Ubuntu 8.10 – Create USB Startup Disk

Ubuntu 8.10 – has a feature call “Create USB Startup Disk”. It creates bootable USB drive for install.

But the best part of it is, it has an addition feature named “reserved extra space”. It allows user to save set file, document, perference or even application, just like you’re working on normal harddisk.

It is amazing, for example, I can install application (let say the gnome-do) on the desktop computer. Plug the USB drive into my notebook and write blog about it.

Of course, it has a downside, since it consider you’re running as livecd. It takes rather long time to startup. In my notebook, it take ~3-4 mins.

From ubuntu forum, someone mentioned that he tried to do the full installation on a USB drive and it only take ~30 secs to startup. I will give it a try if I can find an extra USB drive.

Gnome Do – Smart Launcher – Launchy on Linux

I am a great fan on Launchy, a smart launcher on MS window. It is lightweight and very smart. Launchy can guess the file/application while you’re typing the filename or command. Also, it is highly customizable. You can include or exclude certain directory or file type.

It is really a MUST HAVE tool for MS window.

In linux, the similar tool is called “Gnome Do”. By press <win>+<space>, new window is popup and you can type the file/application name at once. just like launchy. Highly recommend for any linux user.

About the installation, it is rather simple in ubuntu 8.10. Just type following command

$ sudo aptitude install gnome-do

Links:

Gnome Do Home – http://do.davebsd.com/

Ubuntu’s Gnome Do Wiki – https://wiki.ubuntu.com/GnomeDo