Beyond Live CDs and into USB Flash Drives

[Fernando H. F. Botelho]

Hi everyone,

My own difficulties in getting access to Ubuntu have given me the motivation
to push for this idea:

Why not release USB Flash Drive images of all Ubuntu X86 flavors every time
new Live CD images are made available?

99% of the world does not know how to do a lot of what is now required to
migrate out of Windows or even to try out alternatives.  However, There is
an almost infinite levels of technical proficiency and access to technology,
and small changes in usability and access to Ubuntu can impact thousands of
people.  Some might know how to download an image and burn it, but not know
anything about partitioning; others will have a great USB Flash Drive but no
old PC to test things, and so on.

The Live CD has been a revolution in usability and access to Ubuntu, but we
should not stop there.

Do we all remember how scary it is to partition a drive with all your work
in it?  Who has partitioned and then lost data because it didn't go well and
the backup was not recoverable?  The point is, for the Ubuntu team to put
together a few scripts to automate de production of USB Flash Drive images
based on Live CD images or any other portion of the work they already do
will probably not be too difficult.  On the other hand, it can really make a
huge difference for thousands that are scared of partitioning their drive,
do not know what that is, or do not have a spare machine to try Ubuntu out
meaningfully, i.e. being able to customize, save files, take it around and
try it in multiple machines at libraries, cafes, etc.

If you think this makes sense, then please support the spec I wrote on the
LaunchPad system:
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/ubuntu-usb-flash-drive-image-g
enerator/

I am new on LaunchPad and on this list, but I am assuming that dozens of
suggestions are lost every day for lack of interest.  I hope people on this
list can help me push this forward so that its technical and marketing
merits are considered by the Ubuntu/Canonical developers.

Thanks,

Fernando