An update to the Ubuntu 11.04 installer (Ubiquity) finally brings upgrade support to the Ubuntu Live CD. That means that for instance if you use Ubuntu 10.10, when you'll boot the Ubuntu 11.04 Live CD you'll have an option to upgrade (without losing your documents and installed applications). Besides this change, there's also a redesigned partitioner:

(here's another screenshot, but in this one the "install alongside" option is missing for some odd reason)

The latest GParted 0.8, released a couple of days ago, adds an option to rescue data from lost partitions: "This new feature uses the gpart command to guess the partition table. Discovered file systems can be mounted read-only so that you can copy data to other media". Bugs fixed in the new version include: fix paste destination partition smaller than source, prevent visual disk display area from disappearing and fix minor cylinder alignment rounding error. A complete changelog can be found HERE.

Ubuntu Customization Kit is a tool you can use to customize the official Ubuntu Live CDs by adding additional language packs, applications and so on. It doesn't just work for Ubuntu (GNOME), but also for Kubuntu / Xubuntu and Edubuntu.

multicd.sh is a shell script designed to build a multiboot CD / DVD image containing many different Linux distributions and/or utilities. You can use it for instance to burn Gparted Live, Clonezilla and Ubuntu, all on the same multiboot DVD. When booting the CD / DVD, you will be able to choose which Linux distribution you want to boot on.

We already posted about UCK (Ubuntu Customization Kit) which is an application for creating a custom Ubuntu Live CD, but it doesn't have as many options as one would expect and it only runs in Ubuntu, as an application. One of the most mentioned ideas at Ubuntu Brainstorm is creating a custom installation/live cd website-as-service which would allow users to customize their install/live cd, in the spirit of Linux and open-source in general.


A service like this already exists: Reconstructor, a web based GNU/Linux distribution customization and creation toolkit. It allows for the customization of the Ubuntu and Debian GNU/Linux distributions. Customizations include boot logo image and text color, wallpaper, themes, icons, applications, and more.

Reconstructor is free to use. Even though it says certain services cost actual money, every user starts with a $5 balance and gets $5 each month which is enough for building and downloading your custom Ubuntu / Debian distributions. More info on this.

Once create your free account and log-in, you can choose if you want your Ubuntu / Debian with Gnome, KDE, XFCE or text only:

And then you get to edit the actual packages that come with your custom Ubuntu / Debian Linux distribution:

Under the "Modules" section, you can edit the default theme, upload custom .deb files, change the default icons and wallpaper, boot menu and even create custom GConf keys (among many other options):