This month we bring you a Virtual Live Distro Sampler created exclusively for Linux Magazine and Linux Pro Magazine. Try out any one of the five Live distros without rebooting.

The Live base system is a fully installable version of Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon – with all the latest updates and security patches. Ubuntu 7.10 comes with better security, improved 3D effects, write support for NTFS partitions, a new automatic printer configuration feature, improved power management, and additional updates and enhancements.

Running on Gutsy Gibbon is the VirtualBox 1.5.6 virtualization environment. Inside this virtual environment, you can sample and test any of the following Live distributions:

CentOS 5.1 Live

The CentOS community distribution is based on source code from Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

This Live version comes with a healthy collection of end-user tools, plus a handy toolkit of diagnostic and rescue utilities.

DreamLinux 3.0 RC1

DreamLinux is a modular Linux system based on Debian and Morphix. The DreamLinux developers pride themselves in delivering plenty of applications for the desktop and lots of interesting add-ons.

Figure 4: DreamLinux 3.0 RC1.

Kubuntu 8.04 Alpha "KDE 4"

If you haven't already heard, Kubuntu Linux is Ubuntu with KDE. This alpha version of Kubuntu 8.04 might be your first look at what's coming up in Ubuntu "Hardy Heron."

Tour the new KDE 4 desktop and browse through the gallery of tools that makes Kubuntu a favorite of Linux users around the world.