PostgreSQL is not the first project to launch a live CD, but the concept is one many projects should seriously consider adopting as a marketing tool.

I was going to tell you about my Foresight Linux test run, but the Foresight CD doesn't do anything. At least, not the one I got. Maybe I should have had the foresight to pick up two CDs? Yeah, I know it's a bad pun. Maybe I'll just take a look at the Foresight Linux website later and see what I think about downloading their distro. Meanwhile, the PostgreSQL folks had an Xubuntu-based live CD. And it worked.

As for me, I've played with PostgreSQL some, and though I find myself a little bewildered by its capabilities, I very much like it. If you're not sure about PostgreSQL's capabilities, or you just want to take it for a test drive without actually installing anything, then the LiveCD is definitely the way to go. But of course, you knew that already, didn't you?

Well, what can I say? The CD is simply Xubuntu with PostgreSQL loaded up and ready to run. And once loaded, you can actually play with PostgreSQL at least three different ways. The Xubuntu CD offers three icons that launch the Command-Line client, PGAdmin3 or phpPGAdmin. Now you can play with the server for as long as you like, goof it up and reboot for a clean, shiny new server.

Actually, the CD includes some sample databases and Slony-I, the database replication utility. Now, I didn't notice any documentation lying around, but my guess is one could probably mount the local hard drive and have PostgreSQL create databases on it all day long without ever installing the actual database server. Xubuntu still contains (most of) the other applications normally included - the team has simply loaded PG and it's client applications.

The cool thing about the Live CD, though, is that it serves as an effective marketing tool for the PostgreSQL project. People can play with the database server, either for evaluation, fun, or even education. Once they accomplish their goal, they can either install the OS, right along with the server and client software, or they can ditch it and keep going. Or they can pass it along to people they know.

People who attended my Marketing presentation this past weekend heard me talk about viral marketing. Live CDs are an excellent example of the kinds of viral marketing tools developers can use to spread the word about their projects. In this case, the Live CD also promotes other FOSS projects as well, which likely makes it more viral than Ebola. While someone like myself is not very likely to try out OpenOffice.org (since I use it daily anyway), many of the people who are likely to be exposed to the PostgreSQL live CD will have never tried it, even assuming they have heard of the venerable office suite.

PostgreSQL is not the first project to use the live CDs - not by any stretch of the imagination. Still, it's a good example of how you can increase your project's visibility and word-of-mouth factor. So build a live CD for your project and pass them out every chance you get. Naturally, you want to be sure they work, but there's always a risk of a dud in the stack. Promptly replace any duds and let your potential users play till their heart's content.