That’s a Good Puppy
Today, I am going to talk about a Linux distribution that, in my opinion, is quite understated. Right now you’re thinking: Wait, Linux? I can’t use Linux, that stuff’s only for the expert geeks.
Well, I’m afraid that ripe old excuse isn’t nearly as valid as it once was.
Linux distributions are successfully working to become friendlier to the average user; while at the same time, becoming more and more compatible with Windows applications. In fact, increasingly more people are using their favorite Linux distros to completely replace their current operating system (OS). There are hundreds of distributions to choose from that are uniquely crafted and developed, all at no cost to you. You can even create your very own if you’re feeling really ambitious!
But this is all a bit off topic because I’m here to shed some light on one distribution in particular: Puppy Linux. With its lightweight interface, its immaculate speed and pocket-friendly size, Puppy has gradually matured into an incredibly useful and dependable tool that is sure to make your chaotic day a bit more bearable.
Puppy’s got it all.
Granted, Puppy didn’t start out to be so practical initially, it has grown to encompass all of the most common features for everyday use, such as: multiple web browsers, word processors, photo editors, PDF viewers, instant messaging clients, even media players and burners. You can find a full list of preinstalled applications (pets) here.
You say that list isn’t thorough enough for your needs? Installing additional applications is as easy as accessing Puppy’s PETget Package Manager. Compartmentalized by categories, the PET package repository makes it effortless to find and install all of the supplementary applications that you crave.
Fast Puppy.
Puppy’s astonishing speed can be attributed to both its jaw-dropping size and its atypical method of operating exclusively in memory. Weighing in at a whopping 70 Megabytes, Puppy’s most charming trait is its portability. Load it on to a CD or USB drive and take it anywhere! The latest versions even allow you to save your data to the device after each use, permitting you to take your files and your entire OS with you everywhere you go. Now, that’s convenient!
The latter of Puppy’s noteworthy characteristics is that of its speed. The secret is that the entire system loads and runs in our computer’s volatile memory called Random-access memory (RAM). Requiring a mere minimum of 32MB of RAM*, Puppy Linux can even run without any existing hard drives in place!
Puppy loves kids, too!
Worried about the malicious junk that may make its way on to your computer when the kids are surfing the web? Not anymore. Each time you shut Puppy down, all of the temporary data is wiped. Say goodbye to pesky malware and Trojans infiltrating your PC.
Well, that is Puppy Linux in a nutshell, folks. So next time you find yourself pounding your head against the monitor of that sluggish PC, save your valuable time (and not to mention a throbbing headache), by loading your Puppy disc and begin soaring through today’s lengthy to-do list.
*To compare, Windows Vista requires at least 2 Gigabytes of RAM, or 2048 Megabytes, just to be installed.
Next, I will be providing a guide for creating a bootable Puppy CD/DVD or USB drive.