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| Damn Small Linux | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Damn Small Linux 4.4.10 | |
| Developer | John Andrews, et al. |
| OS family | Linux (Unix-like) |
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | Open source |
| Initial release | April 13, 2005; 20 years ago (2005-04-13) |
| Latest release | 4.4.10[1]  / 18 November 2008; 17 years ago (18 November 2008) |
| Latest preview | 2024 RC 7[2] / 18 September 2024; 16 months ago (18 September 2024) |
| Kernel type | MonolithicLinux kernel |
| Default user interface | Fluxbox, JWM[3] |
| License | Free software licenses (mainlyGPL) |
| Official website | www |
Damn Small Linux (DSL) is aLinux distribution for thex86 family ofpersonal computers. It isfree and open-source software under the terms of theGNU GPL and other free and open-source licenses. DSL is designed to rungraphical user interface applications on older PChardware, but the exact specifications required differ significantly between the original version and the modern version.
DSL was originally conceived and maintained by John Andrews. For five years the community included Robert Shingledecker who created the MyDSL system, DSL Control Panel and other features. After issues with the main developers, Shingledecker was, by his account, exiled from the project.[4] He currently continues his work onTiny Core Linux which he created in April 2008.
DSL was originally based on Model-K, a 22 MB stripped-down version ofKnoppix, but soon after was based on Knoppix proper, allowing much easierremastering and improvements. The distribution is now based onDebian andantiX.[5]
Originally, DSL supported machines with as little as a486microprocessor and 8megabytes (MB) ofrandom-access memory (RAM). The live CD itself was only 50 MB in size.What originally began as an experiment to see how much software could fit in 50 MB eventually became a full Linux distribution. It could be installed onstorage media with small capacities, likebootable business cards,USB flash drives, variousmemory cards, andZip drives.
This version of DSL was last developed in 2012, with its last stable release in 2008.[6]
In 2024, a release candidate for DSL was released, the first in twelve years. This newer version has rather higher system requirements, and a size limit of 700 MB, but still supports older32-bit systems. This version is based onantiX rather thanKnoppix.
DSL is designed to primarily supportx86 PCs. The minimum system requirements for the older version were a486 processor and 8 MB ofRAM. DSL has been demonstrated by browsing the web withDillo, running simple games, and playing music on systems with a 486 processor and 16 MB of RAM. The system requirements are higher for runningMozilla Firefox and optional add-ons such as theOpenOffice.org office suite.
Version 4.4.10 of DSL, released November 18, 2008, included the following software:
DSL has built-in scripts to download and installAdvanced Packaging Tool (APT). Once APT is enabled, a user can install packages fromDebian'srepositories. Also, DSL hosts software ranging from large applications likeOpenOffice.org andGNU Compiler Collection (GCC), to smaller ones such asaMSN, by means of theMyDSL system, which allows convenient one-click download and installing of software. Files hosted on MyDSL are calledextensions. As of June 2008, the MyDSL servers were hosting over 900 applications, plugins, and other extensions.
Boot options are also called "cheat codes" in DSL. Automatic hardware detection may fail, or the user may want to use something other than the default settings (language, keyboard, VGA, fail-safe graphics, text mode...). DSL allows the user to enter one or more cheat codes at the boot prompt. If nothing is entered, DSL will boot with the default options. Cheat codes affect many auto-detection and hardware options. Many cheat codes also affect the GUI. The list of cheat codes can be seen at boot time and also at the DSL Wiki.
MyDSL is handled and maintained mostly by Robert Shingledecker and hosted by many organizations, such asibiblio and Belgium's BELNET. There are two areas of MyDSL:regular andtesting. Theregular area contains extensions that have been proven stable enough for everyday use and is broken down into different areas such asapps,net,system, anduci (Universal Compressed ISO - Extensions in .uci format aremounted as a separatefile system to minimize RAM use). Thetesting area is for newly submitted extensions that theoretically work well enough but may have any number ofbugs.
| Version | Date |
|---|---|
| 1.0 | 2005-04-13 |
| 1.1 | 2005-05-05 |
| 1.2 | 2005-06-07 |
| 1.3 | 2005-07-14 |
| 1.4 | 2005-08-02 |
| 1.5 | 2005-09-06 |
| 2.0 | 2005-11-22 |
| 2.4 | 2006-05-16 |
| 3.0 | 2006-06-20 |
| 3.1 | 2006-11-29 |
| 3.2 | 2007-01-18 |
| 3.3 | 2007-04-03 |
| 3.4 | 2007-07-03 |
| 4.0 | 2007-10-23 |
| 4.1 | 2007-12-02 |
| 4.2 | 2007-12-18 |
| 4.3 | 2008-04-22 |
| 4.4 | 2008-06-09 |
| 2024-RC7 | 2024-06-08[8] |
DSL wasported to theXboxvideo game console as X-DSL. X-DSL requires amodified Xbox. It can run as a Live CD or be installed to the Xbox hard drive. Users have also run X-DSL from a USB flash drive, using the USB adaptor included withPhantasy Star Online, which plugs into the memory card slot and includes one USB 1.1 port. X-DSL boots into aX11-based GUI; theXbox controller can be used to control the mouse pointer and enter text using avirtual keyboard. X-DSL has aFluxbox desktop, with programs for E-mail, web browsing, word processing and playing music. X-DSL can be customized by downloading extensions from the same MyDSL servers as DSL.
Linux distributions derived from Damn Small Linux includeHikarunix, used for a CD image that runs thegame of Go released in 2005,[9][10]andDamn Vulnerable Linux.
ALive USB of Damn Small Linux can be created manually or with applications likeUNetbootin.[11]SeeList of tools to create Live USB systems for full list.
Due to disagreements and irreconcilable differences among the project's originators and main developers, DSL development seemed to be at a standstill for a long time, and the future of the project was uncertain, much to the dismay of many of the users.[4]
On July 8, 2012, John Andrews (the original developer) announced that a new release was being developed. The DSL website, including the forums which were once inaccessible, were back, as well.[12] The first RC of the new 4.11 was released on August 3, 2012,[13] followed by a second one on September 26.
On February 1, 2024, DSL 2024 Alpha 1 was announced and released on the project's webpage.[14][15] May 22nd 2024 the DSL forum has a post "Release Candidate 4 Now Available"[16]
Release Candidate 7 Now Available
