17 questions to know you better

[clem]

We're organising a poll at the moment. Don't hesitate to jump in and answer our 17 questions at http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1686

As we're planning ahead for upcoming releases, we're wondering about a few things and this will help us match your expectations a little better.

Thanks everyone.
Clem.

[rec9140]

Since my posts never show up on that site....

Several of these questions leave me concerned, very concerned....

You ask about "switching" to Debian... WHOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAA stop the train!

I would prefer to see KMint and KDebMint versions. Why? Debian, is a great distro, but it has issues ie: firmware and DFSG which KDebMint will need to correct to match the current KMint release and be "Minty."

Also the available software has to be as rich and supported as the current *buntu based repos, like it or not, theres a lot of stuff in the repos for *bunutu that is not for Debian.

Once the KDebMint is on par with the current KMint then I can see a switch, but I think I would rather have two version at least for now.

The obvious point of this question is , what to support when only one person develops the KMint version now...

I will say that there is PLENTY OF PENT UP SUPPLY of SUPPORT here. Seek, and use the offers for assistance here.

Canonicial/*bunutuville is obviously going to be a problem parent shortly with some of its choices ie: wayland, unity, and other things... so looking for a new path to base things ie: Debian or to clean up the mess each release....

I see results there that should finally put to rest CD v. DVD releases, FILL THOSE DVD's UP!

I would like to see discussion from Boo on the results of this in regards to the KMint and a KDebMint (PLEASE!) releases and the future.

[jeffreyC]

I do not use Chrome I use Chromium

[dante19992]

same thing. chrome just has an auto updater

[MALsPa]

No, not really the same thing. Close, though.

[AlbertP]

I had to try out KDE before voting in the poll. Have done, and I am a KDE user from now on.

[craig10x]

Chrome adds the automatic updater and also a built in pdf reader right in the browser which is very handy (lets you read a pdf on the web page without actually downloading it, with the option of downloading it by "right clicking" on it!)....It also has an excellent built in Flash player which is always updated with each new version (Chomium doesn't have either of those features)...

Yes, it does add a tracker that targets the ads you see on websites to subjects you appear to be interested in...but actually, if you surf using yahoo or google search engines (which i assume most of you do) then you already have tracking of your interests and ads being targeted to them...so what is the difference? Anyway, is it that bad to have ads you're interested in rather ads you are not?

As far as the distros....yes main edition should continue of course and LMDE need lots of further refinement..make it smoother, easier, take out the rough edges and make it more non-techie friendly too...

[feffer]

The following was not on the compiz question, but should have been:

Do you use compiz mainly for enhanced (and easy to use) shortcut keys, and improved control of windows?

I for one, use almost none of the compiz "eye-candy" features but find moving windows around with key combos etc invaluable. Yes some of this can be done with metacity, but not easily.

[Jesse654]

I realize there are many advantages and some very valid reasons to using a DVD for installation. But I would like to echo this statement:
"a lot of older computers have only a CD-reader, and it’s also impossible to get them boot from a USB-stick."
I have older computers (more than one)--CD only, not bootable from USB. I could take my DVD out of my main comp and temporarily put it in an old comp for OS installation purposes, but that's a real PITN.

So, just FYI, when I answered "Can your computer read DVD discs?" I said Yes based on my main computer, not my old ones--just something to think about, even if Mint does tend toward DVDs.

[mzsade]

If it wasn't for a couple of things, non-functional LMDE power manager, the screen going blank every ten minutes regardless of the settings, and the new flash plugin which doesn't load streaming video in the /tmp folder and crashes ever so often..i would rarely visit my Isadora partition, which still ROCKS btw, especially after rolled back the flash to a previous version. Would you please, please, consider exploring alternatives to Adobe's flash plugin as part of the Mint project? Mint flash plugin is not really the answer, you know...

@Jesse654 Veering away from the development of the DVD version, and catering to the few remaining fossils of "old computers" which do not have a DVD writer would be a step backward, and not in the best interests of Mint. This is an OS and has to move forward,

[Jesse654]

@Jesse654 Veering away from the development of the DVD version, and catering to the few remaining fossils of "old computers" which do not have a DVD writer would be a step backward, and not in the best interests of Mint. This is an OS and has to move forward...

Yes, I tend to agree. Also I just heard about Plop Boot Manager, http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager.html, which is supposed to allow boot from USB independent of BIOS capabilities. This is all I know of this utility. I have not tried it yet.

[mzsade]

@Jesse654 Sorry, i misunderstood, i thought you were in favour of maintaining the CD versions in the course of future development work...

[SimonTS]

PLOP Boot Manager works really well. I've been messing around on my Dad's old desktop this weekend - BIOS doesn't support boot from USB, DVD drive which causes errors with booting from CD image (known bug) etc. Got PLOP and the Rawrite that's linked as well to create a boot floppy disk - fired it up and it just worked. That's probably the highest recommendation - it just worked.

[mzsade]

We're organising a poll at the moment. Don't hesitate to jump in and answer our 17 questions at http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1686

As we...

Maybe i am a little paranoid, but shouldn't this poll be available only after logging in, non-Linux users could easily fudge the results, and you might get statistics which do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the majority of Mint users.

[Jesse654]

@Jesse654 Sorry, i misunderstood, i thought you were in favour of maintaining the CD versions in the course of future development work...

No, you didn't misunderstand...and certainly no reason to apologize. (I'm sorry I wasn't more clear.) I would like a CD install for my older computers, but you are definitely right, LM needs to go forward, not back. I was just trying to give a more complete answer to a poll question which I thought did not cover all the bases--just an FYI to Clem & Team.

PLOP Boot Manager - it just worked.

Cool. It's now on my to-do list to try it.