SystemRescueCd 2.4.0 has been released !

SystemRescueCd 2.4.0 has been released, its an updated version of the specialist live CD containing a large collection of open-source utilities for disk partitioning and data rescue tasks. The new release comes with the brand-new GParted 0.10.0, the latest X.Org Server and Mozilla Firefox, while DHCP has been upgraded to the 4.x series.



SystemRescueCd is a Gentoo-based Linux system on a bootable CD-ROM or USB drive, designed for repairing a system and data after a crash. It also aims to provide an easy way to carry out administration tasks on a computer, such as creating and editing hard disk partitions. It contains many useful system utilities (GNU Parted, PartImage, FSTools) and some basic ones (editors, Midnight Commander, network tools). It aims to be very easy to use. 

The kernel of the system supports all of today's most important file systems, including ext2, ext3, ext4, ReiserFS, Reiser4FS, btrfs, XFS, JFS, VFAT, NTFS, ISO9660, as well as network file systems, such as Samba and NFS.

Whats changed from old version:
Updated standard kernels to Linux 3.0.8 (rescuecd + rescue64); updated alternative kernels to Linux 3.1.0 (altker32 + altker64); dropped Reiser4 patch from all kernels (no patch for Linux 3.x); updated X.Org Server to 1.10.4 (graphical server and drivers); updated Mozilla Firefox to 7.0.1; updated GParted to 0.10.0; patched Parted 2.4 with fixes from Fedora.

Download this new release at Here.

Toorox Live, another Gentoo based distro

Toorox is a Linux Live-DVD based on Gentoo that starts as a bootable media using KNOPPIX technology. While the system is booting, all necessary drivers will be included automatically.


Toorox is only using the memory and an existing swap partition at runtime, so your hard disks won't be touched by default. Currently, Toorox use the latest stable KDE 4.1.0.

Minimum equipment:
i686 CPU (Pentium II and faster) + 256MB RAM + DVD

Optimum equipment:
Multi-Core CPU + 1GB RAM + DVD

Some examples to use it:

• Backup data
• Secure internet browsing
• Look and feel for Linux rookies
• Hard disk installation

Owners of Radeon VGA-Cards should notice improvements, because the free radeonhd driver is now installed and has been added to the hardware-detection. The 3D-Desktop should run well now, too after installing the proprietary ATI driver.

It contains the brand-new Firefox 3.0 and Epiphany has now been added to Toorox. for web browsing, too. Wine was updated to Version 1.0.Kontact and Kmail are back now in Toorox-KDE4.

More info and download links about this distro can be reached at here.

VidaLinux : Linux with Mac OS Sense

Vidalinux is a promising new GNU/Linux distribution based on Gentoo Linux and developed in Puerto Rico. It's currently in beta pending the first release -- and as such is full of bugs and problems. However, there's a bright future for this distro with its OS X-like GNOME interface and the new graphical front end for Gentoo's Portage system, Porthole.

Many people rave about OS X's interface, from the colorful Aqua theme to the layout of the menus and icons. Vidalinux does its best to mimic OS X's look and feel, even to the point of including gDesklets, an applet that adds a desktop-based quicklaunch icon bar identical to the dock in OS X.

The dock is handy in OS X because most Macintosh programs don't have a background shell like graphical programs in GNU/Linux, BSD or proprietary Unix. In Vidalinux, the gDesklets applet is only useful when you don't have programs running in front of it. Open one program and the gDesklet icons are hidden from view until you close, minimize, or hide the program with the Show Desktop button.

Here is the news from the developer:

Currently, us the VLOS Developers are developing the next release of VLOS wich is 1.3.1 RC3, this should be a out of the box working system where all you have to do is just install it and just start enjoying the amazing flexbility and features that Linux bring to the open community. We are planning on getting new computers wich will be used to compile basically most of the common software that are downloaded from a Portage tree we are going to be building soon and make binaries out of these compiled software so this way a user only has the task of just selecting wich software to install and binaries get installed instantly, this saves time and usefull for computers not fast enough for fast compilation. Remember, ever since VLOS reached 1.3 it has been avaible for free download under provided mirrors without any restriction. We are asking for donations to be able to reach this goal. Not only is this great for better productivity but also better for faster releases and usability. Wouldn't it be nice to just run the package manager in VLOS and just click the on the package you want and have it in a heartbeat in your desktop menu? Well that is precisely what we are trying to do, but we need donations for these computers to be brought to us in order to start this job. We do not intend for every single penny to be payed, we understand everyone has bills to pay, and food to put on the table, and take care of the best gift given by God, our kids.

Thats all. Btw, you can download the ISO from here.

Gentoo - Linux

Gentoo is a free operating system based on either Linux or FreeBSD that can be automatically optimized and customized for just about any application or need. Extreme configurability, performance and a top-notch user and developer community are all hallmarks of the Gentoo experience.

Thanks to a technology called Portage, Gentoo can become an ideal secure server, development workstation, professional desktop, gaming system, embedded solution or something else -- whatever you need it to be. Because of its near-unlimited adaptability, we call Gentoo a metadistribution.

What is Portage?

Portage is the heart of Gentoo, and performs many key functions. For one, Portage is the software distribution system for Gentoo. To get the latest software for Gentoo, you type one command: emerge --sync. This command tells Portage to update your local "Portage tree" over the Internet. Your local Portage tree contains a complete collection of scripts that can be used by Portage to create and install the latest Gentoo packages. Currently, we have more than 10000 packages in our Portage tree, with updates and new ones being added all the time.

Portage is also a package building and installation system. When you want to install a package, you type emerge packagename, at which point Portage automatically builds a custom version of the package to your exact specifications, optimizing it for your hardware and ensuring that the optional features in the package that you want are enabled -- and those you don't want aren't.

Portage also keeps your system up-to-date. Typing emerge -uD world -- one command -- will ensure that all the packages that you want on your system are updated automatically.