As the demands of all operating systems increase, Damn Small Linux (DSL) is a refreshing change and worth considering by anyone with an old computer. This latest version has some updated software and new drivers, while still keeping within the 50MB limit.

The subject of the Computeractive feature introducing Linux, DSL was designed with a strict 50MB limit. This means that many of the familiar programs are not installed by default and an older version of Linux is used, but this is a comprimise worth making.

There are several ways of using DSL. This download can be burnt to a CD and used as a Live CD. Simply reboot the computer with this CD in the drive and DSL will load but without making any changes to the hard disk. Once started in this way it can be installed to the hard disk or a USB key.

A very interesting alternative is a version that works from within Windows. In this mode it can use the network connection of the computer, avoiding the need to set up a modem. This version can also be saved to a USB key so you can always have your own operating system wherever you go.

Extra software can be installed over the internet from a list of specially prepared files. These include favourites such as Firefox, Thunderbird and Open Office. These do take up more space than the goal of 50MB.