Mint4Win for all editions?

[reoh34]

How about Mint4Win for all editions not just the main edition? Right now, I am stuck with Linux Mint 11 main edition based on Ubuntu. I would love to use some of the other editions, like the Debian edition and KDE, on my main laptop but don't really want to mess with partitions. Installing through Mint4Win for me seems like the easier and safer choice. It is also easier to uninstall and mess around with.

Also I don't know if this is possible but it would be nice if multiple Mint4win installations can but installed at the same time?

[xenopeek]

I think mint4win is targeted at Windows users who want to give Linux Mint a try, but have "cold water fear". With the uninstall option it gives more confidence to try something new. But once you get to the point "yeah I like this" and want to try different editions of Linux Mint, I think mint4win in general would add little to the available options.

Consider:
- For experimenting with different editions you already have the Live CD or DVD;
- Which you can also put on a USB stick (for better performance, and you can even install different Linux Mint versions onto one USB stick);
- Or run through VirtualBox, from either Windows or Linux Mint (where you can install it to a virtual harddisk).
None of these mess with your Windows installation.

[reoh34]

I think mint4win is targeted at Windows users who want to give Linux Mint a try, but have "cold water fear". With the uninstall option it gives more confidence to try something new. But once you get to the point "yeah I like this" and want to try different editions of Linux Mint, I think mint4win in general would add little to the available options.

Consider:
- For experimenting with different editions you already have the Live CD or DVD;
- Which you can also put on a USB stick (for better performance, and you can even install different Linux Mint versions onto one USB stick);
- Or run through VirtualBox, from either Windows or Linux Mint (where you can install it to a virtual harddisk).
None of these mess with your Windows installation.

All those options aren't really ideal for daily use. Also I understand mint4win might be for windows users wanting to try Linux Mint, but I still think Mint4Win is the best way for an actual install/dual boot option. It safe and easy. Linux is great and I use it as my main OS, but sad to say it still is a Windows centric world and I like to have Windows as a backup dual boot backup. There are just some software that you can't get in Linux and some software that is easier or better. Messing around with partitions or any of those other options are just not the way to go especially when using Linux for daily use. Another thing to point out is some people want to use Linux Mint on older computers the Main edition and Ubuntu just don't cut it. They are just too slow. For me, XFCE and the Debian edition run on computers where the main edition and even the LXDE edition don't so including mint4win will allow users with older computers running Windows XP to try linux at is fastest.

[xenopeek]

All those options aren't really ideal for daily use.

True, but I mean they serve the purpose of having a look for a few days to see if you like it before doing any installation for daily use. I know you don't want to do that

Another thing to point out is some people want to use Linux Mint on older computers the Main edition and Ubuntu just don't cut it. They are just too slow. For me, XFCE and the Debian edition run on computers where the main edition and even the LXDE edition don't so including mint4win will allow users with older computers running Windows XP to try linux at is fastest.

That is a good point. Though I think Linux Mint Debian Edition isn't really targeted at people new to Linux, as it is more rough around the edges and requires some more hands on skills than the Linux Mint based on Ubuntu. Also consider for older machines, that by installing Linux Mint through mint4win you are making it slower because it runs from a big file on the Windows filesystem. So you are using two filesystems (one inside the other), and this doesn't help in performance.

BTW for Debian there is a application "Debian-Installer Loader", which allows you to install Debian from within Windows. It is not compatible with LMDE as far as I can tell, and it doesn create partitions.