Is Linux Mint ugly?

[Grateful4Linux]

If I wanted to use a Mac-like OS, I would have bought a frickin' Mac instead of a PC... and it seems a lot of Windows 7 feel the same way. I'm glad so many, like me, are finding a superior replacement for Windows in Linux Mint!

I hate to be the one to break it to ya, pal, but if you're running Cinnamon (or, to a lesser extent MATÉ), you are running a very Classic Mac OS / Mac OS X-like GUI. It's certainly more Mac-like than it is Windows-like.

Linux Mint doesn't seem Mac-like to me. My mother has a Mac computer and whenever I have to use it I usually feel a strong urge to toss it out the window. I despise that thing. Maybe I should have said that Windows 8 and 10 became more Apple-like, with those stupid tiles? Even Microsoft forcing users to set up an account when installing Windows 10 is Mac/Apple-like, isn't it? And the Microsoft app store, no? Anyway, my point was just that Microsoft wasn't satisfied being the desktop OS market leader by a huge margin, and instead kept trying to copy-cat things that their competitor does... which sucks for people who avoid that competitor for those same reasons.

[majed17]

ah you reminded me of the "the pirates of the silicon valley" which made me research ugly Jobs, and how satanic his first mac sold for 666$.. its no wonder that all the satanists adore his company whenever they can afford it!

[ZakGordon]

...My suggestion is to back slowly away from pea soup.

And perhaps embrace "mint" as in "Minting Coins" or "Perfect" or some other synonym.

It's great you have your opinion on the colour thing. I would take the screen shots you showed of default Mint over default Ubuntu any day, and that is my opinion.

What matters most is what the dev team want, and if they care for the historic connection of 'Mint' and 'Green' and the hard work already put into a brand recognition (most Linux people will instantly recognise it).

The great thing about any Linux is you can make it look pretty much how you want, so if you (or anyone else) personally have an issue with Mint's looks, just change it

As one of the most user friendly Linux GUI's (especially for ex-windows users) around i doubt that adoption is being harmed by this part alone, in fact Mint is one of the most popular Linux Distro's, and a first port of call for the curious windows users wanting to see what Linux is like. Compared to other distro's and their different colour scheme's LM competes well in terms of users. Or maybe more people like the 'mint green' than you think?

[karlchen]

Question: Is Linux Mint ugly?

Answers: Let me repeat what has been stated before and maybe add an aspect or two, which had not been mentioned, yet. (Would be amazed.)

• Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. [1]
• What is considered beautiful changes in the course of time. It is called fashion.
• Some people are followers of any fashion wave, some have got their own points of view.
• Design follows function, not the other way round.
• The Linux Mint design has been changed several times in the course of time, but in such a way that some people may have failed to notice.

Next Question:

Gentlefolks, do we really need to do this discussion from 2018 all over again?

Answer:
Yes, this is a rolling discussion, because what is considered ugly now may be the new fashion tomorrow and considered ugly again the day after tomorrow. As a consequence this discussion and this thread will go on in eternal loops just like the movie "Groundhog Day"

Epilogue:
When discussing about "ugly or not", please, keep in mind that as we all grow older, our beauty keeps on fading away from day to day as well.
This post might be duplicated around May 2022. See you in 2 years' time ...

[karlchen]

Hello, tgm1024.

My thought was that if Mint couldn't even figure out how to make a nice design, then how could they do any of the hard stuff right? [...] it doesn't matter in the least how hard anyone tried to establish it as a brand because IMO they are working against themselves and could do far far better than they are.

Why are you telling all this to us, the crowd of Linux Mint users? Why do you not tell this to the Mint developer team?
Beware, however, if you do, then you may have to explain in detail
+ which things in the Mint design are done less well than they could
+ how precisely the list of items, which you provide, could be improved
Common place statements like the ones quoted above are unlikely to convince Clem and the team.

Best regards,
Karl

[Moem]

If it were truly commonplace, then you should absolutely listen.

What difference does it make whether Karl, or other users, listen?

You seem to be all falling prey to an odd sense of tradition, and have no understanding that the positive feedback you get are only by the people willing to give you a chance in the first place.

Who is this 'you' that you are talking about?

[Portreve]

This thread is amazing satire. Keep it up!

Oh, and I'd be remiss if I didn't play the following:

[JosephM]

Hello, tgm1024.

My thought was that if Mint couldn't even figure out how to make a nice design, then how could they do any of the hard stuff right? [...] it doesn't matter in the least how hard anyone tried to establish it as a brand because IMO they are working against themselves and could do far far better than they are.

Why are you telling all this to us, the crowd of Linux Mint users? Why do you not tell this to the Mint developer team?
Beware, however, if you do, then you may have to explain in detail
+ which things in the Mint design are done less well than they could
+ how precisely the list of items, which you provide, could be improved
Common place statements like the ones quoted above are unlikely to convince Clem and the team.

Best regards,
Karl

Thank you! One of the most useful comments in this thread. "Mint sux" doesn't help anything and will just get ignored. Actual useful and detailed criticism and feedback is a whole different story. Some people also seem to have this idea that because they think it should be different means everyone feels that way. It's so not the case. Even in the dev team these kinds of things are constantly debated. And keep in mind we try to listen to our user base as a whole for general trends in what people want to see. Not just individuals. We can't please everyone. The idea is to deliver something that the majority of our users are happy to use And when it comes to things like themes and colors we go out of our way to provide users with built in choices so they have some easy options.

[trytip]

And when it comes to things like themes and colors we go out of our way to provide users with built in choices so they have some easy options.

don't know how mate ships today with mint, but i remember the most annoying ridiculous and overlooked item was that when you installed a distro which had mate desktop they all came with a pre-designated theme.
ok i like the theme you think to yourself, but lets try another and see how the built in themes look in my eyes.
hmmm, after you try them all you think to yourself, nah i'll just go back to the way it was, RIGHT!

nope, the default theme in mate which you liked and and began with was never saved, so now you have to choose and pick one of the themes that are built in.
@tgm1024
it used to be that you can have a toolbar for caja icons only, now you can't, even though there is an option in settings or control center. maybe i'm wrong haven't used the new mate.

[jjp2145-oldtimer]

I don't get it.

If you think Mint is ugly, why don't you open Themes and change what it looks like? What do we have 3 standard "window boarders", 35 standard "Icons", 35 standard "controls", 2 different "mouse pointers", and 35 different "Desktops?" That is a lot of options even without going to add/remove and looking for new ones.

Mine is Window boarders: Mint-Y, Icons: hicolor, Controls: HighContrast, Mouse Pointer: DMZ-Black, Desktop: cinnamon. It probably does not look like yours, and if you don't like it, I don't care.

[Moem]

Guys, I'm simply not going to tolerate this much longer.

Ma'am, I don't think anyone here will shed a single tear if you decide to mount your high horse and ride off into the sunset. Please take your request to the admins. I'm sure you can figure out how to reach them.

[jp14]

tgm1024..i hear windows looks nice.

[cliffcoggin]

Guys, I'm simply not going to tolerate this much longer.

Bye.

[ZakGordon]

This is about presentation out of the box (hence the thread).

The 'presentation out of the box' was great, which i why i became and stayed a Linux Mint user. If you don't like how it is 'out of the box', change it, even i could do that (if i wanted, which i don't).

Some people love the way Windows 10 looks (i don't, so i stick with W7), some people love the way Mac OS looks and feels (i'm on the fence), some people like how Ubuntu default looks (i don't), some people like how Linux Mint looks and the GUI works, and i'm one of them.

If your not someone that likes how Mint looks, that's bad luck, but you can change it to your preference (much as i would change it if it was not as it is).

You are talking very much about personal opinions here, throw as much marketing babble at that as you like. Are all software products looking exactly the same? Are all successful products red or bright colours? Look around to find your answer.

[jjp2145-oldtimer]

I don't get it.

If you think Mint is ugly, why don't you open Themes and change what it looks like? What do we have 3 standard "window boarders", 35 standard "Icons", 35 standard "controls", 2 different "mouse pointers", and 35 different "Desktops?" That is a lot of options even without going to add/remove and looking for new ones.

Mine is Window boarders: Mint-Y, Icons: hicolor, Controls: HighContrast, Mouse Pointer: DMZ-Black, Desktop: cinnamon. It probably does not look like yours, and if you don't like it, I don't care.

You don't get it, because you didn't read what I said, much like the guys above who are attempting the high-road argument toward things that I already addressed in the first post.

I know how to change things, I'm a software engineer for decades specializing in startups. This is about presentation out of the box (hence the thread).

IF the goal is as is so often stated, to move desktop linux into a feasible desktop replacement for Windows and Mac for the masses, then two things:

1. Mint has achieved something no other Linux has done IMO. It's managed to be successful in saying "Release carefully, not right away."

I put it as "Ubuntu without the headache." Occasionally, I put it as "Linux without the uphill battle."

2. GIVEN #1 ABOVE, it's shooting yourself in the foot to continue without paying attention to standard marketing principals.

What is stopping you from making your own Linux distro that focuses entirely on what it looks like?

You claim to have rage-quit, so I probably should stop. I did read what you wrote. (1) This forum is not a startup; and (2) All of use either don't care what Mint looks like, or changed what our own computer looks like. I am also suspicious of your claim that Mint is the only successful "[r]elease carefully, not right away" Linux distro.

[all41]

There is a certain point regarding colors and branding though, does this ring a bell?:

pukey blue

[RollyShed]

I thought the beauty of Mint Cinnamon especially that it is so easy to change the background to what the user wants. Pale green is easy on the eyes, that's why "the Green Room". Easy to do a blue Windows look-alike if preferred.

Why does someone ask to be banned? Doesn't make sense. Simply don't open the discussion forum - ever. Done.

Then they remove it from their menu so it is never visible. Logical?

[cliffcoggin]

The discussion for the past three days was never to do with the appearance of Mint, and all to do with trolling. Did none of you notice the his location?

[all41]

Yep. The same user was also arguing for like/dislike buttons on this forum. Would probably
have been very busy there.

[Portreve]

<thread hijack>

So, today at Walmart, I was walking through the hardware department and saw two associates looking at one of the generators being sold. One was presumably working in the department, the other was on the phone with someone I presume was a customer, and they were trying to work through product availability and specs with said customer.

The box clearly showed "5400 watts" as its nominal output. I was 3 meters away and I could see that. However, the two were trying to work out if the unit was "fifty-four hundred watts" or "five thousand four hundred watts".

I simply had to walk away before I fell over and died laughing.

Just thought I'd share this with the community since there was evidently nothing significantly more useful going on here. Besides, maybe it'll make someone chuckle.

</thread hijack>