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143 Comments
- dburanen, on 11/10/2008, -1/+79Mint or Ubuntu or Debian, I won't argue against any of them.
apt-get == awesome - inactive, on 11/11/2008, -1/+24Finally a Linux distro I can pronounce.
- enantiodromia, on 11/11/2008, -5/+25is Ubuntu really that hard to use?
- Langford, on 11/11/2008, -0/+14There are parts I like about mint, and parts I don't. In the meantime I achieve happiness by adding mint's repository to my ubuntu setup.
- 5fifteen, on 11/11/2008, -2/+15Bluehost is the worst web host ever.
- nmalcolm, on 11/11/2008, -0/+11Mint 6 RC1 Is out everyone!
http://digg.com/linux_unix/Linux_Mint_6_Felicia_RC ...
http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=430 - djbon2112, on 11/11/2008, -2/+13I just moved from Ubuntu 8.04 to Linux Mint 5, and WOW. It is MUCH faster and more responsive, with all the good things (ease of use, apt, etc.) Ubuntu had. And the theme doesn't look like *****!
- thePTS, on 11/11/2008, -3/+14that's just stupid. apt-get and the free software library that comes with ubuntu is amazing.
Protip: Don't talk if you don't know what you're talking about. - jackunen, on 11/10/2008, -4/+14I’m testing Ubuntu 8.10 for a few days to see how it compares to Leopard. So far it looks very good! I just wish I knew about Mint before installing Ubuntu.
- tmarthal, on 11/11/2008, -4/+14All of the things that linux mint supposedly trumps Ubuntu is its "out of the box" non-free package support. This was a design decision done by the Ubuntu distributors: http://www.ubuntu.com/community/ubuntustory/philos ...
Ubuntu is free as in "freedom", this is just another non-free distro using the Ubuntu debian repos. - inactive, on 11/11/2008, -1/+10I was dual booting linux mint and Open BSD and borked something real bad in Open BSD and had to format my hard drive and start fresh. I went back to Ubuntu and everyday I ask myself why. I finally have Ubuntu set up just how I like it, so I don't plan on switching back anytime soon, but mint is way better. I miss the little things like Mint Upload that came with it out of the box. I also feel like GNOME would have a better reputation if more people saw how it looked in mint and were made aware of its potential.
- xGrill, on 11/11/2008, -1/+9Google Cache got it
http://74.125.45.104/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2 ... - krische, on 11/11/2008, -4/+12Linux Mint, while relatively new, has gained a lot of fans from the linux community, and is now the third most popular on DistroWatch, slowly crunching on openSUSE lead. It brings something a lot of distro have tried: simplicity, functionality, and of course looks. Let’s see what makes Linux Mint fresh and if it’s worth switching from Ubuntu.
"It’s one of the most community driven distributions. You could literally post an idea in the forums today and see it implemented the week after in the “current” release. Of course this has pros and cons and compared to distributions with roadmaps, feature boards and fixed release cycles we miss a lot of structure and potentially a lot of quality, but it allows us to react quickly, implement more innovations and make the whole experience for us and for the users extremely exciting. –Linux Mint Team"
I’m your father, Linux Mint!
image8 [Geek Review] Linux Mint: A better Ubuntu image9 [Geek Review] Linux Mint: A better Ubuntu image10 [Geek Review] Linux Mint: A better Ubuntu
While ignoring the reference to Star Wars, Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy Heron), which guarantees long term-support, APT package manager with the huge library and the best hardware compatibility so far.
Linux Mint benefits from the huge Ubuntu community, forums, websites; almost all tutorials written for Ubuntu work with Linux Mint.
Installation
Getting Linux Mint is fairly easy process: hit the download link, burn the .iso image and boot from the CD. You’re greeted with a fully functional desktop and a choice to install it – the same Ubuntu wizard we’re used to.
There’s no noticeable difference in boot-up time or install time, considering you’re getting a lot of extras from the start.
What’s new?
Booting up Linux Mint is like Christmas morning, and it’s not just eye candy either. There’s no need to manually install ubunru-restricted-extras to bring in those essential packages.
Screenshot-mintInstall Screenshot-EnvyNG Screenshot-mintBackup Screenshot-mintDesktop
* Out of the box support for media playback, everything from .xvid to .avi, mp3 and flac. Default player: Rhythmbox.
* Easy wizard for installing proprietary ATI/nVidia drivers, with some additional options not included in the default Hardware Drivers app. Default player: MPlayer.
* Sun Java and Adobe Flash support out of the box.
* Drops the Ekiga package and adds an IRC client.
* Compiz Settings Manager: Allows advanced configuration options to the compositioning engine.
* Mint Update: An application specifically written from Linux Mint that allows users to install updates while providing a safety-level indicator, allowing un-experienced users to skip updates that may need further configuration or are not compatible with Mint.
* Mint Desktop: A configuration tool for various settings regarding the desktop. Makes useful stuff like hiding the mounted devices a one click affair.
* Mint Assistant: A first-time configuration tool that let’s you choose to enable the root password and terminal quotes.
* Mint Install: Allows installation of new applications from a simple 3 tab interface: .mint, getdeb.net and the APT repository. Useful for newbies, and definitely faster than loading Synaptic Package Manager.
Mint Backup: Easy wizard for setting up a backup.
Screenshot-mintUpdate Screenshot-Appearance Preferences
User interface
From freedom, comes elegance. -Linux Mint motto
Initially skeptical about the elegance part, once it booted-up I was in love. The attention given to every aspect of the interface is unbelievable. From the GRUB boot logo to the login, and desktop, everything inspires elegance. Even the start-up sound is nice – the first time I didn’t disable it.
Screenshot-1Screenshot-3
The main menu resembles KDEs’ implementation – which initially made me wonder if this is Gnome.
Linux Mint’s purpose is to produce an elegant, up to date and comfortable GNU/Linux desktop distribution. -Linux Mint Team
Caveats
No operating system is perfect, and Linux Mint is no exception.
* Not up-to-date with with the latest improvements in Ubuntu – 8.10 features like the new Network Manager are not yet implemented.
* Doesn’t have the commercial backing of a corporation like Canonical or Novell.
* The release schedule fluctuates. New features might be just around the corner or not implemented at all.
* Google Custom Search instead of Google in Firefox. Can be fixed with ‘Add to search bar’ addon.
Conclusion
A lot of people may argue that the changes in Linux Mint are not that innovative or new. Some people will argue that you could spend a couple of hours and mod the Gnome panel to resemble Mints’. You can install all the Mint apps for Ubuntu. You can install ubuntu-restricted-extras by yourself.
mydesktop [Geek Review] Linux Mint: A better Ubuntu
But that takes time – and why waste that when you can have everything you need out of the box? Linux Mint convinced me, and now has its own partition. - nmalcolm, on 11/11/2008, -0/+7"Using static .html documents instead of painful .php scripts will practically eliminate CPU usage."
It seems this host has a vendetta against paaaainful php scripts! - FasmTrout, on 11/11/2008, -0/+6Who will rescue Zelda now?!
- ThatGeek, on 11/11/2008, -1/+7I use mint instead of ubuntu, and its awesome... It is just a lot easier to set up because you dont have to open the repositories and download and install things such as flash
- mrCdawg, on 11/11/2008, -6/+11this is EXACTLY what linux needs. With a simple, graphical, non-coding based distro I think this has a huge potential for teaching the general public how great linux is.
Viva la linuxmint! - Giga, on 11/11/2008, -1/+6You are free to install what you want on Ubuntu, it just doesn't do it for you by default out of the box.
- MadOgre, on 11/11/2008, -0/+5Looks like 8.10 Ubuntu is better... at least to me. I mean, Mint looks fine and all... but seems to be just Ubuntu with a theme pack.
- domness, on 11/11/2008, -1/+6This is Linux Mint. I think you are slagging a different linux here :)
- dhughes, on 11/11/2008, -0/+5 Yeah I used to use just plain old Debian and when I saw Ubuntu and sudo I thought "that's nuts" but then I was lured to their side by pretty Ubuntu maidens and free doughnuts.
- Sanduu, on 11/10/2008, -3/+8I'm not a big fan of Linux but Mint seems like its worth a try
- handeyman, on 11/11/2008, -1/+6Depends on what your using it for.
- ausdigger, on 09/15/2009, -0/+5canonical doesnt like other distros being called ubuntu * remember "ubuntu" is a trademark owned by canonical.
Just ask the ubuntulite guys - p13t3rm, on 11/11/2008, -0/+5Hey at least the UI isn't brown.
I'll give this a try when it picks up a little more. - badfishmedia, on 11/11/2008, -1/+5Yep, you got it. Which is why I love it. I don't want to think about my OS. I want it to just work for me and keep out of my way. Ubuntu and Debian rock as well, I just like Mint better for me.
- Nephersir7, on 11/11/2008, -0/+4easy vs easier. good vs better, Linux mint is not running against ubuntu, its running with ubuntu, with a lightly different approach and good artwork
- brickbat, on 11/11/2008, -1/+5bluehost sucks.
- ethana2, on 11/11/2008, -0/+4No. And if you're really that scared, try a solution like this:
www.dell.com/ubuntu - inactive, on 11/11/2008, -1/+5Amen to that tip
- sanford42, on 11/11/2008, -0/+4I've followed Mint since its inception, and at first you could get away with saying that it's just "Ubuntu with a theme pack", but it's evolved into much more than that.
I've been a fan of Debian and all of its children for as long as I can remember, and although I still love Debian, it's my server OS of choice. I use Mint on my laptop because by the time I'm done tweaking Debian or Ubuntu to my liking, it's basically Mint without the "Minty Goodness"
Now, I just save myself the hassle and install Mint, Cairo and set VLC to my default DVD player and I'm done. I know I can get the same effect out of working with repositories and get Debian or Ubuntu to do/look/act exactly the same way, but why spend all the time? I've proven to myself that I can do it, so I've earned my "geek cred". For now, I just want my laptop to do what I want it to do.
So it's Debian on my server, and Mint on my laptop. And before the Windows zealots start digging me down, I have Vista on my desktop for games. - T8erT0T, on 11/11/2008, -2/+6I don't get your use of punctuation marks?
1) No ***** you can do it yourself, that wasn't the question cub scout.
2) Ubuntu chose not to do it because of OO's timetable problems and not being able to test it thoroughly. I wanted to know if Mint was conforming to an 8.10 package list or editing it for something a bit "mintier" - inactive, on 11/11/2008, -0/+4Well I've heard people pronounce "Debian" as Dee-be-an or Deb-ian and "Ubuntu" as you-bun-too, you-boon-too or oo-boon-too.
- armo, on 11/11/2008, -0/+4Don't use install as an alias, it's already a program from coreutils, /usr/bin/install
- badfishmedia, on 11/11/2008, -0/+4I would say more like Ubuntu with a theme pack and a nice handful of little tweaks and upgrades. They do it in a way that makes it much better if you ask me.
- feignNU, on 11/11/2008, -1/+5Dude, 'dumbed down' is not the preferred nomenclature. Pre-configured, please.
- 0tis, on 11/11/2008, -0/+3...why would you try that, again?
- smotpoker, on 11/11/2008, -0/+3You had to manually download and install flash? I'm pretty sure I didn't have to do that last couple of times I installed... Wireless and at least some proprietary codecs were also auto-installed the last time instead of warning it was non-free and making me click "Ok" at first boot
'Tis the beauty of Linux... developers actually care about it and it evolves incredibly fast - thePTS, on 11/11/2008, -0/+3This sounds like everything I liked about Ubuntu, improved =)
Very nice! Going to try this.. - inactive, on 11/11/2008, -2/+5Get over it dude...
- T8erT0T, on 11/11/2008, -2/+5Any word if the Mint release for 8.10 is going to swap Open Office 2.4.1 for 3?
- JudgeDredd, on 11/11/2008, -0/+3Careful, someone dug me down for daring to say something similar.
- Giga, on 11/11/2008, -1/+4As someone who has used Gentoo for a few years, I call ***** - portage is not fast. For speed, you need one of the alternatives to portage such as paludis.
And while you can run multiple instances concurrently, you have to be very careful about it otherwise you might run into conflicts if the same package is in both queues. - Giga, on 11/11/2008, -0/+3@zzzpoohzzz
Apparently you don't know much about the .bashrc file. It contains (amongst other things) aliases which you can configure how you like.
alias install='sudo apt-get install'
All that does is allow you to type install (or just ins and push tab for completion) rather than typing three commands. You still need to enter your password. Even if it was supposedly a malicious script, it could only access root if you enter a password anyway.
Personally, I prefer using wajig to wrap the apt tools - but I suppose that would qualify as "malicious code" in your books. - custangro, on 11/11/2008, -0/+3I used Linux now for years….so when Ubuntu came into the “spotlight” I was happy that there was a “friendly distro” (because coming home from work after compiling all day…you really don’t want to compile on you desktop!).
I liked it but felt that it wasn’t “there” yet.. There was still things that I needed to customize and install.
Then I tried Mint…
Mint is the perfect example how someone took something that was already good…and made it better!
_CAN_ you customize Ubuntu like Mint? Or course...but I don't want to; I do that at work all day...I just want something that works on install...
-C - stellarspellar, on 11/11/2008, -1/+4Looks like this mint...*puts on sunglasses*...is fresh out of coins.
YEAHHHHH! - inactive, on 11/11/2008, -0/+3Well, FYI, he is on the frontpage of Digg
- Nephersir7, on 11/11/2008, -1/+4I don't agree, freedom is to have the freedom to do whatever you think is better if you think its better (sorry... that needed no explanation...).
- badfishmedia, on 11/11/2008, -1/+3I LOVE Linux Mint. I have been touting it's greatness for a while. Not everyone will like it or get it, but a lot will. Ubuntu is great as well, I just prefer Mint any day.
- FatLoser, on 11/11/2008, -0/+2David Caruso on digg... holy *****!
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