Hi Steve.
I understand what you are saying about kde and gnome not fitting on a cd, but please
keep a bootable cd sized image that people can use to install a barebones desktop
or server without requiring an internet connection.
eg all standard + important priority packages, plus selected optional packages.
openssh-server, anacron, task-laptop, task-desktop, parts of lxde (no libre-office,
just basic apps like lxterminal, leafpad, iceweasel, pcmanfm, synaptic, evince etc).
Just enough to boot into a usable desktop which you can then use to install more
apps, read documentation and/or search the web.
(I'm only talking about images for i386 and amd64, because I don't have hardware
for anything else. I have no idea whether there is enough demand for similar
images for other hardware to be worthwhile).