Fancy creating your own tailor-made Linux distribution? Like a choice between Debian, Fedora, Kubuntu, Suse or Ubuntu in their 32- or 64-bit iterations? Need to create an enterprise-wide installation system or just one for your home desktop? Check out Instalinux.

Based on HP's Linux Common Operating Environment (LinuxCOE), Instalinux allows users to create localised network boot images, set installation options and manage the applications and services provided to users. HP used it to rollout a Linux migration to 15,000 desktops.

If you don't have 15,000 spare desktops, or even fancy tinkering with your current configuration, the site has a simple six-step tutorial on creating and installing it as a Virtual Machine. Did I say simple? I'll say. Here, in its entirety, is step six: "Live out the rest of your days in smug satisfaction."

Now what was that excuse about not trying Linux...?