I love LMDE!

[Stratacast1]

I really wasn't sure where to post this, but I just want to say how thrilled I am with LMDE! I tried pure Debian Testing, and had a nightmare with getting audio to work. I tried SolydXK (with XFCE which is still epic itself bc it has a few LM tools) and I put Kwin on there and I think it broke. So my friend convinced me to just try LMDE and wow I SO miss the Cinnamon desktop! Before, I just used LM with Cinnamon. Wow...everything works!!!!!!!!! I had evil times trying to get audio to work and this worked immediately with no hassle.

I don't know if any devs will read this, but guys/gals/whoever does the work for LMDE..GREAT JOB!! I've read there's talk about less support for LMDE, but guys...this is where Linux Mint should be!

[Distro-Don]

I really wasn't sure where to post this, but I just want to say how thrilled I am with LMDE! I tried pure Debian Testing, and had a nightmare with getting audio to work. I tried SolydXK (with XFCE which is still epic itself bc it has a few LM tools) and I put Kwin on there and I think it broke. So my friend convinced me to just try LMDE and wow I SO miss the Cinnamon desktop! Before, I just used LM with Cinnamon. Wow...everything works!!!!!!!!! I had evil times trying to get audio to work and this worked immediately with no hassle.

I don't know if any devs will read this, but guys/gals/whoever does the work for LMDE..GREAT JOB!! I've read there's talk about less support for LMDE, but guys...this is where Linux Mint should be!

I agree completely. Great Job developers.

[Riko]

Me, too!

I came from Ubuntu to Mint to LMDE, strolled away to SolydX (with gnome-shell) for some time before UP7 but I'm back at LMDE (no hopping at all during the last month!)

This is a great distro! Love it!

[Crewp]

I agree also, I sure hope support for this OS grows, it really is great.

[xfrank]

...
I don't know if any devs will read this, but guys/gals/whoever does the work for LMDE..GREAT JOB!! I've read there's talk about less support for LMDE, but guys...this is where Linux Mint should be!

+1
LMDE should become the mainstream version of Mint. Maybe in the future...

[gtsfer]

LMDE rocks. I love this release!

[dlindyds]

...
I don't know if any devs will read this, but guys/gals/whoever does the work for LMDE..GREAT JOB!! I've read there's talk about less support for LMDE, but guys...this is where Linux Mint should be!

+1
LMDE should become the mainstream version of Mint. Maybe in the future...

Couldn't agree more! I have tried dozens of distros and LMDE is hands down my favorite. All the benefits of a rolling release, little to none of the instability and unlike the Ubuntu versions your not reinstalling all the time.

Thank you LMDE devs! Keep up the good work.

[hubert.banas]

+1
LMDE should become the mainstream version of Mint. Maybe in the future...

Agree 100%

[Crewp]

I'm wondering now that the main edition will be based on Ubuntu LTS versions if LMDE will get more dev time?

[joejohnston3]

I love LMDE as well and the Cinnamon DE so it is the perfect blend for me and I hope they always provide this wonderful distro!

[KBD47]

I could see LMDE taking off and gaining much wider use if there was simply a reliable update pack schedule, like 4 times a year guaranteed updates packs. And I really don't see why they could not do this since they are free of the 6 month release for main Mint.

[killer de bug]

I'm wondering now that the main edition will be based on Ubuntu LTS versions if LMDE will get more dev time?

No. Not at all.

I could see LMDE taking off and gaining much wider use if there was simply a reliable update pack schedule, like 4 times a year guaranteed updates packs. And I really don't see why they could not do this since they are free of the 6 month release for main Mint.

In fact the number of UP will decrease. For a simple reason. If the team sticks with LTS, it's for avoiding fast base changes like... GTK. GTK breaks Cinnamon every 6 months. By sticking with LTS version of Ubuntu, the team can develop Cinnamon with the same GTK for 2 years. They can focus on something else than repairing the mess GTK creates.

So LMDE should do the same and have the same version of GTK than Linux Mint main. This will be achieved by reducing the number of UP

The team will move to LTS no to give more time to LMDE but to work on Cinnamon...

[KBD47]

Honestly, even guaranteed UP twice a year on a reliable schedule would be an improvement for LMDE, especially if they also released news iso's at the same time.

[killer de bug]

For sure the number of UP will be less than 2 a year.
For a simple reason. If you do release 2 UP a year, and Linux mint 17 has the same base for 2 years, then you have a problem.... Don't be astonished if you see LMDE becoming more stable in the next months...

[Crewp]

Killer de bug, your location used to say France, know it says Austria, did you move? Also, I don't understand why LMDE would move from 2 UP's a year to 1, could you give more detail.

[killer de bug]

Yep, I moved to Austria 3 weeks ago. New job, new life, new language, and still LMDE

Let's start:
Linux Mint 17 --> Based on Ubuntu 14.04 --> GTK 3.10 ---> Will be the package base for 2 years. Cinnamon 2.2 is based on GTK 3.10 (but incompatible with GTK 3.12 and further thanks to the Gnome team).
All future developments for Cinnamon/Nemo/... will be done on GTK 3.10 for the next 2 years.
This problem with GTK breaking Cinnamon will be tackle by the team in 2 years for the release of Linux Mint 18 (with probably GTK 3.16 or 3.18 at that time).

This fast moving GTK is the reason for the team to stick with LTS version of Ubuntu. It frees some time to develop Cinnamon instead of fixing GTK compatibility every 6 months.

But Debian testing is moving. And GTK 3.12 will enter (is currently entering) testing. And this breaks Cinnamon!
The team cannot allow LMDE to have GTK 3.12 or 3.14 in its repo. Which basically means, no UP or a really light UP without Gnome libs

But in fact, it may simply happens that LMDE will follow Debian Stable in the future.

[KBD47]

I would prefer LMDE follow Stable.
If what you say is correct, LMDE is dead in the water regarding Cinnamon following Testing, and MATE is a slave to the Cinnamon update schedule. But maybe I'm misunderstanding? If this is all correct, LMDE better start following Stable and forget the update packs.

[xfrank]

Less update packs?! That would not be a positive move, although I understand the arguments of Killer de bug. Being a stable distro (actually LMDE is this) doesn't mean necessarily being a static distro. Some degree of updates is expected and needed to keep changes / improvements. Not bleeding edge, not cutting edge is OK (for that there are other distros), but not completely stationary / outdated.
On this topic there are different opinions, for example GeneC:

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 4&start=20
Re: The future of LMDE
Postby GeneC on Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:34 am
From LMDE tracking SID thread.
......
My feelings are to abandon the Update Pack (semi-rolling) and revert to the original follow Debian Testing repos and full rolling with daily updates that LMDE first had. Less stressful and more fun. A better learning experience, and overall less issues.

So... is it possible or not to track Debian Testing and convert LMDE in a full rolling distro?

[Crewp]

Killer de Bug, Best wishes on your new home, job, and life in Austria. Thanks for the insight into whats going on in the Mint world.

[killer de bug]

Less update packs?! That would not be a positive move, although I understand the arguments of Killer de bug. Being a stable distro (actually LMDE is this) doesn't mean necessarily being a static distro. Some degree of updates is expected and needed to keep changes / improvements. Not bleeding edge, not cutting edge is OK (for that there are other distros), but not completely stationary / outdated.

This is not my arguments. It's facts. And due to these facts, the team is obliged to think carefully about the future of LMDE.
If we want UP without the Gnome stuff, the situation is becoming tricky. You cannot anymore just copy Debian repo, you need to withdraw all gnome stuff and verify if some dependencies are not missing for other soft. Good luck.
If your UP only include GIMP, Firefox, octave, you can do it. But don't expect too much

On this topic there are different opinions, for example GeneC:

I respect GeneC but he is using XFCE. So he has not the problem Cinnamon has introduced in LMDE. What he said is not appropriate for our current situation.

So... is it possible or not to track Debian Testing and convert LMDE in a full rolling distro?

Yes, if you are not using Cinnamon. If you have Mate or KDE or XFCE, and want to follow Testing, you can do so. Just be aware it can be tricky.
If you have Cinnamon, you can also.... for a few minutes. After the first dist-upgrade, Cinnamon will be destroyed

I would prefer LMDE follow Stable.
If what you say is correct, LMDE is dead in the water regarding Cinnamon following Testing, and MATE is a slave to the Cinnamon update schedule. But maybe I'm misunderstanding? If this is all correct, LMDE better start following Stable and forget the update packs.

You understand well. With Stable, LMDE would also get security updates that a lot of users request. And with backports we can have the latest softwares.

But, as I said yesterday, Jessie has currently GTK 3.12. Cinnamon 2.2 doesn't work (for now at least) with GTK 3.12. So we cannot catch easily with Jessie which is... the next stable release.
For now we are stuck with UP8. UP9 will provide Cinnamon 2.2 but I'm not sure what will come with it... Obvioulsy not Evince, Gedit, Evolution, Totem... 3.12,


Thanks Crewp