For this series we will be using the GNU/Linux Operating System. GNU/Linux is all about choice, and subsequently it has lots of versions (called distributions) produced by different organisations. The distribution we will use is called Gentoo which has a lot to offer to a Command Line Warrior.

Gentoo is a fast, modern distribution with a clean and flexible design. Gentoo is built around free software and doesn't hide from its users what is beneath the hood. Configuring Gentoo happens through regular textfiles and updating and extending the system happens through a powerful yet beautifully simple package maintenance system called Portage.

Choosing the right CD

The first step is to download the CD. There are two options.

1. If you have a decent Internet connection available all the time (one

   that you can use anytime without paying per second) then just get the minimal installation CD which is only 52 MB to download. This is what I recommend for most people and this is what we will use in this series.

2. Another option is to get the Gentoo Universal Installation CD, for

   example this is worthwhile if you have to download the CD in one place (say at work) and then go to another place (say home) to install it. This CD is 650MB and includes everything you need to install without a working Internet connection. It includes lots of different versions so you are actually downloading a load of stuff that you will not need.

Surfing the mirror

The Gentoo CD is 'mirrored' in many places around the world to make it faster to download. Choose the one nearest you from the list.

You need to choose the 'releases' directory, then the folder for your type of computer (called 'architecture'). Most people will want x86.

64-bit AMD users will want 'amd64', Apple Mac users will want 'ppc'

(because the more formal name for the Apple Mac type is architecture is 'powerpc').

You then want to choose the latest folder (if it says 'current' then choose that as it will link to the latest one). Gentoo CD releases are named after the year that they are produced and a version number (starting with 0), so 2005.0 means the first CD produced in 2005 and 2005.1 will represent the second and so on (starting again with 2006.0 etc).

Next go to the 'installcd' folder. You want to download the .iso file called something like 'install-x86-minimal-2005.1.iso' (the year or version number might be higher when you are reading this).

Once you have saved this file to your computer, you need to burn it to your blank CD-R.

Burning the CD

You need to burn the iso to CD. An iso file is a disk image that will be expanded by your CD burning program as it goes along, make sure that the program is in 'CD image mode' or 'iso mode'.

Burn the CD at the lowest speed possible (e.g. 8x - a lower speed increases the chances of getting it right), go and have a cup of tea.

Here are some burning tips from Gentoo FAQ:

> How do I burn an ISO file?

You need to burn the file in raw mode. This means that you should not just place the file on the CD, but interpret the file as an entire CD.

There are lots of CD burning tools available; covering them all would be a Sisyphean problem. However, describing a few popular tools never hurts:

> - With EasyCD Creator you select File, Record CD from CD image. Then you change the Files of type to ISO image file. Then locate the ISO file and click Open. When you click on Start recording the ISO image will be burned correctly onto the CD-R. >

> - With Nero Burning ROM, cancel the wizard which automatically pops up and select Burn Image from the File menu. Select the image you want to burn and click Open. Now hit the Burn button and watch your brand new CD being burnt. >

> - With cdrecord, you simply type cdrecord dev=/dev/hdc (replace /dev/hdc with your CD-RW drive's device path) followed by the path to the ISO file :) >

> - With K3B, select Tools > CD > Burn CD Image. Then you can locate your ISO file within the 'Image to Burn' area. Finally click Start. >

> - With Mac OS X Panther, launch Disk Utility from Applications/Utilities, select Open from the Images menu, select the mounted disk image in the main window and select Burn in the Images menu. >

> - With Mac OS X Jaguar, launch Disk Copy from Applications/Utilities, select Burn Image from the File menu, select the ISO and click the Burn button.

These further tips were quoted from the Knoppix Wiki Downloading FAQ.

• Quick answer: You will need one 700MB/80min blank CDR. Use a program such as Nero Burning Rom or Roxio CD Creator. You can get a free trial of Nero from their site (http://www.nero.com/en/index.html). In most cases you will want to skip the burning wizard and choose File -> Burn Image or File -> Open. Select the .iso file, then -> Burn.
• Long answer: Of course the answer depends on the individual program you are using to burn CDs, but all common CD-Writing programs should support the option of burning the ISO as an image, you probably just have to find the right menu option. In the burning program, do not drag & drop the ISO into the burning screen. In the windows explorer, do not attempt to decompress the ISO with something like WinRAR or WinZip. You must CHOOSE to burn it as an image. Do not burn it at a fast speed greater than 16X. You must burn it at a very slow speed preferably 4X or 8X. Burn your CDR as a "Single Session CD" or select finalize. The Mode "Disk at once" or "Track at once" should not matter (have a look at the Online- Help of your burning software).

There are more specific burning tips for different versions of Nero and other software at the Knoppix Wiki Downloading FAQ as well as elsewhere.