for that purpose, puppy loads straight to ram, so it is really fast, and can install on a fat partitioned flash drive.

[reclusivemonkey]

I have cygwin installed on my USB drive, which gives me a nice *NIX environment at work so I can write scripts to help with dull tasks. I don't need a full "Linux" GUI at work, and that would only attract attention! I use remind extensively, so all my remind text files live on there too. Everything is backed up at work (in case the USB Drive fries) and sync'd when I plug the drive in at home. Just in case you don't know, you can easily execute a script when the drive is plugged in under Feisty, just add a script called "autorun" to the root USB drive and make it executable. Allow the execution of scripts on the Removable Drives preferences menu and it should work.

I also have Portable Apps on there; the OpenOffice suite, VLC, GIMP and 7-Zip. All this fits on a 1Gb disk quite nicely.

[Sunflower1970]

But its Windows only. Isn't it?

Yep. But I use Windows at work, and have need of some of the programs which I cannot directly download on to my computer.

[reclusivemonkey]

Yep. But I use Windows at work, and have need of some of the programs which I cannot directly download on to my computer.

As well as portable apps, you might want to take a look here as well; the apps that don't need "installing" are marked with a small green symbol:-

http://www.tinyapps.org/

[windfer]

MCNLIVE unfortunately it is based on mandriva I cant stand their package management system. But Mcnlive is unbelievable configurable and has a wizard to put it on a usb drive. I wasted a good week playing with it.