KNOPPIX is a bootable CD with a collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, as well as sound cards. It also supports SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals.

KNOPPIX can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system, etc. It can also be adapted and used as a platform for commercial software demos. To run KNOPPIX on a system, it is not necessary to install anything on the hard disk. Due to its on-the-fly decompression technique, the KNOPPIXD can have up to 2GB of executable software installed on it.

Since KNOPPIX is a free and open source Live Linux CD it is distributed under GNU General Public License. It boots and runs completely from the CD.

KNOPPIX is a Live Linux CD based on Debian GNU/Linux. It includes:
· Linux-Kernel
· KDE as the standard desktop with K Office and the Konqueror WWW-browser
· X Multimedia System (xmms) an MPEG-video, MP3, Ogg Vorbis Audio player and xine
· Internet connection software kppp,pppoeconf (DSL) and isdn-config
· Gnu Image Manipulation Program (GIMP)
· utilities for data recovery and system repairs for any operating systems
· network and security analysis tools for network administration
· OpenOffice, the GPL-developed version of the well-known StarOffice(TM) office suite