What is Simply MEPIS

The full MEPIS software can be found on two CDs. The SimplyMEPIS project is an effort to create a very simple, prepackaged system that
can be run straight from CD by consumers. It is planned to be
part of a book being written by Rob "Roblimo" Miller, to be published
by Prentice Hall later this year.

Hi masinick, I find the current mepis-2004.b05.en-fr.cd1.iso seems to be on 1 CD only? This doesn't fit with your comment, what's the story there?

Hi Hyper
My understanding is that Simply Mepis is under heavy development now because of a book deadline (Point and Click Linux). Later, development of the regular version will be resumed and the second cd made for it as soon as a final release is finalized. I hope I'm telling you correct, but this is just my reading of some posts around the forums, and could be incorrect.

Cheers.
Jim

Our friend is correct. Back in May, the original intent was to have the next test release of the 2004 edition of MEPIS ready to go. I'm not 100% sure if that was meant to include both Simply MEPIS AND the fully developed version. Unfortunately Warren Woodward developed back problems. Prior to that, development was brisk and successful. Since then, development has gone on, but out of necessity it has been a bit on and off, depending on how well Warren is doing. He is doing better, by the way, but still battles back issues. The B5 release you mentioned is one of the snapshots of what was to be one of the full releases. It has a bit more software in it than SimplyMEPIS, though not a great deal more. SimplyMEPIS RC 3 is actually the most current MEPIS software you can get. If things go according to plan, you will see RC 4 and RC 5 before the final release of SimplyMEPIS. According to Warren, there are agreements with Prentice Hall that must be met, so September 5, if I remember correctly, is the date that SimplyMEPIS will reach its final development before the book CDs are burned. Additional development may proceed from there, but whatever is there at that time will become part of what goes into Robin Miller's book that he is writing for Prentice Hall.

I've been using the second cd that comes with the 2003.10.x version with the beta versions that come out. It'll probably be updated in the final version. But to tell the truth I've had very little use for it with mepis and broadband.

a current state of mind :roll:

If I did not have a broadband network, undoubtedly things would be different. As it is, I really don't need to use the second CD. For me, if I use it at all, it will be either for convenience or to help quality test the software.