Finnix facts for kids
 |
|
Finnix 100 boot screen
|
|
| Company / developer | Ryan Finnie |
|---|---|
| OS family | Linux (Unix-like) |
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | Open source |
| Initial release | March 22, 2000 |
| Latest stable release | 125 / Error: first parameter is missing. |
| Marketing target | System administrators |
| Available language(s) | English |
| Update method | APT |
| Package manager | dpkg |
| Supported platforms | i386, x86-64, PowerPC, UML, Xen |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Linux) |
| Default user interface | Console |
| License | Various |
| Official website | www.finnix.org |
Finnix is a special kind of operating system that you can run directly from a CD or USB flash drive. It's based on Debian Linux, which is a popular type of computer software.
Finnix was created by Ryan Finnie. It's mostly used by System administrators. These are people who manage and fix computer systems. They use Finnix for tasks like getting back lost files or setting up new operating systems.
Finnix is quite small, so it doesn't take up much space. You can download it as an ISO file that's about 100 MB. It works on many different types of computers. You can run it from a CD, a USB drive, a hard drive, or even over a network.
Contents
History of Finnix
Finnix started being developed in 1999. This makes it one of the oldest Linux distributions designed to run completely from a bootable CD. At that time, there was only one other similar CD available.
The very first version, Finnix 0.01, was based on Red Hat Linux 6.0. Ryan Finnie made it to help manage and fix Linux computers in his office.
The first version released to the public was Finnix 0.03 in early 2000. It was based on an updated Red Hat Linux 6.1. Even though it was quite large for its time (300 MB) and needed 32 MB of RAM, many people downloaded it. Over 10,000 downloads showed it was popular.
After version 0.03, work on Finnix stopped for a while. It wasn't updated again until 2005.
On October 23, 2005, Finnix 86.0 was released. Before this, some unreleased versions were based on another system called "Knoppix". But Finnix 86.0 was different. It was built directly from the "testing" version of Debian.
How Finnix Works
Finnix comes as a small file that you can burn onto a CD. Once you have the CD, you can start your computer using it. This will load Finnix into a text-based Linux environment.
Finnix needs at least 32 MB of RAM to work well. But it can use more if your computer has it. It automatically finds most of your computer's parts. This includes hard drives, network cards, and USB devices.
You can change files on the running CD. This is possible because Finnix uses a special file system. It combines the read-only CD with a temporary storage area in your computer's RAM. Any changes you make are saved in RAM. They disappear when you turn off Finnix.
Finnix also uses something called SquashFS. This helps keep the size of the program small.
Running from RAM
If your computer has at least 192 MB of RAM, Finnix can run completely from memory. You can tell Finnix to do this by using a "toram" option. When it runs from RAM, the CD is ejected. This frees up your CD-ROM drive for other uses.
You can also put Finnix on a bootable USB stick. Or you can install it permanently on a hard drive. Even when installed, it still works like a LiveCD.
Supported Systems
Finnix works on different types of computer processors. The main ones are x86 and x86-64. There is also a separate version for PowerPC computers.
Finnix also works with special systems like User Mode Linux and Xen. These are used for running virtual computers. Companies that offer Virtual private servers often use Finnix. They provide it to their customers for fixing or maintaining their virtual servers.
Finnix Versions
New versions of Finnix are usually released every three months. Each new version includes updated software from Debian. It also adds new features specific to Finnix.
Versions 86.0 through 93.0 used a "major/minor" numbering system. Major releases brought big changes. Minor releases included small fixes and updates.
Starting with version 100, the releases are simply numbered one after another. Development versions are named after cities and towns in Wisconsin.
Images for kids
-
Finnix 102 running as a virtual computer using Xen
See also
In Spanish: Finnix para niños
