Linux Mint after 2016! What do you expect?

[killer de bug]

Even if I don't believe it, I still dream that LM will be directly based on Debian and not in Ubuntu anymore

[Moonbase]

Mostly, I expect an EASY upgrade path for end users (like dist-upgrade instead of new install)! The typical end user is helpless regarding how to backup and restore the right things and get his system working correctly again. THAT would be a great step in the right direction—HAVING a great (and WORKING) distro and making dist-upgrades painless. (Something not even Microsoft got right.)

Becoming an independent distro? Don't! We all don't know what Canonical will do until 2016, but having YET another lot of resources and manpower blocked with packaging and keeping a distro "independent" is—in my eyes—a horrible waste of resources. And a waste of quality living-time for those involved.

So if Canonical don't do too much wrong (like Unity and constant change of usage and desktop metaphors), I'd opt for staying Ubuntu-based. At least, they brought us the ease of install and lots of good hardware-detection, making the install a painless experience for a typical end user.

On the other hand, Debian is the "base's base" and has more updates and fresher code. So IF Ubuntu goes down the road, the second-best route, in my opinion, would be going "Debian-based".

All in all: Keep Linux Mint FRIENDLY. For average Joe, like me. Easy to install, with great hardware support, a shiny and usable desktop (like Cinnamon), and not too far away from "standard Linux". Mint could well be THE distro that brings "Linux to the masses", just because of these features. I've seen it happening. (With a very small amount of "masses", agreed, but I use it myself on lots of machines, and brought many Windows users over to LM17. And thanks to Petra, who brought ME over to Linux Mint again, by using the distro with her name in it )

Just my 2¢.

[InkKnife]

Mostly, I expect an EASY upgrade path for end users (like dist-upgrade instead of new install)! The typical end user is helpless regarding how to backup and restore the right things and get his system working correctly again. THAT would be a great step in the right direction—HAVING a great (and WORKING) distro and making dist-upgrades painless. (Something not even Microsoft got right.)

Becoming an independent distro? Don't! We all don't know what Canonical will do until 2016, but having YET another lot of resources and manpower blocked with packaging and keeping a distro "independent" is—in my eyes—a horrible waste of resources. And a waste of quality living-time for those involved.

So if Canonical don't do too much wrong (like Unity and constant change of usage and desktop metaphors), I'd opt for staying Ubuntu-based. At least, they brought us the ease of install and lots of good hardware-detection, making the install a painless experience for a typical end user.

On the other hand, Debian is the "base's base" and has more updates and fresher code. So IF Ubuntu goes down the road, the second-best route, in my opinion, would be going "Debian-based".

All in all: Keep Linux Mint FRIENDLY. For average Joe, like me. Easy to install, with great hardware support, a shiny and usable desktop (like Cinnamon), and not too far away from "standard Linux". Mint could well be THE distro that brings "Linux to the masses", just because of these features. I've seen it happening. (With a very small amount of "masses", agreed, but I use it myself on lots of machines, and brought many Windows users over to LM17. And thanks to Petra, who brought ME over to Linux Mint again, by using the distro with her name in it )

Just my 2¢.

I agree with all that.
I am not a fan of Canonical and feel that Ubuntu is off in the wrong direction with Unity but that is just a desktop problem. From all reports Canonical does a good job with their under the hood customizations.
Canonical does a lot of things right and some things wrong and Mint strips out the bad parts and builds off the good parts saving lots and lots of effort in the process.
I think Mint should continue on this basis as long as they can.

[catilley1092]

More of the same, only better. Linux Mint not only has the Ubuntu base to keep up with, also Debian, as well as KDE & XFCE, which aren't controlled by Ubuntu.

The Linux Mint devs will keep on using the same bases they currently are, to retain their position as the leading Linux distro, a shakeup could have a major impact on Mint's usershare in a very short time. Though Debian is one of the original Linux distros, usershare is falling. Ubuntu also has a steady rising distro in Ubuntu MATE, at #76 for 12 months & #26 for the last 30 days & so far has not went backwards. I look for that distro to break in the upper teens by early next year at the latest.

Clem knows how to run a distro & won't do anything to harm his own hard earned followers. And though I rarely participate here, on the Bleeping Computer site where I'm an Advisor over the Linux section of the forum, I push Linux Mint to every new user whom wants to try Linux, and many gives it a try.

Linux Mint is still growing & a shakeup would be bad for the brand.

Cat

[Chiefahol]

Regular mint until Canonical forbid it, then we move onto LDME.

Thankfully linux users aren't scared of jumping ship. Debian would be a fine base for the new mint!

I don't think LM starting there own entire distro is achievable but i could be wrong.

[Crewp]

Even if I don't believe it, I still dream that LM will be directly based on Debian and not in Ubuntu anymore

I agree, but us Debian fans can dream can't we ?

[Fred Barclay]

What do I expect? Mint will stick with Ubuntu as long as it is feasible (and I expect that to last longer than 2016).

What do I want? I'm in the same boat as Crewp and KDB--I'm running Betsy with no plans of moving.
I'd love to see the Debian Stable base for the main edition, amd maybe a Debian Testing based Mint would be nice for those of us who like to experiment. I mean, you can already move Betsy to Debian Testing, but I'd like an "official" Mint that does this.

[MintBean]

To echo what a few have already said- Mint should and probably will stick with a Ubuntu base. This makes a lot of sense due to the massive amount of elbow grease behind Ubuntu. We get all the advantages of Ubuntu development and Ubuntu compatibility without the headaches.

[Reorx]

To echo what a few have already said- Mint should and probably will stick with a Ubuntu base. This makes a lot of sense due to the massive amount of elbow grease behind Ubuntu. We get all the advantages of Ubuntu development and Ubuntu compatibility without the headaches.

There's a good amount of elbow grease behind Debian as well... perhaps more... and Debian has less (commercial) baggage!

From my point of view, the conversion of Mint over to a Debian code base isn't a question of "if" but rather "when"... I'd be willing to bet it happens before the end of support for LMDE2.

[MartyMint]

I suspect most folks dreaming of a Debian based Mint have never run pure Debian as their main workstation.

I don't agree with everything Canonical does, but their Ubuntu spin on Debian has done more to propel Linux into the mainstream than any other effort.

[Fred Barclay]

I suspect most folks dreaming of a Debian based Mint have never run pure Debian as their main workstation.

I have!
Jessie and Sid--with Stretch for about 20 minutes while I upgraded from Jessie to Sid.
It was nice, but I missed Mint.
Anyway, asides from the lack of PPAs (which is not always a bad thing), I haven't found too much difference between LMDE Betsy and Rafaela.

[MartyMint]

Using any Linux without pulseaudio is painful, as I have tons of application and hardware support for my audio production gear (USB mixers, midi controllers, analog pre-amps)...

phonon under KDE is particularly brutal. The sound system in KDE is probably it's weakest element, in my opinion.

[Reorx]

I suspect most folks dreaming of a Debian based Mint have never run pure Debian as their main workstation.

That's probably true - it is for me... but I have never really run Ubu either! - it came on a laptop that I got from Dell... I tried it for a few hours and hated it. I wiped the entire HD and installed Mint (9) and haven't looked back...

I don't agree with everything Canonical does, but their Ubuntu spin on Debian has done more to propel Linux into the mainstream than any other effort.

I am not as concerned with the past as I am with the future!...

[dXTC]

...
Mint 18 - Rosalinda ...

Does this mean we get a new Mint mascot?



(FYI: This is Rosalinda, a character from the children's animated TV show Max & Ruby.)

...And thus concludes this threadjack. We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion.

[Fred Barclay]

[We interrupt the above threadjack to bring you this threadjack... ]
Looks sort of like your avatar, dXTC.

[Pjotr]

I voted: "based on Ubuntu". Of course: why would Linux Mint relinquish this high-quality distro as upstream package base?

[Crewp]

I suspect most folks dreaming of a Debian based Mint have never run pure Debian as their main workstation.

I have run Debian, and I liked it, although it takes some work to get it the way you want. I've used it with Gnome, XFCE, and Cinnamon. I have used Ubuntu also, and although it is nice, I like the stability Debian has. I must say I love LMDE, but I also like Clem's thinking and trust he will do what is good for Mint as a whole.

[RacerBG]

I suspect most folks dreaming of a Debian based Mint have never run pure Debian as their main workstation.

...And I'm still running it. The only difference from other distros is that you must spend a few hours to get the software you want (pure Debian install). I have never ran LMDE but I suspect it is a lot easier than installing Debian from scratch like I did.

PS: Backports come in handy if someone wants newer software.

[xenopeek]

I've recently installed Debian Jessie. To my mind it's as easy as installing LMDE or Linux Mint. Just click "next" a bunch of times, fill in your account name, and sit back while it installs. I don't get what would be difficult about installing it. Setting up two network printers was trivial as well; both were auto-detected. Where LMDE likely has an edge is with the nicer Software Manager, Update Manager, and other Mint tools.

[RacerBG]

I've recently installed Debian Jessie. To my mind it's as easy as installing LMDE or Linux Mint. Just click "next" a bunch of times, fill in your account name, and sit back while it installs. I don't get what would be difficult about installing it. Setting up two network printers was trivial as well; both were auto-detected. Where LMDE likely has an edge is with the nicer Software Manager, Update Manager, and other Mint tools.

Installing Debian is easy. I meant installing only the base system and then adding software. It takes time - that is.