linux live CD that is fully internet ready

i've been out of touch with linux for a few years now.
is there a distribution with a live CD that comes fully internet ready??
with flash and java and pdf capabilities, and that can play the various media files out there on the internet, including windows media files?
all rolled into a live CD that has good hardware detection. every time i look through distrowatch, my mind goes numb from the many choices.

thanks,
harmless

 

I can't speak with absolute knowledge of a specific distro, but pretty much ALL live CDs are internet ready nowadays. If the distro detects your hardware, you're on the internet!

As far as "fully" internet ready with flash, java, pdf, etc... I'll suggest that a Mint Live CD is probably your best bet to have the requested features "out of the box." While I personally prefer Ubuntu, I recommend Mint to Linux newbies/Windows migrators, as it typically requires less configuration for beginners. Give it a shot and good luck!

 

Pinguy and Mint have most of the needed things.
http://pinguyos.com/

 

Another vote for Mint as I am pretty certain it will do all that you are requiring out of the box provided the chipset for your wifi is not something off the wall.

 

Linux Mint really is the first one to try since it has all the most common programs included and a large choice of additional programs available with virtually automatic installer.

One thought is that putting Linux on a USB thumb drive (you want one that is empty and can be formatted) is very easy and if you use a Linux distro with "persistence" it allows you to save your changes such as Firefox bookmarks or addons for the next time you boot from it. If you decide that Linux is now more user friendly and your PC will boot from USB then it might be worthwhile to pick up a cheap USB and just keep it for a portable Linux(4gb or so gives you 1gb for OS and 1gb for persistence and 1.5gb for files/downloads) so you don't have to start fresh each time you boot up the CD and yet you still don't have to mess with your HD.

 

Good Point sach2

 

thanks for the suggestions.
in the past, i've heard of mint, tried pclinuxos, but pinguyos is new to me and looks promising.
i'm curious about these things, and ... i am hoping to give my brother something that might be useful to him.
he is an electrician on cargo ships so he is out to sea 4 to 5 months at one time.
he mentioned that a good live linux CD might be useful to him.
at least i can point him in a useful direction now.

toodles,
harmless

 

He will want a DVD or full install unless he can access the internet at sea to install packages. Mint is more useful "out of the box"