http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Local_Startup_Documentation#GNU.2FLinux_.26_Debian_Compatibility

To make your DSL system more fully GNU compatible, from the system menu select Apps->Tools->Upgrade to GNU Utils. This will replace the busybox used in the base system to the full power of the GNU versions, by installing a special system extension named gnu-utils.dsl. Then for a Debian compatible system, select Apps->Tools->Enable Apt. This option will then allow full use the Debian Package Management System and Synaptic, by installing the dsl-dpkg.dsl system extension.

liveCD users can easily extend DSL without the complicated re-mastering process. myDSL currently offers two ways to extend DSL.

The first method is to separate out the static parts of your .filetool.lst. A good example is your custom settings of printer, modem, wireless, etc. These entries can easily be separated out into its own myconf.tar.gz. In fact any application that runs on the unmodified liveCD can now be separated out in this fashion.

Your second choice is to download from our selection of pre-configured DSL applications. These are designated with the .dsl, .uci, or .tar.gz extension.

All of these types of "modules" or "plugins" can easily be saved onto external media, such as, a hard drive partition, a usb pendrive, or even on the root directory of the cdrom.

For extensions that are copied onto external media, there is a new boot time option. For example:

The best news is that when a new version of DSL comes out, you don't have to do anything to keep your mydsl apps.

For those extensions that are copied onto the cdrom. The boot process seamlessly restores your favorite apps. The size of your myDSL is your choice, you can have a 64MB, 128MB, 210MB, or even all the way up to 700MB myDSL cdrom. DSL is the keystone to myDSL. When a new version of DSL comes out, just copy your additional applications to the root directory of the cdrom. There is no more need to redo a custom remaster to get your favorite applications on the live CD — no more time consuming uncompressing, chroot'ing process, or accidentally making "coasters". There is even a mkmydsl script to help you make your "mydsl" cdrom.

New starting with 0.7.1 is the optional directory. Create this directory on the root directory of the cdrom or external media. Place your .dsl and .tar.gz into the optional directory for those applications that you do not wish to have automatically loaded. These would be the resource intense applications. myDSL will still generate an installation menu for easy installation.

Also new is .uci compressed iso files. These provide much savings of your ramdisk and "load up" very quickly. Now run OpenOffice on lower resource machines than the ramdisk based .dsl.

Also available is the gnu-utils.dsl module that will allow liveCD users to have access to the full standard GNU Utilities.

For Debian packages, copy them into the optional directory. Also add the dsl-dpkg.dsl to have the Debian Package Management files restored. Then use the dpkg -i /path_to_deb_package to install under your control. Note: Using deb files will use substantially more of your ramdisk.