[link|http://www.grml.org/|grml] - via [link|http://software.newsforge.com/software/06/06/27/206209.shtml?tid=91&tid=132|NewsForge ] via [link|http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2006070700132OSHWSW|LinuxToday].

From [link|http://www.grml.org/faq/#knoppix|grml.org]:

What's the difference between grml and Knoppix?

grml comes with a vastly different set of software. Missing KDE and OpenOffice provides the opportunity of shipping more than 800 packages which Knoppix does not provide on its CD version. grml boots a 2.6.x kernel but no X for faster startup. Knoppix is based on Debian/testing-experimental (using apt-pinning), but grml is basically based on plain Debian/unstable providing more current versions of software and less painfull upgrades. grml was once based on Knoppix but nowadays (except for a similar initial ramdisk) has nothing in common with Knoppix:

# locate knoppix
# find / -iname \\*knoppix\\*
#

We consider Knoppix as a brand name for live-cds nowadays and provide most of Knoppix' features as well. grml uses (mostly) the same cheatcodes for booting as Knoppix and even provides some extra ones. So if you are used to the basic Knoppix features you might find them on the grml-system as well. Ripping out the Knoppix stuff makes it possible to create a grml system out of a Debian system and vice versa. Running 'apt-get install grml' on a Debian box will be officially supported in an upcoming version of grml.

It doesn't look quite as friendly as Knoppix or Mepis, but since it doesn't start X initially, it should be very good for quick-and-dirty checking of new systems. Being based on straight Debian should make updates much less painful than trying to update Knoppix - if you ever want to do that...

[edit:] I note in the comments at NewsForge, a pointer to [link|http://frenzy.org.ua/eng/|Frenzy] which is a 200 MB live CD based on FreeBSD. Being on dialup, that might be a slightly less painful way to go. :-) I haven't tried it myself.

Luck!

Cheers,
Scott.