The future of Mint

[Tharkis]

As I am a very new Linux (I've dabbled some in the past) and Linux Mint user, I had a thought which occurred after I had already installed Mint x64. I was wondering what the plans were for Mint. Are they going to be moving away from an Ubuntu base and basing the OS off Debian strictly? I imagine that is what the whole purpose of LMDE is. If so, did I make the wrong choice? I know LMDE isn't exactly the height of stability, but if that is where Linux Mint is heading, wouldn't it be a good idea to start working with LMDE sooner rather than later?

[nunol]

According with what I read on the Mint blog there are no plans to abandon Ubuntu for the main version in the next release. There are some nice changes to the LMDE and Mint XFCE version that should make it more stable and easier to live with. You can jump to LMDE or Mint XFCE at any time but if you want it more stable you should wait until the next respins and until the new update system is out of testing: http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1781

[tdockery97]

The Mint Main edition has always been the flagship of the distribution, and Clem has stated on a number of occasions that it will remain so. It is the main edition which has brought the greatest amount of attention to Mint and made us a very solid #2 in both DistroWatch rankings and general usage worldwide. I strongly believe what you are about to see is a Linux Mint Debian Edition which is as stable and easy to use as Linux Mint Main. Along with that will come a huge increase in Mint's user base. Get ready for a cool ride.

[AlbertP]

a very solid #2 in both DistroWatch rankings and general usage worldwide.

Agreed, but we're becoming #1 in Distrowatch (and in the 7 day listing it varies between #1, #2, #3).

[MALsPa]

I agree -- great news about the Updates Packs for LMDE! This link has already been posted, but...

http://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=1781

[Elisa]

...Linux Mint Debian Edition which is as stable and easy to use as Linux Mint Main...

Unfortunately, I cannot agree 'cos LMDE is testing based...
As I already mentioned in the other thread, the best future of Mint (IMHO) would be leaving Ubuntu based Main edition and point to Debian stable based distro.
Just LMDE 'could' remain testing if there are enough of guys to play with it.
But IMHO, Debian stable + Mint (with even all DE as it is now) would be 10x better than a strange future bound with Ubuntu.

[MALsPa]

As I already mentioned in the other thread, the best future of Mint (IMHO) would be leaving Ubuntu based Main edition and point to Debian stable based distro.
Just LMDE 'could' remain testing if there are enough of guys to play with it.
But IMHO, Debian stable + Mint (with even all DE as it is now) would be 10x better than a strange future bound with Ubuntu.

I'd like to see a Stable-based Mint, too. More to my tastes. But I know from using Debian Stable, and Mepis (which is based on Stable), that many people aren't satisfied with those older packages. My feeling right now is that LMDE is going in a good direction, and that it's gonna turn out to be a great option for a lot of folks.

[Elisa]

...

Oh man, com'n, don't say such half-true, half-false stories
Have u heard about pinning or even the chance to install to even stable version of Debian some latest apps?
Watch keywords like pinning.
BTW, it's possible to install by:

sudo aptitude install -t testing app_name

And yep, on my Debian Squeeze I installed some latest apps but just those one which surely won't harm my stable system or which won't force me to update the KDE base and even almost the whole system...

[TBABill]

I tend to agree with MALsPa because of the work the dev team is doing to tame Debian Testing. If you read viewtopic.php?f=141&t=76556 you'll see the dev team is creating its own testing repo with what I think is the intent to test all of testing's updated packages before they hit Mint's testing repo. That will eliminate a lot of the short-fuse updates that break an app until other packages receive updates.

By taking these steps the Mint team is stepping into unchartered territory with Debian by offering a more stable Debian-testing-based distro....which is obviously not a natural occurrence by the very nature of Debian Testing where packages are updated and changed as their dev team works toward the next stable.

Stable testing...interesting.

[MALsPa]

Oh man, com'n, don't say such half-true, half-false stories
Have u heard about pinning or even the chance to install to even stable version of Debian some latest apps?
Watch keywords like pinning.
BTW, it's possible to install by:

sudo aptitude install -t testing app_name

And yep, on my Debian Squeeze I installed some latest apps but just those one which surely won't harm my stable system or which won't force me to update the KDE base and even almost the whole system...

Yeah, sure. A lot of Stable users use apt-pinning, Backports, etc. SalineOS is a good example of a Squeeze-based distro that takes advantage of those things, in fact (ever tried it? nice distro). So, you're right, you can get more up-to-date stuff into Debian Stable, I've got no argument with that, Elisa.

But what I said still stands. A lot of Debian users prefer Testing because of the reasons I mentioned. I myself prefer Stable, but not everyone feels that way. I didn't speak any "half-true, half-false stories." I didn't say that you can't get newer packages in Stable, I said that "many people aren't satisfied with those older packages." That's a fact, plain and simple. That's precisely why many Stable users opt to use apt-pinning, Backports, etc. C'mon.

At first, I felt that no desire to try LMDE because I prefer Stable-based, and also because I wasn't seeing any new "snapshots" coming down the pipe. But I think the Update Packs will kinda change the game and make LMDE much nicer to use. Nice development.

[Elisa]

I see no reason to use any SalinOS or whatever - just pure (and by years tested ) stable Debian + installing those some (not much) backports and apps which are useful, mostly as for media plugins, ms/ttf fonts etc.

As for my last test of trying testing version, it's been screwed due even while installing, at the end it yelled it cannot continue due missing grub--pc or something (on the first install DVD disc!) so then my patience was over and still using stable and I know my PC will stay working for a long time
P.S. Just in some cases it's a fault that some apps are not latest so there is no reason in fact to cry about not-latest-versions-of-app, IMHO.

[MALsPa]

I was wondering what the plans were for Mint. Are they going to be moving away from an Ubuntu base and basing the OS off Debian strictly?

While I haven't seen any plans about completely cutting the cord with Ubuntu, it's kinda interesting that (I think) every Mint version besides main (GNOME) and KDE is now based on Debian.

[nunol]

I was wondering what the plans were for Mint. Are they going to be moving away from an Ubuntu base and basing the OS off Debian strictly?

While I haven't seen any plans about completely cutting the cord with Ubuntu, it's kinda interesting that (I think) every Mint version besides main (GNOME) and KDE is now based on Debian.

Mint 11 LXDE RC is also based on Ubuntu.

[MALsPa]

Mint 11 LXDE RC is also based on Ubuntu.

Thanks for the correction. Did I miss any others? Also, wondering if Mint KDE will be heading in that (Debian) direction...

[AlbertP]

Mint 11 KDE is currently in development, and probably also Mint 11 Fluxbox. At least Xfce has switched to Debian and for Gnome there's a choice between both.

[nunol]

Mint 11 KDE is currently in development, and probably also Mint 11 Fluxbox. At least Xfce has switched to Debian and for Gnome there's a choice between both.

Mint 11 KDE should be based on Ubuntu (it has mint4win) and Mint Fluxbox should be based on Debian.

[AlbertP]

There's a repository opened for Mint 11 Fluxbox: http://packages.linuxmint.com/
It's empty at the moment.

[Tharkis]

Holy crackers that was a lot of posts! I didn't expect it to become such a huge debating point.

In any case, I'm glad I am going to be stable where I am at. I am beginning to enjoy using Mint and once I can safely ween myself off those darn MS based apps, I'll be using Mint full time on my laptop. My desktop will stay windows just so I can play games from time to time.

I have to say that I am extremely impressed with Mint thus far. Prior to trying it out, I had looked at several other OSes including Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva, PC Linux even SuSE.. In the end, I just loved Mint.. It's simplicity and comfortability won me over. I certainly do NOT like those new desktops that Fedora and Ubuntu are using now. It looks like an interface I'd use on my phone. Frankly, it works great on a phone but I expect more from my computer. Sure I could always install some other window manager, but why should I when Mint does it correctly right off the bat.

In any case, it's been an interesting discussion. Feel free to comment more if you feel like it.

[MALsPa]

I certainly do NOT like those new desktops that Fedora and Ubuntu are using now. It looks like an interface I'd use on my phone. Frankly, it works great on a phone but I expect more from my computer.

I know what ya mean! Well, I finally got around to trying Unity out. You know, I can't see it becoming my favorite, and probably not even close, but I was expecting a lot worse. I'm not having any trouble getting around in there, and I'm feeling like it isn't as bad as people are making it out to be. I could get used to it, at least. Unity won't deter me from installing Ubuntu 12.04 (the next LTS version) when it comes out next year, but I have a feeling I'll end up adding Xfce or Openbox or something, so I fully understand your point when you said:

Sure I could always install some other window manager, but why should I when Mint does it correctly right off the bat.

[rivenathos]

My thoughts are that Mint will eventually move over to a Debian base for all desktop versions. I am hoping that some versions of Mint will be based on Debian Stable since that is a very solid and reliable foundation.