LMDE is it worth it for a PC user?

[rdonnelly]

I am back to my Clonezilla Partition from 4/3/11, and it is 4/14/11. Things are going alot better with the downgraded system. So when will Debian become stable enough? Should I be using different Repos? Should I just go back to Mint 10? While I have worked out alot of problems with LMDE upgrades, I am not sure I want to keep going in this direction?

BTW, I put LMDE on the wife's computer in January, and I have done no updates, and it works just fine?

[lmintnewb]

Just an opinion and have zero experience with that Mint edition. It's not worth it if it has you really stressed out about it. Comp's are supposed to be reliable and user friendly for people wanting to use them for everyday purposes.

If it's not ... or seriously labor intensive or intense period. Just me ... but yeah would switch to strictly stable repos ... or be really selective about what got installed. More than likely would switch to something that causes less stress.

lol ... working bugs out is for developers imo. Not for regular users, shrugs.

[Kilz]

New releases, have issues. Expect it. New projects have bugs, expect it. Older code is more stable because a larger user base has found the bugs and then they are fixed. Thats how Linux development goes. So if the latest and greatest doesnt work for you run slightly older code.
I used to run Ubuntu, and would wait a month after a release to upgrade, Why? Because by that time I could see if there were still issues. I would skip releases after a long term release because thats when a ton of new code is introduced. I had a bigger desire for stability than new stuff.
If your hardware works fine on a older release stay with it for a bit. Odds are the only thing you are missing out on are headache's. Its nice to learn that your wife's box works fine but if it has different hardware issues can happen.

[lmintnewb]

^ This guy I like.

Considers appropriating his sig motto. Nah ... don't even trust M$ that far, lol.

[DrHu]

http://packages.linuxmint.com/list.php?release=Debian
It is rare for a rolling release using stable sources to be unstable, however I think Mint has been using testing sources, and that is also mostly OK

Only occasionally is a problem (update) big enough to prevent system logon or access..

When I had been using a straight Debian rolling release (from Debian directly), I only got one update failure in a few years..

Actually if you want to make sure, you could use a test partition in which you maintain the update cycle, and see if there are failures
--you would have to partition your computer hard drive to allow that process.

The other thing you can do is to boot with the previous kernel, Debian maintains that as a safety feature, allowing you to go back one step, should an update cause a problem: it is usually a kernel or library issue, when that happens

[rdonnelly]

This is how my Repos are set up.

[vrkalak]

Simply install LMDE and set the sources.list to point toward 'stable'

I have a Debian install (which is basically what LMDE is) with 'stable' . . . I have had 6 minor updates, since Squeeze was released, more than 2 months ago.

My LMDE with Xfce, set to 'stable' is extremely fast and rock solid stable -- always. I use it for my work.

[rdonnelly]

So I posted pics of my Repos, which ones should I select or deselect for best result and minimum upgrade bugs? I love LMDE, but I can do with out the breakages.

[craig10x]

I must admit that as much as i like LMDE i am also getting very frustrated with the breakages...the newest kernel caused problems for my laptop's touchpad, i get occasionally total shut downs of my laptop for no apparent reason, and my fan will suddenly come on about 15 or 20 minutes into a session and run very fast and LOUD....quite annoying...And none of this happens when i boot into the previous kernel...

So currently i am booting into the old kernel until the bugs are fixed on the new one...then i have to HOPE that the fixes will correct the breakages i am getting in it...I don't know what to do a this point...but i am tempting to return to main edition...tired of all these headaches....(lol)

The only problem with pointing toward debian stable is then you have to use all those old packages for two years until the next stable release...and it is nice to get some newer versions of programs from time to time...

If only you could have stable and also get newer versions of (stable) programs as they become available...then it would be more appealing...

[tdockery97]

The only problem with pointing toward debian stable is then you have to use all those old packages for two years until the next stable release...and it is nice to get some newer versions of programs from time to time...

If only you could have stable and also get newer versions of (stable) programs as they become available...then it would be more appealing...

Ah, but you can. There is a Debian Squeeze backports repository you can add. It will update your packages without messing with the core system.

[Jaime Frontero]

the more stuff breaks, the more i learn.

that pretty much sums it up for me. some folks play video games, some do math... or crossword puzzles.

i screw with hardware and operating systems. you gotta have a hobby...

[craig10x]

hmmm...interesting tdockery97....how would you set that up?

also...i guess as far as using LMDE with testing...i would imagine it would be less troublesome once Clem is able to work on and implement the option of doing "monthly snapshots" of updates instead of daily ones...

[rdonnelly]

I cautiously went back to updating, I am only using the Debian 6 squeeze repos for 3rd party, and Main, upstream, imported, and backported. It only gave me 3 updates from 4/3/11, mintupdate, and mint-x-theme which I updated, I skipped the mintsystem for now, since that seems to have problems. LMDE might just work out fine for me at this low level of upgrades.

If I apply mintsystem, is there any way to back out if it does not work for me?

[craig10x]

When Clem can get that "monthly frozen snapshots" mint update going after Mint 11 comes out, that might make things a lot better in terms of avoiding these breakages...

[rdonnelly]

When Clem can get that "monthly frozen snapshots" mint update going after Mint 11 comes out, that might make things a lot better in terms of avoiding these breakages...

Frozen snapshots sound awesome, that would be a great way to undo a bad upgrade, although for now Clonezilla does the same things, except you might have to install a few packages.

[craig10x]

I'm beginning to come to the conclusion that the answer is NO...aside from still waiting for the kernel fix to take care of the bugs the new kernel created and i previously reported in this thread... (assuming that the fixes when they come down will even take care of all those problems) i just got an update that affects something in mail communications and now my "checkgmail" application stopped working (won't recognize my password so can't connect)...Thank goodness my Evolution Mail wasn't affected by it...

I also previously had the vlc breakage as well...I thought i would really like a rolling distro but it seems to bring with it lots of breakages which then you have to wait quite a while for fixes and then HOPE they all work again after the fix...So, unless you enjoy constant "tinkering" to try to fix things on your own, which i do not..then this isn't for you...and i am starting to conclude it isn't for ME...

Over the weekend, i think i am going to re-install Mint 10 Main Edition (I really wanted to wait for Mint 11 but i don't think i will have the patience to wait, LMDE is really beginning to aggravate me) and when Mint 11 Main Edition comes out i will probably switch over and just stay with that...

Over at the LMDE breakages thread, viking777 posted an easy solution to the checkgmail problem, but i would not have been able to figure this out myself...so with LMDE i have to depend on those more technically proficient then me to provide solutions...and that is assuming others are having the same problems as i am...otherwise, i am on my own to "flounder"

I wish i could think of some good reasons to stick it out on here...but can't seem to come up with any...feedback appreciated on this...

[rdonnelly]

My solution is, clone the partition once a month, then apply updates once a month. If it breaks I restore the clone, and hope things get better by next month. Mint 10 just don't compare to a working LMDE system.

[lmintnewb]

My solution is, clone the partition once a month, then apply updates once a month. If it breaks I restore the clone, and hope things get better by next month. Mint 10 just don't compare to a working LMDE system.

Seems like a really intelligent approach to me. All the glowing comments about the debian releases, like the one's in your post. Drools ... much better than Mint 10 ? Yep, it's one of the debian releases in my near future. The Minty magic developers + Debian ? Drools some more ...

[craig10x]

Well i would sure have to agree with you guys..when it is running (without breakages) it does run super smooth...i guess i am just letting it "get" to me when there is problems...A temporary solution for me is that i have been booting into the previous kernel...(it is good that debian provides this "fail safe" to fall back on... and in there i have no problems (except from the new updates last night which caused a problem with checkgmail and for which viking777 provided a "quick fix")...

I wonder if it will be a lot better when Clem is able to incorporate his new option of "monthly frozen snapshot updates" instead of the daily ones from debian...wonder if it pays to "stick around" in LMDE to wait for it to arrive (which i assume won't be until around maybe early summer since he will be busy in May working on Mint 11...

[nunol]

There is Mint 10 and Mint 9 LTS, stable, easy and boring an then there's LMDE, not so stable, not so easy but fun.

If you don't like LMDE breakages you can use Mint 10 or read the forum for news about LMDE upgrades/breakages for that day. Perhaps LMDE could have something like Debian weather.