Could we maybe get an extension made of ftmenu: http://ftmenu.sourceforge.net/ or better yet, depending on size, build it into the base iso? Any reasons not to?Does it work with fluxbox-stable?
My guess is that it only works with the lastest unstable version of fluxbox (which has icon support).
ICEWM is lightweight enough to use on most computers. You may need to tweak the installation a little bit to work better with DSL but it should work fine.
Also, there is a nice eFLTK based desktop environment that should work nicely with DSL and people who are jonesing for a Windows-style user interface. FYI, Fluxbox is more efficient than Windows-style, so your friends should try it for a few days before dismissing it. They might just like it.
It is still in the early stages of development but is usable. It is called Equinox and can be found here: