While at university (~2003) I realized that computers in the lab could boot from CD-ROM so I made my own live CD based on a customzied Slackware with a custom O

While at university (~2003) I realized that computers in the lab could boot from CD-ROM so I made my own live CD based on a customzied Slackware with a custom OS loader written in C that could boot to GNOME in <1 minute (all preconfigured with apps I used for school), and used that for a few years in the labs. :) That was a nice middle ground. I could sensibly use my favorite environment even during short 10 minute visits between lectures.