What would you use if Mint wasn't available?

[Lucap]

The least amount of input required by me the better so either Ubuntu or Debian for simple application installs.

I find absolutely no pleasure in piddling about editing conf files.

[AZgl1800]

I have no interest at all in creating a desktop from scratch.

that is exactly why I refused to use Linux until Mint Cinnamon arrived.

I have looked at Mate, have it loaded under Virtualbox, just so I can get a feel for it....

1st glance, don't like it..... but, if it has less need for resources, I might try it...

I have not read anywhere the real definition on the comparison between Mate and Cinnamon...

Everyone just cops out with "you have to try it and see"...
that explains nothing.

Does Mate really have a smaller footprint?
and if so, is that only because it is stripped bare of everything except what you want to add?

[Sir Charles]

If you would be interested in a non-Ubuntu-based distro, I would suggest Manjaro. It is not as bleeding-edge as Arch but it's cutting edge all the same following a more moderate release of new and updated packages going through several stages of testing before reaching the end-user if you choose to stay on the stable branch. Once installed you don't have to bother about upgrade to a new release as it gets upgraded through regular updates via its package manager, Pamac. When it comes to DE, you can choose between almost everything available for Linux-based distros. I use it alongside Mint and I am very pleased with the way it works and looks. Works out of the box and has an active and supportive community. Definitely worth a try, IMHO.

[Moem]

Does Mate really have a smaller footprint?
and if so, is that only because it is stripped bare of everything except what you want to add?

Yes it does, and the difference is mainly in visual effects, bling bling if you will. But I'm not sure how your question relates to the topic.

As for the topic: I would probably be using some variety of *buntu. Or I might still be on Win7. Mint and the friendliness it projects is a big part of what made me jump that ship.

[Lucap]

If you would be interested in a non-Ubuntu-based distro, I would suggest Manjaro.

I've been there and done that and found it a bit in your face and over the top if i'm honest.

I would probably be using some variety of *buntu. Or I might still be on Win7.

I didn't mind either Win 7 or 8 until Microsoft kept finding ways to constantly nag about upgrading.

[bjmh46]

I've pretty much always been an Mint xfce user. I've played with other distros and found that Peppermint os (hybrid lxde/xfce) is about my favorite.

[Faust]

Debian.

There's something I find malodorous about Ubuntu .
I won't go into it here because it will probably seem like a Stallman-esque rant ....

[Hoser Rob]

Debian.

There's something I find malodorous about Ubuntu .
I won't go into it here because it will probably seem like a Stallman-esque rant ....

Then why use Mint? If that's how you feel Debian is a lot closer to that philosophy.

I'd use Ubuntu, as I did for years before Mint. When Mint drops the KDE version I'll probably go for Kubuntu or maybe Neon.

[Pierre]

MEPIS
http://mepis.org/
unfortunately the M12 never got beyond a Beta

so it's alternatives are the related Cousins:
anti-X
http://antix.mepis.org
and MX itself:
https://mxlinux.org/

and I'm currently using Both of Them

and LinuxMint - - of course.

[Bolle1961]

Debian or 1 of it's derivatives

[mwbworld]

I'd probably go Solus or Ubuntu Mate.

I use Solus on my laptop and like it a lot. And I"ve tried mate a couple of times and kind of liked it and it does look like the new version will have a lot of improvements. Still prefer mint as my daily driver on my desktop.

[tdockery97]

I'd have to go along with Ubuntu Mate. Seems like the only inviting alternative to Mint.

[BenTrabetere]

Ubuntu MATE was the runner-up when I switched to Linux - I chose Linux Mint because I preferred its forum to the Ubuntu forums. I would also consider MX and Solus.

What I would look for is a LTS distribution with an active forum, and the deciding factor would be whether I could live with the method for updating software. I really would miss Update Manager.

[thx-1138]

...show some love to Mint's developers, donate regularly to the project for them to be motivated to continue spending their precious working time on it (without our very own support, why would they bother?), and then most likely it will continue being available...

[rickNS]

I could probably use any number of the more popular distros and be happy. I just minutes loaded a live session of MX 17.
WOW fantastic installer with all kinds of options including persistence which is cool because included in it's fantastic assortment of default software is Live-usb Maker. You could run live, customize, and then create your own live installer. A nice package installer, looks like you can click a bunch of programs at once, and install them in one go? First impressions are good. I'm going to play with it for awhile and find out more.

[MintBean]

Ubuntu and install Cinnamon, or if that's considered cheating, either Ubuntu Mate or MX-17.

[Portreve]

It depends on the availability of a recent-enough version of adb and fastboot in the distro in question's repos, but...

Debian, if the Debian repos had a new-enough version.
The last time I checked, Debian didn't and there was no way I could find where I could realistically and feasibly do anything about it.

Otherwise, probably Fedora.

[Pjotr]

One of the *buntu's, and if those would cease to be as well: probably openSUSE.

[Schultz]

Probably Ubuntu-Mate, or PCLinuxOS.

EDIT:
1st, Miyo Linux, or 2nd, PCLinuxOS.

[KBD47]

Fedora has gotten more reliable lately.