# Softlanding Linux System
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{{short description|Linux distribution}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}{{Infobox operating system
| name = Softlanding Linux System
| screenshot = Sls-linux 1.05.png
| developer = [Peter MacDonald](/source/Peter_MacDonald_(computer_programmer))
| family = [Linux](/source/Linux) ([Unix-like](/source/Unix-like))
| working state = Discontinued
| released = {{Start date and age|1992|05|df=y}}
| latest release version = 1.06[{{Cite news |last=Epstein |first=Caleb |date=April 1995 |title=A review of InfoMagic's December 1994 Release |url=https://linuxjournal.rubdos.be/ljarchive/LJ/012/0060.html |access-date=25 February 2025 |work=[Linux Journal](/source/Linux_Journal) |volume=April 1995 |issue=12}}][{{Cite AV media |url=https://archive.org/details/yggsdrasil-linux-internet-archives-winter-1996 |title=Yggsdrasil Linux Internet Archives WINTER 1996 |date=Winter 1996 |type=CD |publisher=[Yggdrasil Computing, Incorporated](/source/Yggdrasil_Linux%2FGNU%2FX) |isbn=1-883601-15-0 |oclc=78663619 |via=[Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive)}}]
| latest release date = {{Start year and age|1994}}
| supported platforms = [i386](/source/x86)[{{Cite web |date=20 July 2023 |title=Softlanding Linux System |url=https://archiveos.org/sls/ |access-date=25 February 2025 |website=archiveos.org}}]
| kernel type = [Monolithic](/source/Monolithic_kernel) ([Linux](/source/Linux_kernel))
| influenced = [Slackware](/source/Slackware), [Debian](/source/Debian)
}}
'''Softlanding Linux System''' ('''SLS''') was one of the first [Linux distribution](/source/Linux_distribution)s. The first release was by [Peter MacDonald](/source/Peter_MacDonald_(computer_programmer))[{{Cite news |last=Noyes |first=Katherine |date=25 August 2016 |title=Linux's brilliant 25-year history, in pictures |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/416174/linuxs-brilliant-career-in-pictures.html |access-date=25 February 2025 |work=[PC World](/source/PC_World)}}][[https://web.archive.org/web/20230209040035/http://futurist.se/gldt/wp-content/uploads/11.04/gldt1104.svg GNU/Linux Distribution Timeline, version 11.4] by A. Lundqvist, D. Rodic] Their slogan at the time was "Gentle touchdowns for [DOS](/source/DOS) bailouts."[{{Cite news |last=Hall |first=Jim |date=4 May 2017 |title=How I got started with Linux |url=https://opensource.com/article/17/5/how-i-got-started-linux-jim-hall-freedos |access-date=25 February 2025 |work=opensource.com}}] SLS was the first release to offer a comprehensive [Linux](/source/Linux) distribution containing more than the [Linux kernel](/source/Linux_kernel), [GNU](/source/GNU), and other basic utilities, including an implementation of the [X Window System](/source/X_Window_System).[{{cite journal |last=Berlich |first=Ruediger |date=April 2001 |title=ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT... The early history of Linux, Part 2, Re: distribution |url=https://github.com/oldlinux-web/oldlinux-files/blob/9912ec445d0014e3571745223df8c35144468a57/docs/lu9-All_you_need_to_know_about-The_early_history_of_Linux_part_2.pdf |journal=LinuxUser |quote=This was followed shortly after by the Softlanding Linux System (SLS), founded by Peter McDonald, which was the first comprehensive distribution to contain elements such as X and TCP/IP,... |accessdate=12 May 2024}}][{{Cite web |last=Proffitt |first=Brian |date=4 August 2016 |title=25 Years of Linux |url=https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/25-years-linux |access-date=25 February 2025 |website=[Red Hat](/source/Red_Hat)}}]
==History==
SLS was the most popular Linux distribution at the time, but it was considered to be rather buggy by its users. It was soon superseded by [Slackware](/source/Slackware) (which started as a cleanup of SLS by [Patrick Volkerding](/source/Patrick_Volkerding)) and [Yggdrasil Linux/GNU/X](/source/Yggdrasil_Linux%2FGNU%2FX), among others. Similarly, [Ian Murdock](/source/Ian_Murdock)'s frustration with SLS led him to create the [Debian](/source/Debian) project.[{{cite web | first=Ian A. | last=Murdock | title=NNTP Subject: New release under development; suggestions requested | url=http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.linux.development/msg/a32d4e2ef3bcdcc6 | date=16 August 1993 | accessdate=2007-08-17}}]
==Series==
The system consists of the following series which were installed via floppy disk:
* a1-a4: The minimal base system
* b1-b7: Base system extras ([man page](/source/man_page)s, [Emacs](/source/Emacs), etc.)
* c1-c3: The compiler(s), [gcc](/source/GNU_Compiler_Collection)/[g++](/source/g%2B%2B)/p2c/[f2c](/source/f2c)
* d1-d2: Documentation
* s1: Source
* t1-t3: [TeX](/source/TeX) document processing
* x1-x10: [X Window System](/source/X_Window_System) distribution, documentation and idraw
== Version History ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Known SLS releases
!Version
!Release date
|-
|1.00
|12 August 1992[{{cite newsgroup |title=SLS: Free Linux Distribution |author=Peter MacDonald |date=1992-08-12 |newsgroup=comp.os.linux |message-id=1992Aug12.232203.20860@athena.mit.edu |url=https://groups.google.com/g/comp.os.linux/c/Q4fxCi2g0kc/m/Z6vfd2aLSQwJ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211215084534/https://groups.google.com/g/comp.os.linux/c/Q4fxCi2g0kc/m/Z6vfd2aLSQwJ |archive-date=2021-12-15 |access-date=2021-12-15}}]
|-
|1.01
|18 April 1993[{{Cite newsgroup |url=https://www.linux.co.cr/distributions/review/1993/0418.html |title=SLS release: 1.01 |last=MacDonald |first=Peter |newsgroup=comp.os.linux.announce |message-id=1993Apr18.153535.29139@klaava.Helsinki.FI |access-date=25 February 2025 |via=linux.co.cr |author-link=Peter MacDonald (computer programmer) |date=18 April 1993}}]
|-
|1.02
| 28 April 1993[{{Cite newsgroup |url=https://www.linux.co.cr/distributions/review/1993/0418.html |title=SLS release: 1.02 |last=MacDonald |first=Peter |newsgroup=comp.os.linux.announce |message-id=1rlcvcINN640@hydra.Helsinki.FI |access-date=25 February 2025 |via=linux.co.cr |author-link=Peter MacDonald (computer programmer) |date=28 April 1993}}]
|-
|1.03
|5 August 1993[{{Cite newsgroup |url=https://www.linux.co.cr/distributions/review/1993/0418.html |title=ANNOUNCE: SLS 1.03 is now available |last=MacDonald |first=Peter |newsgroup=comp.os.linux.announce |message-id=23r84f$4h4@theory.TC.Cornell.EDU |access-date=25 February 2025 |via=linux.co.cr |author-link=Peter MacDonald (computer programmer) |date=5 August 1993}}]
|-
|1.04
|21 October 1993[{{Cite newsgroup |url=https://www.linux.co.cr/distributions/review/1993/0418.html |title=SLS 1.04 CDROM Announcement |last=MacDonald |first=Peter |newsgroup=comp.os.linux.announce |message-id=2a67cb$rhj@samba.oit.unc.edu |access-date=25 February 2025 |via=linux.co.cr |author-link=Peter MacDonald (computer programmer) |date=21 October 1993}}]
|-
|1.05
|5 April 1994[{{Cite newsgroup |title=SLS 1.05: Softlandings Modular Linux Released |last=MacDonald |first=Peter |date=5 Apr 1994 |newsgroup=comp.os.linux.announce |message-id=1994Apr5.001632.28777@cs.cornell.edu |access-date=25 February 2025 |via=linux.co.cr |author-link=Peter MacDonald (computer programmer) |url=https://www.linux.co.cr/distributions/review/1994/0405.html}}]
|-
|1.06
|Late 1994