Here is a link to the first Linux I encountered that had this CD setup: Yggdrasil. The installation notes show what hardware was required [0]. I remember figuring out how to install Linux from these CDs only to say — what now? Strangely, the version that I remember trying was the 1993 release that is pictured on the wikipedia page[1].
This link is from a few years before the Debian described in the OP, but it was about the same scenario. But either way, these were way before the commercial boxed Linux OSs were available. And this was still back in the day when having CDROMs pressed and shipped was still more efficient and cheaper than online access.
[0] https://www.linux.co.cr/distributions/review/1995/0920-a.htm...