Cheap and Portable Computing Environment

Knoppix has an option to save configurations on non-volatile storage. This means you don't have to start with default settings every time you use Knoppix. In fact, you can save such configurations on a removeable USB storage device, along with your data files.

What does this mean?

This means you can bring all you apps and data files with you easily. Imagine this: all you need to bring are a single Knoppix CD and a USB storage device. Optionally, you can also bring two floppy disks for computers that cannot boot from CD.

Okay, but why is that good?

With this approach, you can bring your work with you to any computer that has a CD-ROM drive and a USB connector (and optionally a floppy drive). You don't have to worry about viruses and spyware on other computers, either. This is because you are not even touching the ``native'' operating system on the computers!

Knoppix comes with many options to connect to a network. From direct connection to a LAN, cable/DSL modem, to dial-up access, you get network connectivity. Network connectivity enhances the portability of a computing environment because you don't even need to bring the files with you. All the files can be transmitted to/from a hosting server. If you worry about security, Knoppix includes the entire SSH (secure shell) tool suite, which can encrypt traffic on the network so that your file transmissions remain secure.

A portable computing environment is great for schools, especially when the software is all free! A school can freely distribute Knoppix CDs to students, and require students to use some form of removeable medium for data files. The students can now work on their homework assignments and projects at school and at home. The only cost to the school or student is that of a blank CD-R and a USB storage keychain. On the other hand, the school can save a lot of money on systems maintenance, and the students can save a lot of money on commercial operating systems and applications.

Note that Knoppix include many applications. These applications include an office suite, a graphics program similar to Photoshop, audio processing and recording utility programs, CD burning programs and even programming environments.