Recently I shared my vision for the value of Live Linux distributions that minimize the obstacles for learning open source software development. This came as an epiphany for us at the SNAP Development Center after we released SNAPPIX version 0.7. In the beginning, we only wanted to build a showcase for SNAP Platform, but once we had a working copy, the possibilities became instantly obvious. This was also true when I heard about a new Live Linux CD featuring Mono. This article expands on this premise, reviews Mono Live and shares an interview I conducted with the originator of the CD, Joseph Hill. It is my hope that this Live Linux CD plays an important role in the adoption and spread of the Mono project (as I have previously written here).

Introduction

Mono Live was released on May 24, 2005. Although there are several Live Linux CDs with Mono, they are all based on Knoppix and use KDE as the default Linux desktop. This distribution is based on the Ubuntu Live Linux CD. In many ways, the outstanding experience available from the Mono Live CD is made possible from Ubuntu. Since Ubuntu features GNOME as the default desktop, it only follows that due to Mono's heavy reliance on Gtk+, Mono Live would provide superior functionality. The current version of Mono Live includes Mono, version 1.1.7 and all of the key platform components, including a broad assortment of Mono Gtk-sharp based GUI applications, ASP.NET applications, and the software infrastructure to run the application. In addition to the core mono-based tools MonoDevelop, MonoDoc, and xsp, the Live CD also includes Postgres, pgAdmin III, and Glade.

Mono Live also has a major bonus. When the Mono Live CD is inserted into a MS Windows machine, it automatically provides the ability to install the complete Mono for Windows installation package. Thus, Mono Live serves a dual purpose, first as a complete Live Linux distribution, and second as a complete Mono Windows distribution.

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