MEPISLite for Win98 Users, Begins Test Phase
Morgantown, WV, May 20, 2005: MEPIS has announced the availability of MEPISLite 3.3.1-test01 at the MEPIS subscriber FTP site. Feedback should be sent to .
MEPISLite is being developed in response to user requests for a version of MEPIS that is optimized for machines designed for Windows 98. It also promises to run well from CD and to provide the vehicle for a reintroduction of the MEPIS Traveller Disk feature.
MEPISLite is similar to SimplyMEPIS, except that some packages have been changed to improve performance. Most notably, OpenOffice has been replaced with KOffice. Warren Woodford of MEPIS reported "We wish we could offer OpenOffice in MEPISLite but our tests indicate that OO is a big drain on smaller systems. Also it requires 200MB of disk space. While KOffice is less compatible with MSOffice, it should do a good job for home users and those who have only an occasional need for an office suite."
The Firefox browser is included but Konqueror is recommended. Most other changes are minor tweaks "under to hood" to reduce disk thrashing.
With Test01 MEPIS reintroduces the Traveller Disk feature, not seen since MEPIS 2003. Warren explained "When the Traveller Disk was introduced in 2003, we had problems with USB Key write speed and autodetection. Those are improved now, thanks in part to the work of the Linux kernel team. We have successfully run MEPISLite on a Thinkpad T20 for hours from CD with a user home on a USB 1.1 device. I wouldn't recommend that configuration but it appears to work."
In Test01, if a traveller disk is present it is autodetected at boot and activated as the default user's home directory. The MEPIS OS Center can be used to create a Traveller partition but data synchronization is not yet implemented. The specifications for the Traveller disk are subject to change.
Technalign has announced plans to release a modestly priced retail product, MEPIS ON THE GO, based on MEPISLite with the Traveller Disk feature.
For more information, visit the MEPIS sites.
MEPIS bus site: http://www.mepis.com
MEPIS mirrors: http://www.mepis.org/book/view/1462
MEPIS store: http://store.mepis.com
