Damn Small Linux 2024 released

Quote: "...not sure how usable hardware that has a CD drive but not a network connection is going to be..."
Quote: "...not having a network connection seems like it would disqualify it from most desktop or laptop use cases..."

Define "network connection".
It seems you are eliding two concepts: (1) network connection (2) internet connection.

And "usable hardware" always has had a LAN connection (at least since around 1995!).

Well...I usually write code and test code off line (i.e. not connected to the internet). This does not mean that the code cannot be written and tested without a "network connection".....it's just that the "network connection" happens NOT TO BE AN INTERNET CONNECTION.....you know...a peer to peer connection across a LAN would do the trick. And the software would be transferred to an internet environment once the testing was complete.

So........what point are you trying to make?