Can anyone recommend a FLOSS, KDE-oriented, source-compiling distro optimized for offline use that also work well as LiveDiscs?

I need a Linux distro both to install on my computer and run as a LiveDisc. The hard drive install is going to be offline mostly, the LiveDisc will probably have Internet available more often than not... so I'm looking for a distro that works well both with and without Internet.

Distros I've considered:

• I like Gentoo because it's so customizable and versatile and compiles software from source but I need a distro optimized for offline use, and Gentoo needs a frequent I-net connection for updates. Ergo I'm looking for a distro with a traditional release schedule. I like that it runs KDE, however it's really not the focus of the distro and I don't know how much software comes pre-installed (which wouldn't be a problem if I could pick which software to install in advance but I don't think I can do that?)
  
  
• Knoppix OTOH makes an awesome LiveDisc- lots of programs come pre-installed here. It's also good on older hardware, something I'm looking for. It runs Gnome, not KDE, and maybe Knoppix is TOO much of a LiveDisc... I'm not sure it is suited for a hard drive install.
  
  
• I thought I would like EndlessOS as it runs well on old hardware and is optimized for those without regular Internet access, but it isn't FLOSS and its small repository/ies, and focus on the non-tech-savy mean it's not the OS I'm looking for.

I think you mean FOSS (Free Open Source Software).

If you can find a KDE based distro, it will likely be able to run live, most distros these days do.

Take a look here.
https://distrowatch.com/search.php?o...=Active#simple

FLOSS = Free/Libre Open Source Software.

But how would you have a "source-compiling" distribution that is "optimized for offline use"? Where should the updates come from then? Gentoo generally works without the internet - nobody forces you to make updates. But your question makes no sense in my opinion.

I have to agree with the post above. I only things I gather from it is you want:

* A distribution that uses KDE by default without having to install KDE yourself(?)
* A system suitable as a live system(?)

openSUSE would have the best implementation of KDE around, last time I checked. As YesItsMe was saying, you don't have to do updates and therefore not having Internet would mean you would be unable to do any updates. The only problem with a system you would install onto a hard drive, as that, it's not a good idea to have long gaps in-between updates for binary based distributions.

For your "live system" question; Knoppix is designed to be run as a "live system". Why do you need to use the same distribution for both the "live system", and the system installed onto your hard drive?

You make some good points.

Well EndlessOS comes with integrated reference material- encyclopedias and such- built into the OS. Things that'd come in handy if you're stuck without Google/Wikipedia for an extended stretch of time. I haven't used it much so I don't know the extent of the integration, but I liked the IDEA that it was designed without the expectation that you would be connected to the Internet 24/7.

Gentoo is NOT designed this way. No one forces the updates on you (I have stopped with my laptop) but if you don't connect to the Internet every couple weeks your system falls behind and some future updates become incompatible. I don't think EndlessOS has this problem.


I don't, really, but I figured it would keep things simpler. I was trying to find one perfect distribution that would solve all my needs. I would be able to use the same programs and same configurations regardless of what drive I was booting from and I wouldn't be restricted by the selection of software the distro maintainer decided to include by default. However after trying the latest version of Knoppix I'm starting to suspect that it just can't be beat. They squeeze a LOT of software onto that tiny DVD and I really like it. Not sure now it's worth it to attempt to create my own LiveDisc or not.


Well I would still have to connect to the Internet to download new software, obviously. But it would be sporadic.


Perhaps I should have phrased my request thusly: I'm searching for a source-based KDE distro which isn't rolling release (and consequently doesn't lock you out from getting new packages if you don't upgrade your software every few weeks) with a healthy selection of reference material such as encyclopedias and dictionaries. But there probably isn't a distro that matches my ideal. There just aren't many source-based distros to choose from.

I'll take a look at openSUSE (wish there was a LiveDVD I could try before installing it though), however I'll probably go with Gentoo for the hard drive even with the update requirements, and Knoppix, EndlessOS, and Gentoo for LiveDiscs. The reference material I can probably download somewhere online. Kind of what I expected all along but I wanted to ask here first, thought someone might know something niche that suited my requirements better.

KaOS Linux live dvd non rolling pure x64 KDE distro originally based on LFS but isn't a source distro.