Deepin Boot Maker vs Fedora Media Writer

Deepin Boot Maker is a free, open-source utility from the deepin Community for creating a Deepin boot disk. The workflow is to choose an ISO image, select a USB disk, start creating the disk, and complete the process. It is designed for Deepin installation ISOs and also works with Ubuntu live installation ISOs; ISO files can be added by dragging and dropping them. The official download directory lists a Windows executable and a macOS ZIP archive. On Linux, Deepin users can install the program from the repository with `sudo apt-get install deepin-boot-maker`; the README says the only binary release is currently from a Deepin OS ISO. The project uses the GPL-3.0-only license and links to its source code. For usage help, it lists a wiki, forum, Developer Center, and Matrix. The project encourages issue reports and contributions. No paid plans or usage limits are stated.

Fedora Media Writer creates bootable USB drives by writing Fedora images to them. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and can download the image before writing. A Live Fedora drive can be booted to try Fedora without making permanent changes to the computer. Getting started requires a 4GB USB flash drive.

Writing uses direct access to the device and replaces its existing contents and partition layout. Fedora Media Writer includes a Restore feature to put the drive back into a standard single-partition layout. Image checks can include comparing the USB device with the downloaded ISO or booting it and running a media check. Fedora also advises verifying downloaded images with a checksum file signed by a Fedora Project OpenPGP certificate. Installation options include Fedora's RPM package, Flathub on Linux, Windows releases, and a macOS DMG. The project identifies the software as GPL-2.0 licensed and directs users with crashes or writing errors to open a GitHub issue. It is free: free.