I saw this
on the Google search results page today. Notice what’s unusual?
No? There are two l’s instead of just one. What was even more weird was this:
Again, did you notice the options on the left? I’ve seen this in the list of features introduced through Google Experimental, but on the main search results page? Something’s definitely cooking!
What’s up Google?
Update: This is what was up. Thanks to a well-informed reader for the heads up.
…on a thumb drive, no less? Whether you have never heard of Linux, or Linux is old hat to you, there may be a thing or two that this post may surprise you with. Of course, if you’re a hard-core geek who lives and breathes Linux, you can safely skip this post since there will probably be nothing in the rest of this post that will be new to you. If you aren’t one, then maybe you should read on.
Yes, it’s true: Linux can be run from a thumb drive (a.k.a. pen drive, flash drive, etc.). And what’s more, if your USB drive is 2.0 compliant, it can run at least as fast as, if not faster than, Windows. Don’t believe me? Try it out for yourself using Parted Magic and Ubuntu.
Before you go ahead with the instructions on the two previous URLs, there’s a question that you might want answered: will my existing Windows installation be affected? The answer is an unequivocal No. In fact, no part of your hard disk is even going to be touched, since these Linux distributions run exclusively from your USB disk, and if the RAM on your machine is large enough, they can even offer a phenomenal boost of speed (by using a RAM drive)! Too good to be true? There must be a catch, right?
Well, it really depends on what you want to use these tiny Linux installations for. If what you want is full-fledged Internet usage – email, surfing and streaming videos (like YouTube) - whether on a public machine (at a browsing center) or your own computer, with or without a Wifi connection, then there’s absolutely no catch whatsoever; the OS is functionally as good as Windows, and mostly faster too. If your intention is, however, to use it as a full-fledged operating system with all the conveniences and frills that you’re used to on Windows, then you may have a few problems or showstoppers. The latter is especially the case with Parted Magic, which is a thumb drive Linux distribution specifically meant for partitioning jobs; though you can comfortably use it to perform all the Internet functions enumerated above, its primary purpose is to create, alter the size of, and remove your partitions. In fact, if you are in a particularly destructive mood, you can even erase your disk clean and create completely new partitions with it!
On the other hand, Ubuntu on a thumb drive is a completely different story. You can do just about anything that you can with Windows, often with less hassle and more speed.
Like they say, your mileage may vary but the convenience and the extraordinary Internet security that these Linux distros give you, without compromising on functionality or speed, is simply unbeatable. What’s more, if you’re convinced about any of these operating systems, then taking the next step and installing them on your hard drive is not very difficult either. But that is a topic for an entirely different discussion which we can have sometime in the near future.
Leave your feedback about these distros in the comments below, or mail me at me AT maheshj DOT info. So long, have fun with Linux.
Here’s a question for you dare-devil Windows 7 users: how do you minimise all the windows except the one you want, and un-maximise (or Restore, see also the previous post) the one you want, all with just one mouse click/gesture? No?
Just shake it! Yes, grab the title bar the window, and give it a good shake. Try it!
See this YouTube video for even more Windows 7 tips.
If you’re using Windows 7 (the release candidate or beta) like I am, then here are a few handy tips:
What’s life without balance? Balance is not something that only book keepers or trapeze artists should strive for, it’s something that even interpreters should aspire to have. Like this automated translator.
Go ahead, find your own balance; I’ve found mine :-)
She didn’t win the first six games in the first set, but she hasn’t lost a game since then! I’m talking about the on-going fourth round match between Venus Williams and the comeback woman, Kim Clijsters, in the US Open. Even if she is someone that I don’t necessarily enjoy watching as a tennis player, it has been an amazing turnaround from the elder of the Williams sisters. I love that spirit in her which refuses to give in without a God-almighty struggle!
Update: The brave from-the-brink comeback of Venus Williams finally came to an end when Clijsters shut her out in the final set of an exciting match.
