newbie quesions on repos/packages/upstream

[soup-n-sandwich]

I'm trying to better understand how the flow works when it comes to the repos, Mint specific packages vs Ubuntu/Upstream package. How it works together. I think if I have a clearer picture of the way things work and how it's being done I'll be more help to the devel community. I've currently just started learning Python and have some devel experience on some rather large projects but I'm switching gears with a deb based distro. I'm trying to get a better handle on how Mint is what it is, and how it's related to Ubuntu.

It appears that Mint uses mostly Ubuntu upstream packages and repos and that Mint has it's repos (http://packages.linuxmint.com/list.php?release=Maya) for a small group of packages that it maintains?
Is my assumption correct that Mint's packages are the only packages that truly make Mint.."Mint"?

Also when I look at the Software Sources app it indicates "Main", "Upstream" and "Imported". I understand what the terms mean but what are the actual repos that it's referring too?

Any information would be really helpful. I want to learn this stuff the correctly way and not fumble my way through it as I've done in the past.

[xenopeek]

Yes, the Linux Mint edition based on Ubuntu (as opposed to LMDE, based on Debian) is basically Ubuntu but with added packages. Linux Mint is not only defined by its repositories with additional packages, but also by changes to the default selection of software installed and the changes to default configuration (for example, as installed by the ubuntu-system-adjustments package). Most of the additional packages are developed by the Linux Mint developers (Cinnamon and many others).

Main, upstream, and imported are all separate repositories. You can explore them on the link you shared. Check your /etc/apt/sources.list and you will see these repositories:

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deb http://packages.linuxmint.com/ maya main upstream import

I linked you to the Debian Administrator's Handbook (http://debian-handbook.info/browse/stable/) on your other post already. Reading chapters 5 and 6 of that will give you a better understanding of Debian's package management, as also used on its derivatives like Ubuntu and Linux Mint.

Happy hacking

[soup-n-sandwich]

My new buddy Vincent. Thanks man.
I love this stuff.
So that's what "LMDE" stands for...Linux Mint Debian Edition? No way! I thought it was a DM similar to LXDE or another. Wow I'm in a new playground...I feel like the paste eating outcast kid
So why does the devels of Mint choose to do both a Debian based version and a Ubuntu version?

I have to be honest, I never truly liked Ubuntu for a lot of reasons but I have to say that the available packages for Ubuntu are one reason to like it. Since I'm a KDE guy Kubuntu was an option but in the 5 years that I've checked out Kubuntu from time to time I've never once felt good enough about it to develop with it, branch it, use it as a base or even use it for personal use. It was always flaky for me. No where near the stability of it's brother Ubuntu.

Is there an advantage to either Ubuntu based version vs the Debian version? I have always looked for LTS versions if at all possible. Is Mint 13 KDE based on Ubuntu 12.04LTS? Does that LTS package support/maintenance also hold true for Mint, since it's using the Ubuntu LTS base?

So Cinnamon is a rewrite or a "keep it alive" version of Gnome 2.##? Is this correct?

[xenopeek]

Well, I guess this topic should also go here now

Schoelje is working in an unofficial KDE edition of LMDE. You might be interested in giving that a look, it's getting a lot of positive feedback. viewtopic.php?f=61&t=106426&start=200

Linux Mint 13 is an LTS release, based on Ubuntu 12.04. It is fully supported till April 2017, both for the Ubuntu and the Linux Mint repositories. As for Debian vs. Ubuntu base, I'd call that a personal preference as you can find proponents and opponents for each difference between the two The LMDE FAQ gives some more background. viewtopic.php?f=197&t=91405

Cinnamon is a fork of Gnome Shell, and sits on top of Gnome 3 using all the advancements the Gnome developers bring (well, except for the Gnome Shell, though you can install that easily if you prefer it). It is being developed by the Linux Mint developers and an awesome bunch of contributing developers. MATE (http://mate-desktop.org/) is a fork of Gnome 2. The MATE developers are actively working on fixing bugs that remained in the Gnome 2 source code after the Gnome developers stopped maintaining it.

BTW, all software developed by the Linux Mint developers is hosted on GitHub. https://github.com/linuxmint

[soup-n-sandwich]

Ah thanks again for all the links and information. I'll looking into each item on the list.
I really appreciate your time on this stuff.

[soup-n-sandwich]

Question for you.
I just checked out the source.list in /etc/apt/. The file is almost blank. All it has is this: # /etc/apt/sources.list
Yet when I look at the other options to check apt sources the list is there.
If I open the LM software sources app I see that there are more soures for main, upstream and imported (the URLs are not shown). On the other software tab there is some other sources.
If I look in KDEs "apper" software sources I get the full list of 6 repos (URLs displaied).
Why is it that the "sources.list" isn't showing anything?
If I use the term to do a manual "apt-get install package_name" it doesn't have any issues installing what I want, yet there is no source URLs in the list???
I don't get it.

[xenopeek]

Wouldn't you know it The organisation of the source.list configuration is done differently on the KDE release... The configuration on the KDE release is in the /etc/apt/sources.list.d directory, split over multiple .list configuration files. To quickly learn the details of such things, run:

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inxi -r

inxi is a useful tool to find out bits and pieces about your system. To learn more about the sources.list file and directory, see its manpage ("man sources.list"). Most configuration files have a manpage, and a lot allow a .d directory to split the configuration over multiple files.