Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

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Punchy71
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Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

Post by Punchy71 »

Hi,
I'm thinking of possibly trying out Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time. But what are the pro's and con's of going with it over standard Linux Mint 19 "Tara"?
Thanks
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xenopeek
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Re: Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

Post by xenopeek »

I'd say some reasons to go for LMDE could be:
- you have a strong, informed and uncompromising preference for a Debian package base over an Ubuntu package base
- you need to run it on a very old CPU (as in 15 years old)—LMDE 3 32-bit works on CPUs that don't have PAE support (practically all CPUs from past 15 years have PAE support) while all other Linux Mint editions don't.

You should be clear on what LMDE 3 is and isn't. This blog post from earlier this year makes that clear: https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3590. Read the paragraph starting with "Next on our list is LMDE 3 aka “Cindy”".

Personally I'd recommend Linux Mint 19.
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Re: Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

Post by AZgl1800 »

I tried LM19 and it is so fraught with problems, that I took it off my laptop, and replaced it with LMDE3-Cindy.

wow, what a difference that was.
  • Total smoothness everywhere
    Recognized my WiFi card when LM 18.3 Cinnamon does not
    The bad USB AutoSuspend problem on LM 18.3 is non-existent
    Everything I have asked it to do, just works
I am no where near being intelligent yet with LMDE3-Cindy,
I can only tell you that it works like a good OS should without any surprises so far.

I have it installed on a 2nd partition on my ASUS TP500L laptop so that I can compare it with 18.3 Cinnamon on equal terms relative to being on the same hardware, not emulation with VB.

LMDE3 seems to have far fewer updates being applied, and so far, not once has it offered up a new kernel that "might break" my WiFi like 18.3 does with every new kernel.... well at least it did, before JeremyB figured out to make DKMS stop that nonsense for me.

The vote is still out, but I am extremely impressed with LMDE3-Cindy
LM21.3 Cinnamon ASUS FX705GM | Donate to Mint https://www.patreon.com/linux_mint
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xenopeek
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Re: Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

Post by xenopeek »

AZgl1500 wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 4:25 amLMDE3 seems to have far fewer updates being applied, and so far, not once has it offered up a new kernel that "might break" my WiFi like 18.3 does with every new kernel.
Linux Mint 19 default uses Ubuntu's hardware enablement (HWE) kernels, which means roughly every 6 months you get a new upstream kernel release so that your system gains compatibility with new hardware. Regressions for older hardware can happen though are rare (you're not getting a bleeding edge kernel even with Ubuntu HWE). Sounds like you drew the short straw :| You can change this however by switching over to Ubuntu's LTS kernel, which only receives security fixes. LMDE 3 uses Debian's LTS kernel (and you'd have to configure backports or something to even get option for newer kernel).
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Re: Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

Post by catweazel »

xenopeek wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 5:09 am You can change this however by switching over to Ubuntu's LTS kernel...
How is that done?
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Re: Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

Post by Pjotr »

xenopeek wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 5:09 am Linux Mint 19 default uses Ubuntu's hardware enablement (HWE) kernels, which means roughly every 6 months you get a new upstream kernel release so that your system gains compatibility with new hardware. Regressions for older hardware can happen though are rare (you're not getting a bleeding edge kernel even with Ubuntu HWE). Sounds like you drew the short straw :| You can change this however by switching over to Ubuntu's LTS kernel, which only receives security fixes.
I don't think that's correct.... Mint only gets a HWE kernel starting with the (.1 or) .2 version of a series, for example 19.2. Mint 19 will always remain based on the Ubuntu LTS 4.15 kernel, and you won't ever get an HWE kernel for Mint 19 by means of the regular updates.

The whole procedure is comparable with the point releases for Ubuntu LTS. :)
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Re: Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

Post by xenopeek »

Right now for Linux Mint 19 everybody is on the GA (general availability) kernel as the HWE kernel doesn't come into the picture till February 2019 (see Ubuntu 18.04 kernel schedule https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/Support# ... el_Support).

Update Manager I think will suggest upgrade to HWE kernel once it becomes available. We can cover at the time how to stick with the GA kernel.
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Re: Why go with Linux Mint Debian Edition 3 for the first time?

Post by Pjotr »

xenopeek wrote: Tue Sep 25, 2018 5:21 am Update Manager I think will suggest upgrade to HWE kernel once it becomes available.
I really think you're mistaken here.... That has never happened in the Mint 17 or 18 series. Only Mint 17.2, 17.3, 18.2 and 18.3 had HWE kernels. Mint 17/17.1 and Mint 18/18.1 never got those; they remain on an LTS kernel.

The whole procedure for Mint, is comparable with the point releases for Ubuntu LTS: stick to Ubuntu 18.04 or 18.04.1 and you'll never get an HWE kernel either. :)

Addition: the meta package that ensures this, is the linux-generic package. You'll only get HWE kernels if you have the meta package for those, which for Mint 19.2 / Ubuntu 18.04.2 will probably be called linux-generic-hwe-18.04 or something like that.
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