Knoppix is a fully functional and usable Linux system running completely from a single bootable CD without requiring a hard disc or hard disc access due to on-the-fly decompression. It "can be customized as a rescue system, security scanner, platform for presentations and demos, or as a productive environment" and is very helpful when it comes to "'How can I test Linux without having to change anything on my computer?''
Technically speaking, "the underlying GNU/Linux base system is modified to boot non-interactively into runlevel 5 with a working X-Window and KDE configuration, with all auto-detectable devices configured, ready to (auto-)start applications." Practically speaking, it works just fine: booting is a matter of seconds, all components of my Dell Inspiron 4000 get properly recognised and configured (which includes the 1400 x 1050 pixel graphics mode of the Rage Mobility M3 chip), LAN and ADSL configuraion takes no efforts, and configuration can be saved to disc. As it puts a constant load of 100% on the CPU (sic!), not exactly made for mobile use though.
Version 3.0 of this Debian-based distribution comes with KDE/Konqueror 2.2.2, Mozilla 1.0rc2, Gaelon, Open Office 1.0 and - Suse-style - several hundred other, mostly superfluous applications and tools. As the official website hasn't seen an update yet, version 3.0 has its home at freshmeat.net where you can get this ISO of roughly 700 MB.
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