Differentiation of Linux Mint Branches

[driekus]

Now im still fairly new to linux mint but I wanted to stimulate some discussion. Linux Mint has to my eyes two different streams.
Ubuntu based- 2.6.39 kernel and fairly up to date, works on nearly all machines
Debian based - 2.6.32 kernel which is good for older machines

What would be really cool is to have something designed to work optimally with new machines. Im not talking about having all programs updated with the newest and most stable version. Im talking about having the core of linux running the newest stuff, ie Sandybridge drivers, etc. Gnome 3 would be good as well.
Could something like this be done by an additional repository of linux mint 11?
Im probably a little naive meaning this would result in an unstable system or huge amounts of additional work.

[viking777]

Now im still fairly new to linux mint but I wanted to stimulate some discussion. Linux Mint has to my eyes two different streams.
Ubuntu based- 2.6.39 kernel and fairly up to date, works on nearly all machines
Debian based - 2.6.32 kernel which is good for older machines

What would be really cool is to have something designed to work optimally with new machines. Im not talking about having all programs updated with the newest and most stable version. Im talking about having the core of linux running the newest stuff, ie Sandybridge drivers, etc. Gnome 3 would be good as well.
Could something like this be done by an additional repository of linux mint 11?
Im probably a little naive meaning this would result in an unstable system or huge amounts of additional work.

You are a bit out on your kernel versions there driekus, Debian based LMDE has the 2.6.39 kernel too (at least a fully updated version does).

I think you are right in your last sentence though, there are already so many different versions of Mint that the development team have a pretty heavy workload looking after them as it is. Another version, especially a bleeding edge system such as you request, might just be a bit too much. Of course you could construct such a system yourself by adding 'unstable' of even 'experimental' repo's to an standard LMDE installation. But one word of warning, pretty please, if it breaks some time (and it probably will) don't complain about it on the LMDE forum without specifying which sources you are using. Once you change sources like that it is your own creation that has broken not LMDE.

[driekus]

Thanks for the clarification viking777.
With LMDE, how often do breaks occur? And out of these how often does it result in an unbootable system?
Im still getting my head around the concept of breaks in the linux system and what causes them. I can easily see how adding things like Gnome3 would cause issues but do not understand how things like drivers cause the issues.
I have been running Linux Mint 11 with the 3.0 kernel and updated intel sandybridge drivers and thus far it has done nothing other than increase stability of my system.
Thanks again for answering what is probably typically noob questions.

[lmintnewb]

Maybe look into the liquorix kernel ? And/or rolling and compiling your own ... etc. I mean if you want latest/greatest and cutting edge this or that from a nix kernel.

Haven't run lmde ... still have an opinion for ya though. Why not set up a test partition ? Get your hands dirty and you'll be sure to learn the old fashioned way how stable lmde/etc is. Plus as long as you've got another ( back up ) operating sys ... or system(s). If it does break to the point of being unbootable. Not the end of the world you have others. Also seems like some lmde users and smart folks devel a habit of keeping a recent back up to their OS. So no matter what happens ... if an update does break something. Someone can just restore the working backup and be ready to go in minutes. Try again ... or wait for the breakage issue to be sorted out. While they still have a working system to use.

[driekus]

I think you are right in your last sentence though, there are already so many different versions of Mint that the development team have a pretty heavy workload looking after them as it is. Another version, especially a bleeding edge system such as you request, might just be a bit too much. Of course you could construct such a system yourself by adding 'unstable' of even 'experimental' repo's to an standard LMDE installation. But one word of warning, pretty please, if it breaks some time (and it probably will) don't complain about it on the LMDE forum without specifying which sources you are using. Once you change sources like that it is your own creation that has broken not LMDE.

Apologies for the double post. Maybe what I was more hinting at is whether you could some of the distributions together. If LXDE switches to rolling debian distribution that would be a reasonable candidate. So maybe you could end up with something like this.

Linux Mint Debian - xfce, gnome, lxde (choice of desktops)
Linux Mint Ubuntu - Gnome or KDE (choice of desktops)
Linux Mint Ubuntu - Gnome with supplementary packages. For this you could have a basic Linux Mint 11 and have supplementary packages for updated hardware drivers and interfaces. That way the supplementary packages could get some testing to minimize breakages and would act as an intermediate upgrade during the year for those impatient for the next version of linux mint.

Maybe Im a little naive at what work is required to make the different desktop interfaces for Linux Mint. I apologize in advance if it appears like Im trivializing the amount of work that goes into making Linux Mint. Linux Mint does a great job at taking Ubuntu and fixing all its problems to make the most user friendly linux interface around.

[viking777]

Linux Mint Debian - xfce, gnome, lxde (choice of desktops)
Linux Mint Ubuntu - Gnome or KDE (choice of desktops)
Linux Mint Ubuntu - Gnome with supplementary packages. For this you could have a basic Linux Mint 11 and have supplementary packages for updated hardware drivers and interfaces. That way the supplementary packages could get some testing to minimize breakages and would act as an intermediate upgrade during the year for those impatient for the next version of linux mint.

That would seem possible but for one thing. Remember that many of the alternative Mint distros are put together by individual community members - they used to be called 'community editions' but that seems to have gone out of fashion now although I thought it both described them and distinguished them from the main editions very well. Those distinctions seem to be a little lost now at least in my mind.

Although Mr. Lefebvre has ultimate say over what is put out under the Mint name - and it shouldn't be otherwise - most of the work on the individual 'desktop' variants is done by individuals or small groups of dedicated developers. Perhaps if you have put your heart and soul into developing the 'Fluxbox' edition of Mint for example - because you like Mint and you like Fluxbox - then you might not take too kindly to having your work lumped into a generic Linux Mint (choice of desktops) brand?

I don't know, because I am not a developer only a user, so I can't, reliably, get into the mindset of the former. I just offer this as a possible reason why your rationalisation plan may not be as sound as you think it is.

[driekus]

Linux Mint Debian - xfce, gnome, lxde (choice of desktops)
Linux Mint Ubuntu - Gnome or KDE (choice of desktops)
Linux Mint Ubuntu - Gnome with supplementary packages. For this you could have a basic Linux Mint 11 and have supplementary packages for updated hardware drivers and interfaces. That way the supplementary packages could get some testing to minimize breakages and would act as an intermediate upgrade during the year for those impatient for the next version of linux mint.

That would seem possible but for one thing. Remember that many of the alternative Mint distros are put together by individual community members - they used to be called 'community editions' but that seems to have gone out of fashion now although I thought it both described them and distinguished them from the main editions very well. Those distinctions seem to be a little lost now at least in my mind.

Although Mr. Lefebvre has ultimate say over what is put out under the Mint name - and it shouldn't be otherwise - most of the work on the individual 'desktop' variants is done by individuals or small groups of dedicated developers. Perhaps if you have put your heart and soul into developing the 'Fluxbox' edition of Mint for example - because you like Mint and you like Fluxbox - then you might not take too kindly to having your work lumped into a generic Linux Mint (choice of desktops) brand?

I don't know, because I am not a developer only a user, so I can't, reliably, get into the mindset of the former. I just offer this as a possible reason why your rationalisation plan may not be as sound as you think it is.

I can understand how that is an issue, given these volunteers put such a large amount of work into these distributions. Maybe there is some other way of doing it while still giving credit and at the same time avoid branching out too much.

On the topic of my original suggestion. Could we put together supplemental packs for those who are keen to try new things and have a subsection of a forum devoted to them so people can get support and also provide feedback that would be useful for future mint releases. Off the top of my head I can think of several packs that would be of interest.

* Linux Kernel 3.0
* Sandy Bridge processor and graphics
* Gnome 3

I know a lot of these issues are discussed within the forums but having one place where people can put up packages (well repositories) and get support that relates to Linux Mint and.