Damn Small Linux is back and bigger than ever (but still small enough to fit on a CD)
Damn Small Linux (DSL) is a lightweight GNU/Linux distribution designed to breathe new life into old computer hardware by offering a full desktop operating system that runs on a wide range of hardware, but which takes up as little disk space as possible.
The original goal of DSL was to keep everything under 50MB, and version of the operating system released between 2005 and 2012 stuck to that size limit. But more than a decades since the last release, developer John Andrews has released a public alpha version of Damn Small Linux 2024. This time the operating system has grown in size, but it’s still small enough to fit on a single compact disk.
The Register:
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Damn Small Linux returns after a 12-year gap
Seventeen years after its last major version, an old favorite, Damn Small Linux, is back with a new 2024 release.
An alpha-test version of a new release of Damn Small Linux appeared at the start of the month. The last major release, DSL 4, appeared in 2007, and the last point release, a development preview of DSL 4.11, was in 2012.
Now, the new version is based on antiX Linux, which we looked at last September, but is cut down even further.
TechRadar & BetaNews:
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A tiny live-boot Linux installation is back from the dead — sleeping giant awakens for a new lease of life
Damn Small Linux (DSL) has officially received an alpha test 2024 release after a presumed final release back in 2007.
Yes, it’s older and fatter now (having grown in file size from 50MB to about 700MB run live, and 3.3GB when fully installed), but even though it won’t fit onto an (extremely cool) bootable business card anymore, just a regular full-sized big chonk CD-ROM, it still can run as live: meaning you don’t need to install it to either try it out or use it full-time as a regular operating system or part of a data recovery workflow.
Plus, Linux has always been about choice, so variety in your lightweight Linux distributions is always nice. The only problem is that, if you are a WSL evangelist thinking Judgment Day is here, well, you might just want to hold your bootable business horses.
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Damn Small Linux 2024 returns to breathe new life into old computers -- a feat Microsoft's bloated Windows 11 can't achieve
Damn Small Linux (DSL), a name that should resonate with many veteran tech enthusiasts, has made a triumphant return after a 12-year absence (albeit as a pre-release Alpha) in 2024 with a fresh iteration designed for low-spec 32-bit x86 computers. DSL 2024 is a compact Linux-based operating system that packs a punch with a bunch of useful applications, all while maintaining a small footprint.
The new DSL 2024 is not just about nostalgia; it's a practical solution for older computers, keeping them functional and out of landfills. The distribution is tailored to fit on a single CD, with a hard limit of 700MB, a significant jump from its 50MB predecessor but still a marvel in today's gigabyte-centric world. This constraint has led to a meticulous selection of applications that are functional, lightweight, and have low dependencies.
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