Which version of Mint are forum users using, and why?

[mank_in]

I don't know about Mint 10 and mint before thats. I use Linux from mint 11 ( after try ubuntu 11.04)

[Ponny]

Mijau

I use Linux Mint 9 - Isadora, based on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS - Lucid Lynx, because of cute name of basic Ubuntu version - and of course I use it for long time support. 3 years - and could be 5 years in version based on Ubuntu 12.04.

civ-civ

Ponny

[Evil-K]

I have Mint 12 on my laptop, but for a while I was using Unity on that (I know... BLASPHEMY!!! ) - I also have numerous other desktops on it so I can learn them... eventually I'm going to switch to 12 LXDE when that comes out and install the Xfce interface on top of it because it just makes my laptop run nice and fast.

On my desktop, I also have Mint 12, but I installed KDE on it and finally actually like it - might go as far as to do a fresh install of 12 KDE when it comes out (IF it comes out).

[bimsebasse]

Just installed Mint 11 on my girlfriend's virus infected Windows 7 laptop (she won't be a convert, no iTunes and no Word will probably soon make her yearn for the sluggish virus prone OS previously installed) and after having spent just 3 months with Gnome Shell and gotten used to it, you just can't go back to Gnome 2. My mouse bangs into the top left corner all the time and Gnome 2 of course stares vacantly back at me refusing to present an overview. Every time I need to launch or open something I press the windows key expecting mission accomplished about half a second later, but oh no, I gotta take the mouse down to the menu button and click, and find and expand and find and click, it feels positively archaic now

[Habitual]

I do not and will NEVER again run any "Ubuntu derivative" (Misnomer, they are Debian derivatives, Thank You) as a Desktop OS.

[tek_heretik]

I do not and will NEVER again run any "Ubuntu derivative" (Misnomer, they are Debian derivatives, Thank You) as a Desktop OS.

Why? You didn't say why, just curious, you say something like that, with so much conviction but yet don't offer a reason. "Inquiring minds want to know", lol.

Edit: And oh, please tell us what you ARE running and why?!

[tek_heretik]

"So many people are ungrateful to be alive..."
-Jigsaw

Lol, that's a creepy profile pic man.

[tdockery97]

I'm currently using Mint 12 Lisa, but I've installed KDE on it and removed Gnome 3 and MATE.

[Habitual]

I do not and will NEVER again run any "Ubuntu derivative" (Misnomer, they are Debian derivatives, Thank You) as a Desktop OS.

Why? You didn't say why, just curious, you say something like that, with so much conviction but yet don't offer a reason. "Inquiring minds want to know", lol.

Edit: And oh, please tell us what you ARE running and why?!

Fair enough, but suffice it to say after 17 years of IT Support and Administration, I am not fond of a "One size fits all" approach to anything.
I favor industrial strength distributions, not the "flavor of the month" variety. I guess I really HATE the gnome3 experience?

I currently use and favor OpenSUSE 11.4 under gnome v2.32.x

Now you may ask why I hang out here?
Well, I used to use LM10 (Loved it) but it just didn't seem to have the "legs" I needed as an everyday Desktop.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays...

[tek_heretik]

Fair enough, but suffice it to say after 17 years of IT Support and Administration, I am not fond of a "One size fits all" approach to anything.
I favor industrial strength distributions, not the "flavor of the month" variety. I guess I really HATE the gnome3 experience?

I currently use and favor OpenSUSE 11.4 under gnome v2.32.x

Now you may ask why I hang out here?
Well, I used to use LM10 (Loved it) but it just didn't seem to have the "legs" I needed as an everyday Desktop.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays...

Thanks for answering and same to you.

[Evil-K]

"So many people are ungrateful to be alive..."
-Jigsaw

Lol, that's a creepy profile pic man.

To deviate from the topic at hand, I'm a MAJOR horror movie buff. The profile pic is from the climax of a Japanese film called Audition, and of course, my sig is from the first Saw film. Just be glad I didn't use my gif depicting a bit from The Devil's Experiment (Google it if you dare...) .

Anyways, to get back to the topic...

I'm currently using Mint 12 Lisa, but I've installed KDE on it and removed Gnome 3 and MATE.

tdockery97, would you object to PM'ing me a brief list of the packages to remove in order to clear out Gnome 3, MATE, and Unity? As stated earlier, I have no problem with any of those DE's, but I'm REALLY loving KDE on my desktop computer and I want to make it exclusive.

[retlaw]

I am using Mint Debian as my main work horse. I tried Mint 12 with the Gnome 3 shell and extensions for about one week. I felt like I had one hand tied behind my back. I know the it is "Just an OS" and not earth-shattering, but I really, really, dislike it! I have spent the last week or so looking at alternatives. Zorin has Gnome 2.3 and it just works. It can be configured to look exactly like Mint 11. The only difference is that it works even better! All spreadsheet type charts keep their proper formatting in Zorin (Java, I think) Mint does not.

Please Clem and company, get rid of that awful Gnome 3. straight jacket. When and if you change Mint Debian rolling over to Gnome 3, I am gone! I will have to look at other desktop environments with more flexibility. KDE still seems too buggy to me, but the search is on for this Gnome 3 refugee to find a decent replacement.
With your programming expertise can you not develop a stable KDE desktop? I do not want to go to the RPM family of distros: I like synaptic too much to change.

Thanks for listening.

Dennis

[tek_heretik]

Mint + KDE = Kint, lol

[craig10x]

Dennis: hate to break it to you...but Zorin 6 will also have gnome 3 shell with extensions applied...If you are planning on staying with gnome, you will need to accept the change...as far as flexibility, it will get better over time...but it's new...When gnome 2 was new, it wasn't anything near what you have seen it at in more recent times...that is just the way it is when major changes are made...

Myself...i am enjoying Mint 12 MGSE very much...i like using it better then ubuntu 11.10 w/unity...even though i didn't find it to be that bad (i guess i am more adoptable then you are) However, after working with it, it really made me appreciate what Clem has done to make gnome 3 easier and more conventional to work with...

Also for your information..i have run Zorin myself and also like it a lot (almost as much as mint in fact)...Zorin 6 i believe is going to have a top panel with a slab menu on it and a Awn Type docky on the bottom...that is the direction they will be heading with it based on comments i read from Zorin himself...

And yes...LMDE will soon have gnome 3 MGSE as well...all the newer versions of distros are heading in that direction...so, if you want to keep up with the newer stuff..better adopt or go to a different desk top (Kde, XFCE, etc)...that is the bottom line...it is very unproductive and silly to suggest that distro developers like Clem should drop gnome 3...sorry guy, that is just the way it is...in the computer world, things change over time...they do not stay stagnant...If they did you wouldn't be sitting with a laptop on your desk...you be in an office running a 1950s style room size IBM Computer

By the way...i believe i read somewhere that in the next evolution of KDE (KDE5) that desktop environment will also change as well...so it may not stay the same as its now..and if you are into kde, then once again, you may have to "adopt"...

[bimsebasse]

Why not just stay on the earlier versions until they're obsolete? There's no need to either go Mint 12 or find something else right now - Mint 11 will probably work fine for several years, and Gnome 3 will be more mature by then. It's a bit strange to observe all this panic.

[tek_heretik]

Why not just stay on the earlier versions until they're obsolete? There's no need to either go Mint 12 or find something else right now - Mint 11 will probably work fine for several years, and Gnome 3 will be more mature by then. It's a bit strange to observe all this panic.

My sentiments exactly, LM 10 suits my needs, old skool GUI, lots of multimedia, etc, besides the fact it installs to my hardware Raid, will miss it badly when it's time to give it up. =/

Edit: I just got a smartphone, smartphone GUIs should stay on smartphones, besides, it would be akward even if I had a PC touchscreen, the ergonomics would suck, constant reaching to the monitor. Seems distros are forgetting their bread and butter base of PC users and concentrating on other gadget users, kinda lame actually.

[w2ibc]

Dennis I am sure G3 will get better and become more stable. also we have MATE which will become more stable over time as well.

I tried KDE on debian last weekend. and KDE has improved from the last time I used it so it is getting better

also have the choice of LXDE which is good and very lightweight.

I am prob keeping LM11 until LM13 and depending how Mate turns out by then and if we have an iso with mate only I may roll with 13 mate.. if I still got to grab the G3 iso ill prob just move over to lxde

[cwwgateway]

I voted on this a while ago, but just got around to the why. I actually voted for Gnome 3 + MGSE, but I have changed to MATE because

1. The original reason is that MATE is faster and more responsive than the Gnome Shell

2. I actually find MATE more stable than MGSE, although both are very stable for me (although I have very linux friendly hardware)

3. MATE is basically Gnome 2.32, and all of the themes/options work. I prefer the old gnome both (after customization) aesthetically and functionally, although, again I think that MGSE + Gnome 3 excel in those areas, too.

4. It has the good old mint menu

I also use LXDE/XFCE on older hardware. I love that the mint menu is also in XFCE. I also use unity sometimes, and I actually don't find it that bad, but I prefer these alternatives. FInally, I am checking out cinnamon, which is a gnome 3 fork - http://forum.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=205&t=89411&p=515010#p515010

[frodopogo]

I ALSO use Linux Mint 9 - Isadora, based on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS - Lucid Lynx, .... and of course I ALSO use it for long time support- 3 years.
The cuteness of the names does nothing for me however.

I just can't see reinstalling and all every six months to a year... 3 years seems about right.

I'm hoping the new stuff in Mint 12 has all the bugs worked out by next spring for the NEXT LTS version... that IS when it comes out, isn't it???

I'm also a refugee from Windows XP... I have a dual boot system, and am using Windows less and less.

Things I still do in Windoze:

1. Print up business invoices or flyers that I have in Microsoft Works format. Works Spreadsheet is the ONLY Spreadsheet I've ever really used, too.
2. If I need to SLOW DOWN a midi or sound file to play along with it and learn it. Windows Media Player has that function, so far, I can't find it in Mint.
3. Oh yeah... I DO occasionally use an abc player program. ABC files are music files written in ASCII code used a lot by fiddlers and other traditional musicians. Anyone know of a Linux abc program???

With Audacity, Firefox, Opera as a backup for Firefox if something doesn't display correctly, gedit and Free Office word processor, I have most of my needs covered.

[tek_heretik]

I'm also a refugee from Windows XP... I have a dual boot system, and am using Windows less and less.

Yep, me too except XP has been LONG gone, the only issue I recently encountered, is the hack for my smartphone (to get rid of the pesky facebook app, jerks made it un-uninstallable, I can't even shut it off, it's already snooped my PERSONAL phone contact list) is a Windows executable, wine won't open it, so I have to attach a crappy old hard drive (just leave it on the floor of the case, lol, and hook it up temporarily), install Windows to it just for that (after my phone is hacked, out it goes). Other than that, it's been smooth sailing, no idiotic maintenance and paranoid-ware up the ying yang, lol.