The main problem with Linux as a desktop OS is installing applications. ./config, make, make install? What a pain in the ass. I have tried and given up on using a linux desktop because of the difficulty in installing new applications. It's always some problem with X configuration, rpm dependencies, etc.

But, everytime a new version of the a live CD comes out, I'm sure to download it and give it a spin. Download times are reasonable with cable internet and bittorrent; burnable CDs are $0.50 to $0.20. It's fun to have someone do all the heavy lifting for me while I reap the rewards of a highly polished KDE desktop.

If you like the live CD enough, most have applications that will let you install it on the hard disk of your computer. Wow, a live CD that installs and everything. If you use a live CD to install your system, and bork it somehow, how easy is it to re-install? As easy as running the live CD again!

So why make users go through all the trouble of installing linux apps? You can get almost anything you want on a live CD without the hassle of installing a distro and then compiling apps.

Take it another step, and you can have all linux software distribution via live CDs. These little buggers will run on computers with Windows installed, Linux installed, or even nothing installed. You want to play games? Run a games live CD. You want a recording studio? Run a recording studio live CD.

Sure, it's a tight squeeze to get all the data on a single CD, but DVD drives and burners are getting more ubiquitous.

It would be a great step for the average computer user to not have to install and configure applications themselves.