Django Live OS

As its name suggests, Django Live OS is an open source operating system based on Debian GNU/Linux and designed to enable Django developers to easily and effortlessly setup, host and test Django applications without having to learn how to install Apache, Python, MySQL or Django on a Linux environment.

Available for download as a Live CD for mainstream hardware platforms

Powered by 'Hardened Linux' with OpenBSD-like security, Django Live OS is distributed as a bootable Live CD ISO image that has been engineered to be used on either 32-bit or 64-bit PCs, but supports only 32-bit applications.

Boot options

When booting the Live CD from the BIOS of a computer, you’ll encounter a custom boot prompt that allows you to start the live environment with default  boot options or in failsafe mode, start the graphical installer directly, enter the rescue mode, run a memory test or boot the first disk drive.

No graphical desktop environment

While the Live CD has approximately 550MB in size, it doesn’t contain a graphical desktop environment, nor a X11 display server. This means that the user will be dropped to a shell prompt when booting the ISO image.

Don’t leave yet, because that’s normal for a server-oriented operating system. Yes, it is true that the developers should have included a minimal window environment to administer things easily, but you won’t have to anyway.

While the live mode is there for users who want to give it a quick and painless test drive, the system has been designed to be installed on a dedicated server machine. To access the development environment you must use a workstation to connect to the Django server via a web browser.

Bottom line

Being extremely useful for application testing, deployment and hosting, the Django Live CD Linux distribution allows users to instantly set up a dedicated server machine with the Django, MySQL and Apache software, which enables them to create apps with minimum effort and in a shortest time as possible.

What is new in this release:

• This version is built on Debian Squeeze and includes MongoDB as one of the optional backends, along with MySQL.