Poll: How do you use Linux Mint?

[Heraclitus]

I find interesting to know how this distro is used.
Have your say. I propose this poll so that everyone can take a profit by other people' suggestions.
Remember you can choose up to two options.

[emorrp1]

I have an interesting set-up. My main hard drive is partitioned such that I can have a main install as well as a testing install. Mint is in my main, and when I want to test hardware compatibility of another distro, I install it to test. I then have a number of virtual machines, mainly for helping solve problems and use them in my new role as bug supervisor. I have a clean install of the latest mint, the previous mint, the current LTS version of mint, and stock ubuntu all as virtual machines.

[exploder]

I have the latest Mint KDE CE installed as my main OS. I have the Main Edition and development releases installed in VirtualBox.

[rpstitz]

I originally tested Linux Mint as a candidate for being offered on my computer systems pre-installed...it passed the test so well that I now use Linux Mint on all of my computers, offer it as the preferred OS on my systems, and I also became a partner (see your partners' page and compare my name if you want to see my business. I am also offering Linux Mint media for just-over cost plus $1.00 that I'll donate to Linux Mint...I'm not going to profit much from that, but hopefully it will generate enough funds for your community to show proper gratitude for such an awesome OS.

[Heraclitus]

Really interesting use of Mint for all of you, guys!
emorrp1, your set-up is not only interesting: you have got an impressive firepower.
exploder, my compliments for the extensive use of Mint virtualization.
rpstitz, I had the same good first impression of Mint (even if I am generally skeptical about Linux-enthusiasts). I'll give a look to the partners' page.
I have a live and Persistent USB version on my Mini (based on Dell remix' Hardy Heron), but I think I will shift to Mint, at last.
Thanks for your comments.

[ZekeMenuar]

I dual boot Mint 7 x64 and Windows 7 RC x64 on my laptop.
I insist on dual-booting all my computers. Computers are a monument to Murphy's Law. Having a backup plan is essential when using these infernal machines.

Mint is used when I'm running the laptop only or when I'm running on batteries. Mint really runs great on batteries.
I get anywhere from 20-30 minutes more time than I do on Windows 7.

Windows is used when I'm running dual monitors.
If I'm running two monitors, I usually am streaming JTV into Mint 7 in V-Box under Windows 7 on the big monitor. (didja get all that?).
That setup runs streaming video very well and doesn't interfere with other computer tasks on the laptop monitor.

I have Mint 7 x32 installed on a 4gb flashdrive as an emergency OS.
A couple of weeks ago my main 320gb HD died. (Yes, Western Digital replaced the drive under warranty. It should be here today)
Ran the laptop from the flashdrive for a few days while I got the backup 120gb HD ready to reinstall.
Didn't notice much of a difference between the flashdrive OS and a HD installation.

After trying:
Mepis
Mepis x64
openSUSE
Ubuntu
Fedora
PCLinux OS
and a few others I can't recall. Mint is the best of the bunch. Especially for those of us that are good at Windows and bad at Linux.

Keep up the good work.

ZM

[DrHu]

The longer a poll is running the more the stats start to balance out, as people start choosing the less filled choices
--the best way would be to run it for a short time, with no dosplay of the results, then publish the results

That would be more of a blind vote, like a secret ballot/vote, where you are not influenced by result displays
--Ahh!, but the commentaries are still there
I voted for, here's why..

Anyway it went from 80+ % for using Mint as its own unique operating system to 44%, while the other logs start to climb
I expect to see either
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or
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as the final result
Well no-one claimed it would be scientific, and if you ever see CNN where they take a straw poll of their call-in or on-line voters, you know how it goes..

Fun anyway!

[gibbs1984]

I selected dual boot with Windows but I use Linux Mint as my main Operating System and only use Windows for games, there are no other files on my Windows partition apart from the game files.

To be honest I haven't even logged in to Windows to play a game now for a few weeks as I'm not a hardcore gamer, have only given Windows 50gigs out of 500gigs to install a few games.

If Linux could run main stream games as easily as Windows then Windows wouldn't see the light of day again

[mince'n'tatties]

I now only use linux. It took me a while to finally erase my xp partition as I was still using photoshop and cinema 4d, but now I have finally got to grips with using gimp and blender I have no use for windows.

[Kaye]

I wish I could use Mint as my only OS. I need Vista for a few small (but important) things such as my iPhone and certain facets of my current job. One day I'll be 100% Mint.

[Aging Technogeek]

At the moment I triple boot Mint 7 Main ED., Mint 7 x64, and Mint 7 XFCE Comm. Ed.on my desktop; and Min7 Main, x64, KDE, XFCE, Mint 6 Main,KDE, XFCE, and Fluxbox on my laptop (set up to test possible fixes for problems posted in the forums). I just recently bought a 10 inch Acer Aspire One 150 that is currently set to dual boot Mint 7 Main and XFCE. All of this is subject to change at any moment if I get an idea I want to try.

Out of all Mint versions, I have pretty much settled on XFCE as my main daily driver because of its speed (and I just like the desktop set up).

System specs:

Desktop:
Dell Inspiron 530
Intel Q6600 Core 2 quad 2.4 GHz clock
6 gig ram
640 gig hard drive
Intel 82G33/G31 express integrated graphics
Zydas WLA-54L USB wifi adapter

Laptop
HP dv9500t
IntelT7700 Core 2 duo 2.4GHz clock
2 gig ram
2x 160 gig, 7200 rpm hard drives (sda - Mint 7; sdb - Mint 6)
nVidia 8400 graphics card
Intel Pro/Wireless 4965 AGN card
bluetooth

Netbook
Acer Aspire One D150
Intel Atom n270 Dual core 1.6 GHz clock
2 gig ram 32 gig ssd (upgraded from 160 gig 5400 rpm HD)
Intel 945GME integrated graphics
Atheros AR242x wireless card

[vrkalak]

I use LinuxMInt 7 as the main OS on my work (at home) PC.
I have given Windows Vista only 70 Gb out of a 1 Tb hard-drive.
I, also, have Ubuntu9.04 installed but with very little space on the partition, as, I don't use it.

On my laptop, I am installing and giving LinuxMint 7 the entire drive.

[mitsuzero]

I use windows for trash talk (;)) ....
err.. i only use Linux Mint on KDE CE 6 (today i download the ISO of Gloria.
my wife is using dual boot or with VM... but in this day i got two punch in my face she is using GIMP
ok... she is do some changes in their form of thinking ... and doing their work.
But ... i dont have windows.... anymore.....

[phil]

I have three desktop computers each running the same setup. Since I depend on the computers for my income I have to use Windows XP more than Mint. I do engineering CAD and a variety of calculation programs. I have not found any similar programs that run adequately on Linux. Not a problem with Linux, just not enough volume to support programmers to write their programs for Linux.
Each setup uses either Mint 6 XFCE or 7 XFCE.as the OS used on line for email, writing documents, billing, etc., dual booting with Windows XP used for CAD and engineering calculations. Each computer has a 30G SSD for OSs, Mint and Windows, with a second conventional hard drive for data using ntfs. Both Mint and Windows use the same drive for data. Home, well, stuff usually that goes there but no data. Backup is done daily to two large volume USB drives with identification as to computer and date.

My wife uses one of the computers for her geneology work still done in XP/MSDOS, same program (written in compiled dBase III) and files since 1986. Haven't lost any of it yet, and still better than any of the new programs.

I also have all of my engineering files since about the same time, some on CD or DVD, and a paper copy of all files. The storage is getting out of hand but is a necessity of the business.

Windows rarely goes on line except for updates.

[catilley]

I use Mint as my main OS, because it will soon be installed as a dual boot (90% Mint, 10% XP Pro) on my main laptop. This older laptop was bought to learn Linux on. However it has some shortcomings (512MB RAM on this one, 2GB RAM on my main one). RAM makes a lot of difference. But to the point, I have found a home with Mint and intend to keep it that way. I hate to keep saying it, but the thought of Windows just makes me want to puke. I'm only keeping them on a small partition for programs that I can't get to run yet, such as printing, and some websites (Dell Support in particular for me) requires IE, or an IE tab in Firefox, you can't get this add on with Linux. Hopefully an IE tab will be released soon.

[SxFlare]

I use Dual boot Linux Mint 7 Main with Windows XP pro, primarily Linux Mint.
I got a Flash USB Drive with Fedora and Damned Small Linux, but hardly use either.
It's a lot less hassle to use, and like most I've talked to, I only log onto Windows for games or programs (Visual Studio, Dreamweaver) that aren't supported in Linux. I haven't looked for substitutes for those programs, since I still need them until I graduate.

Linux Mint was given 12GB HDD and Windows 20GB HDD. This is an old laptop, but it works nicely for what I need (except that Windows can be noticeably slower than Mint sometimes)

[900i]

100% Mint, It will be 3 years this November since I switched from Ubuntu. Never bothered with another Distro since.

[Dragonspirit]

I am looking into the "guts" of Mint in comparison to Ubuntu 904, to determine how I can build "Linux Ubuntu Dragon", as "Linux Ubuntu Mint" was created...
Or, given that it's "out of the bag".. then add to it, with an animated desktop dragon, which grows a new head when a new desktop file is created... When the name of the file is spoken, that dragon's head finds the cursor... Or a file could be a dragon-flying, into the screen, right to your face... Maybe a little fire too... Maybe a lot if fire..?
Why are bootups not animated..?

I use LinuxMint for my car's glove-box hd's...
When I meet someone who looks like they need a break from the sting and stench of running Windows, I give them a Mint-loaded 3 to 5 gig hd free... I've got a self filling box of old hd's... When I'm bored out of my tree, I loads up a new give-away hd with Mint... I always adds SeaMonkey.. They can get Clam by themselves...

[geekman]

At present I am running Mint 7 64bit. I don't dual boot. I let my windows games go, I'm not that heavy a gamer I keep a very small xp virtual machine just so I can sync my zune, I will be glad when the people hacking zune finally achieve victory,

One day I figured, what the heck, if I got a mac i would be using all different stuff, so why not linux mint. Just as cool as a mac at least and I left the windows world behind.

I have not worked in windows on my machines in a couple three months and can't see going back.win 7 is nice but its not that dramatic, and I always thought there should be a community of software folk who should be writing software to share, Thanks and I will support you whenever I can,

I had to spend a few days fixing a couple of my kids windows machines that were borked rather amazingly. One had 323 viruses on it. Windows is just tedious

[catilley]

An addition to my previous post: This laptop is 70% Mint, 30% moonOS. I decided not to put all my eggs into one basket, needing a backup plan. That way, if Mint breaks, I'll have moonOS to fall back on. I really enjoy Mint, I've ran it longer than any other distro that I installed. It's features are outstanding, the home screen is attractive and unique, and the program is the easiest of all Linux distros to run. Although it's said that with Linux no anti-virus is needed, I installed Avast for Linux anyway. But it runs different than with Windows. It doesn't matter, though. I'm thoroughly satisfied with Mint, and have tried to convert a few, but no luck with that yet. But I'll keep on pushing, if we don't, we'll never grow.