<p>Who absolutely would not be better off with a live CD. That would be only a last resort choice. With a live CD you have no swap space, it's like the flash drive option without the choice to have the swap space.</p>
<p>From what you later described, I would definitely suggest a flash drive. Either get a class 10 MicroSD card and a bootable recessed USB reader, or a thumb drive and a short USB extension cord so you are not obligated to leave the thing hanging out the side.</p>
<p>Ubuntu is defacto Linux for people who "have to ask".</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Oct 24, 2011 3:41 AM, "Courtney Thomas" <<a href="mailto:courtneycthomas@bellsouth.net">courtneycthomas@bellsouth.net</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
Ron,<br>
<br>
Thank you for all the important concerns unconsidered by me at this<br>
point, but it sounds like... I might be better advised to use live CD<br>
distros with a portable HD (rather than zip drives) for reliability and<br>
space.<br>
<br>
If true, what am I giving up if going that route ? Speed ?<br>
<br>
Gratefully,<br>
<br>
Courtney<br>
<br>
On 10/23/2011 12:37 PM, Ron Frazier wrote:<br>
> Courtney,<br>
><br>
> What I'm discussing relates to using a memory stick for your purpose.<br>
> Most of it won't apply if using a HDD for storage. I will freely admit<br>
> to not being an expert in booting from a flash memory stick. However,<br>
> here are some things to think about. You probably want a high speed<br>
> memory stick. They have different class numbers. Higher is better, and<br>
> they don't always say on the label. I don't have the numbers<br>
> memorized. Get something of high quality. Pony up a few extra dollars<br>
> for something with a 5 year warranty, rather than a 1 year. (That would<br>
> apply to a HDD too.) The device should have built in wear leveling, and<br>
> should have SLC memory circuits which have greater longevity. This is<br>
> also not usually on the label. Flash memory cells can only be written a<br>
> certain number of times before they degrade. When I was teaching at a<br>
> technical college, I always told the students not to rely on a memory<br>
> stick for permanent storage. They can flake out sometimes. The other<br>
> thread I had posted about my relative wanting to recover photos is an<br>
> example. Obviously, storing an OS on the thing is a more permanent<br>
> application, and you don't want any bits suddenly going missing. I<br>
> would back up the entire memory stick from one to another periodically,<br>
> which would get the OS as well as all your data. (This also would apply<br>
> to a HDD.)<br>
><br>
> Here are a few items the Linux gurus here (I'm not one) may wish to<br>
> address. You may not want a swap partition or file, since a swap area<br>
> will pound the memory stick very hard if the system get's low on<br>
> resources. There are pros and cons either way. Without swap, if you<br>
> boot a PC with low RAM, and run too many things, the OS may crash.<br>
> Also, you may wish to disable write caching to reduce the likelihood of<br>
> damaging the OS if the memory stick is removed without safely ejecting<br>
> it. The USB port may automatically disable write caching, I don't know<br>
> about that.<br>
><br>
> In the past, I've heard of people running Linux on a memory stick and<br>
> burning out the stick within a few months. That was a while back, so<br>
> I'm not sure how the modern technology affects these issues. Makers of<br>
> memory sticks, and SSD's, now say cell wear is not a problem. That may<br>
> or may not be true, but I'm not totally convinced. While I would like<br>
> to have an SSD, I'm not yet convinced that they can last 5 - 15 years,<br>
> the way a properly maintained and not mechanically damaged HDD can.<br>
><br>
> Sincerely,<br>
><br>
> Ron<br>
><br>
> On 10/23/2011 11:42 AM, D. Marshall Lemcoe Jr. wrote:<br>
>> There are some very fine 32GB and 64GB in the sub-$100 price range and<br>
>> anything will suit a live-key. if you're going to be traveling, the<br>
>> USB flash drive will be your better bet because there is no chance of<br>
>> it breaking like a regular HDD might.<br>
>><br>
>> As for the distribution, I would recommend something that doesn't take<br>
>> a lot of setup and configuration to use, like Ubuntu or Fedora.<br>
>><br>
>> On Sun, Oct 23, 2011 at 10:17 AM, Jim Kinney<<a href="mailto:jim.kinney@gmail.com">jim.kinney@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>><br>
>>> With the cost of removable media what it is, it's feasable to have several<br>
>>> distros on a 250GB drive all sharing a /home and selectable at boot from<br>
>>> grub.<br>
>>> Or carry a selection of live CD/DVD media and a thumb drive for storage.<br>
>>> This is easier unless the laptop has no cd drive. Older laptops may not be<br>
>>> able to boot from usb.<br>
>>><br>
>>> On Oct 23, 2011 9:41 AM, "Richard Faulkner"<<a href="mailto:rfaulkner@34thprs.org">rfaulkner@34thprs.org</a>> wrote:<br>
>>><br>
>>>> What is the most important feature of the OS? Security? Media support?<br>
>>>> Something basic or something w/everything not nailed down?<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> -----Original Message-----<br>
>>>> From: Richard Bronosky<Richard@Bronosky.com><br>
>>>> Reply-to: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts<<a href="mailto:ale@ale.org">ale@ale.org</a>><br>
>>>> To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts<<a href="mailto:ale@ale.org">ale@ale.org</a>><br>
>>>> Subject: Re: [ale] Linux alternative recommendation ?<br>
>>>> Date: Sun, 23 Oct 2011 09:02:53 -0400<br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>><br>
>>>> How much storage do you need? Could a flash drive work? 32G or 64G?<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> On Oct 23, 2011 8:27 AM, "Courtney Thomas"<<a href="mailto:courtneycthomas@bellsouth.net">courtneycthomas@bellsouth.net</a>><br>
>>>> wrote:<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> I'd like to carry a portable Linux USB HD installation for traveling<br>
>>>> with my laptop and would appreciate suggestions, not only for which<br>
>>>> Linux flavor but also which drive.<br>
>>>><br>
>>>> Thanks,<br>
>>>> C.Thomas<br>
>>>><br>
><br>
><br>
<br>
--<br>
"Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the<br>
right to rise up, and shake off the existing government, and form a new<br>
one that suits them better.This is a most valuable - a most sacred right<br>
- a right, which we hope and believe, is to liberate the world."<br>
Abraham Lincoln<br>
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire,<br>
it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."<br>
George Washington<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Ale mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Ale@ale.org">Ale@ale.org</a><br>
<a href="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale" target="_blank">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</a><br>
See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at<br>
<a href="http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo" target="_blank">http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo</a><br>
</blockquote></div>