What sort of software would you like to see on USB Sticks?

[JohnMason]

As I'm sure you can guess from my company name, we sell USB Sticks. We've already got a couple of software packages we offer pre-installed on them, which are good for their intended uses, but I just think there's so much more potential...

So, what sort of software would YOU like to see on a USB Stick?

What sort of software do you load onto existing sticks?

What sort of software does your company make, perhaps, that would lend itself well to distribution on USB Sticks?

It's a bit cheeky, but I'm hoping you guys on the front lines could help advise me on the best way to, well, get your custom.

Also, if any software company reps here think their product would lend itself to USB Sticks, I'd love a PM with more details?

[strawberry]

bart pe is good on usb, and any of the portable apps range.

[dhicks]

So, what sort of software would YOU like to see on a USB Stick?

A fully self-contained OS with no window manager, just a tabbed web browser - like it was in "kiosk mode". All software running on the OS would be web-based, accessed through the browser, with the server-side stuff all running from the memory stick too, somewhere in the background (maybe on a separate VM). There would be software suitable for pupils to use - word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, sound and video editing, anything they needed. If an Internet connection was found then this server-based software would attempt to connect to central server and write data up to it, otherwise user work would be stored on the USB stick until an Internet connection became available.

--
David Hicks

[Domino]

What would i like to see on a usb stick

...adobe CS3?

[maniac]

Linux system rescue CD, it's by far the most useful thing I've ever put on a USB stick. By default it boots from CD so needs a litte adaption to boot from USB.

Main Page - SystemRescueCd

Mike.

[DMcCoy]

None!

[timbo343]

I tried to put boot a windows installation off a USB once, but had no luck, it told me that there was a DLL error.

[SteveLaw]

I had a USB stick with tri-boot Bart, Slax and Parted Magic plus about a few hundred MB of portable apps (mostly from Portable Freeware). I dropped it and it slid into a hole in the skirting board that was under a radiator. I was gutted and I haven't had time to make a new one. I'd like that back please

[Sylv3r]

Not quite software but we will be looking at putting our school prospectus / video onto memory pens next year.

[conehead]

Some idiot proof encrypton software, by idiot I mean the user not the hacker.

[dhicks]

Not quite software but we will be looking at putting our school prospectus / video onto memory pens next year.

Good point - we've got a 70th anniversary thing coming up in October, and we might look at getting a bunch of photos/sound/videos on to memory stick to sell to visitors.

--
David Hicks

[nadeem]

Well I'm just about to do one with all kinds of useful student info on (as well as a separate one with promo stuff on), so I'd like love a quote - please PM me.

[JohnMason]

I had a USB stick with tri-boot Bart, Slax and Parted Magic plus about a few hundred MB of portable apps (mostly from Portable Freeware). I dropped it and it slid into a hole in the skirting board that was under a radiator. I was gutted and I haven't had time to make a new one. I'd like that back please

You should have kept a backup of it...

Or a few backups...

Erm...

On USB?

Grab a few hundred off of us, get the same stuff loaded onto all of them, and even if you do lose a few more, there'll always be a few lying about.

[JohnMason]

A fully self-contained OS with no window manager, just a tabbed web browser - like it was in "kiosk mode". All software running on the OS would be web-based, accessed through the browser, with the server-side stuff all running from the memory stick too, somewhere in the background (maybe on a separate VM). There would be software suitable for pupils to use - word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, sound and video editing, anything they needed. If an Internet connection was found then this server-based software would attempt to connect to central server and write data up to it, otherwise user work would be stored on the USB stick until an Internet connection became available.

--
David Hicks

My first thoughts were "keep dreaming"...

but with google apps, MS Office moving online, etc. it might not be such a big thing to ask.

Maybe this time next year?

[dhicks]

My first thoughts were "keep dreaming"...

From your original post, I figured you were offering to write the software for us.

--
David Hicks