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I want to demonstrate a certain in-house application as a Linux Live CD. I'd like to basically take a live CD "source" (preferably something based on Fedora/RedHat/Debian/Ubuntu which I know reasonably well), modify it slightly to add the app + it's dependencies (Java VM etc.) and repackage it so that the app boots automatically under X. What's the easiest way to do that?

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5 Answers

up vote 4 down vote

SUSE Studio

Build an appliance — or your own custom Linux distro — with a few mouse clicks. Customize it to your heart's content, and share it with the world!

... it doesn't get much easier.

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Note that an invitation is now required. – John T Jan 12 '10 at 15:24
That's right, but you get them for free: "We‘re adding capacity to SUSE Studio as fast as we can. Sign up now to get in line and receive your invitation as soon as possible." susestudio.com/login – Molly7244 Jan 12 '10 at 15:45
Yes, but I told a friend of mine about it and he signed up days ago, still no invite. If he wants to get started ASAP this isn't of any use. – John T Jan 12 '10 at 15:50
I have to agree, this is only a decent answer if he's willing to wait an undetermined amount of time. I remember back in July when I signed up it took two days to get the invite. A friend of mine signed up not that long ago and it took two weeks for his. – Marcin Jan 12 '10 at 17:41
I just signed up when John T. posted his comment, i got the invitation just now ... so much for not being "decent" and "undetermined amount of time". if you know a better answer, feel free to contribute, but downvoting the answer because SUSE Studio requires an invitation is ridiculous. – Molly7244 Jan 12 '10 at 17:49
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up vote 3 down vote

Two approaches i've tried - UCK lets you build a livecd based off one of the livecd distros of ubuntu- its a fairly neat approach, that lets you install apps using apt and dpkg, and lets you set things up independant of your running system.UCK is also the 'official' way to respin an ubuntu livecd.

Alternately remastersys lets you convert an installed ubuntu or debian system into a livecd, either with the same useraccount as the original, or a 'default' fixed one. You need less space to build one than UCK, and in certain ways, its easier to maintain since you can just have a 'reference' system and churn off releases from that

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up vote 1 down vote

Linux From Scratch definitely isn't the easiest option, but using ALFS project, Automated Linux From Scratch, things get substantially easier. If you are somewhat comfortable with Linux, ALFS is excellent and, as you will see, more customizable.

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up vote 1 down vote

Fedora has the Revisor tool to help you build your own live CD. Here's a tutorial.

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up vote 1 down vote

You might want to check out TazLito on SliTaz.

Once you find your way around in it, it is the cleanest, simplest, most elegant remastering tool I've ever encountered. And if it's just for showing off one app, you couldn't ask for better, since you can build it up on a full desktop OS that's only 35 MB!

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