KNOPPIX+LKB

News

11-MAR-2008: Beta 3 is out. This has a new version of LKB (with [incr tsdb()] fixed) and the svn Subversion client is now included.

A BitTorrent download is now available for those of you who found the HTTP download problematic.

Overview

KNOPPIX+LKB is a bootable Linux live CD intended to make it easier for students to run LKB on their own computers. It requires no hard disk installation to run. It's similar in concept to Grammix, but defaults to English and contains somewhat more recent software.

KNOPPIX+LKB is a work-in-progress and the current release should be considered a beta test. Please email brodbd@u and let me know if you find it useful, if you encounter bugs other than those listed below, or if there are software packages or fonts you'd like to see added. I'm not a linguist and I don't work much with LKB myself, so I'll be relying heavily on feedback from other users to refine this tool.

What's on it?

• Emacs 22
• LKB (2008/02/08)
• Most of the packages included in Knoppix. (Some, such as OpenOffice.org, had to be removed due to lack of space.)

System requirements

To boot the CD, you need at least the following:

• An Intel-compatible CPU, i486 or better (including Intel Macs)
• 96 megabytes RAM
• An SVGA-compatible graphics card
• A serial, PS/2, or USB mouse
• The ability to boot from CD.

To run the LKB, you will probably need 256 megabytes of RAM. For complex grammars you may need 512 megabytes or more, or you may need to create a swap file.

To save your files you'll need one of the following: a working Internet connection, a USB memory stick, or a hard disk partition Knoppix can recognize.

Getting KNOPPIX+LKB

Visit the download directory and download the .iso file, or the .torrent file if you would prefer a BitTorrent download. There is also a checksum file (ending in .md5) if you'd like to check the integrity of your download.

Some people have reported that downloads from the server linked above stop before they're complete. If you're having problems, try the alternate site instead. This site also has an archive of older versions.

The .iso is a bootable CD image; do NOT just copy it to a CD. If you're running Windows, you should use something like ISO Recorder to burn the image. If you're using a Mac, you should double-click the .iso file to open it, then run Disk Utility, select the .iso file, and click Burn.

The image is approximately 692 megabytes, so you'll need to use a 700 megabyte (aka. "80 minute") CD blank.

Using KNOPPIX+LKB

Boot the CD. If you have a Windows machine, you may need to change your BIOS configuration to boot from CD; try it first, though, it may just work. If you have a Dell system, tapping F12 during the Dell boot screen may pop up a menu that will let you select a boot device. Intel Mac users should hold down the C key while powering on the computer.

When the CD finishes booting a window will pop up with some information on how to get started and how to save your files.

Media Check

If you have trouble with the live CD failing partway through the boot process, or some software fails to load, you should make sure your burned copy isn't damaged. To do this, boot the CD and type CGI knoppix testcd at the "boot:" prompt.

Known Issues

• When LKB is loaded, it gives a fallback font warning. (Any tips on resolving this would be appreciated.)
• Clicking on file and directory names in LKB file select dialogs doesn't work. You need to type the complete path in the "Selection" box -- e.g., CGI ~/starter-grammar/script. (The symbol ~ represents your home directory.) This is a known LKB bug.
• [incr_tsdb()] does not load properly, apparently due to an LKB bug.
• Due to limited space on the CD, not all foreign language fonts are loaded. However, if you need one that's not on there, let me know; I can probably squeeze it in.
• If the CD is run from within VirtualBox, LKB fails to pop up its window. This is also true of Grammix; there seems to be some kind of interaction between the LKB and VirtualBox's virtual machine.

-- brodbd - 11 Mar 2008