Carry your Linux PC in your pocket
Metropipe has announced what they are calling their USB Virtual Private Machine and it looks very interesting. Whether you use Windows, a Mac, or Linux the appeal of a totally private and secure Linux terminal that will work on any x86 based PC (and soon Macs) and leaves no trace of your activity behind when you leave is nice. The VPM contains a complete virtual Linux machine that provides a communications terminal and fits on a USB keychain drive. The cool thing is the auto-configuration. It configures the networking on any computer that has a working internet connection. The Technology Preview is available for download at their web site.
Continue reading for the full specs of this innovative software.
Carry your entire Internet communication system on a tiny USB drive.
Contains a complete virtual Linux machine with privacy-enabled Open Source Internet applications.
Carry your Internet applications, email, bookmarks, history, web cookies, download files in your pocket.
Perfect for travellers - nothing to be scanned, started, poked, or prodded at the airport.
Get English keyboard support no matter what computer you use.
No installation needed - just plug the drive into any Windows or Linux computer, and click on the Virtual Privacy Machine icon and you're ready to go.
The VPM's network connection will auto configure and run seamlessly on any machine with a working internet connection..
All Internet session data (cookies, history, downloads, etc.) are stored on the VPM, not the host computer.
Runs on any rewriteable media (USB drives, Flash Memory cards, Secure Digital devices, iPods, etc.)
This PR1 release runs on Windows and Linux - final release version will also run on OS X.
Runs in full screen mode (press SHIFT-CTRL-F. SHIFT-CTRL captures and releases focus.)
Includes Mozilla Firefox browser, Mozilla Thunderbird News/Email client (with Enigmail plugins for PGP email encryption), persistent Home directory, a demo version of the MetroPipe Tunneler.
Created from 100% Open Source GPL code and binaries.
I saw your blog post and thought you might be interested in this...
http://www.iamaphex.net/vpm/
Posted by: Aphex | May 17, 2005 at 05:48 AM
You what I would find nice. Is something like knoppix for a usb flash drive. The operating system boots the pc and then I can install all the development and programming envouriments I want. So that I can program anywhere. Do you know of anything like that, because a virtual machine is nice and everything, but it is darn slow I'd rather just boot up the pc with the other operating system
Posted by: Alex | June 26, 2006 at 07:18 AM
Flash drive are wonderful but so far I prefer to use the 2.5" USB 2.0 drive.. I have a 40 gig one and I just bought a 100 gig.
I have even more space than my workstation hard drive with those two device.
although much bigger than usb flash drive, they can easily fit in my front pocket without beeing cumbersome.
That would be great if it exist an operating system that can work with that type of device. Since there is one for usb flash, I presume it shouldnt be difficult to build one for a 40 gig usb enclosure drive.
I would like to be able to just plugh my usb drive and boot with my personal operating system everywhere I go.
Posted by: Donavan Ragonov | November 12, 2006 at 05:56 PM