ThistleWeb wrote:
Why not have it as an option could apply to EVERY DE & WM. Distros used to come on multiple CDs so you could choose at install time what DE or WM combo you wanted, as well as what suites of applications you want. Debian still does, it's 26 CDs at the last count, or 6 DVDs. The more you cram into an image, the more you force it to be a DVD, which means a larger download and limits some people from using it. Some don't have DVD burners, or can't boot from the USB.
Ubuntu 11.04 is the only release with Gnome 2 & Unity, from 11.10 onwards there's only Unity. Even Ubuntu aren't trying to offer Gnome 3 & Unity on a CD image, and have no plans to.
I think you are over-generalizing the point. We are talking about Mint and how its desktop will look in the future. As you have said, the LM team is relatively small and will therefore have to rely on other projects for their DE's. If the DE's are changing, Mint will have to change. Unity is a viable, yet very juvenile, desktop and should be given serious consideration. Given a desire for the status quo, it would be wise to implement change incrementally rather than stagnate. Unity can only improve if we influence its development.
As far as "cramming into an image," it does not require huge amounts of space. Besides, LinuxMint Main Edition already comes as a DVD for the version with codecs, would you argue that the LM team is disenfranchising those without DVD burners?