What Don't You Like about Linux Mint?

[antikythera]

For me it's printing. Some documents will print right away and others may take way too long

It might be worth opening a thread about that issue if you haven't already as it's most likely resolvable with the right CUPS setup.

[Flemur]

What I don't like about Mint is probably common to most or all linux distros - the software and file organization for locales, mime associations, fonts, timezones and desktops environments (i.e. freedesktop.org software), same for audio to a lesser extent; stupid issues with file-browsers: extra-simple things like the date format and properly sorting by file-name are a PITA and/or just wrong.

And ridiculous commands like this to shutdown the system:

Code: Select all

dbus-send --system --print-reply --dest=org.freedesktop.login1 /org/freedesktop/login1 "org.freedesktop.login1.Manager.PowerOff" boolean:true \n\

viewtopic.php?p=1923614#p1923614

[Hexactinal]

Honestly, the default desktop sounds are the most annoying thing for me. I just turned them off because they were so annoying...especially "switch.oga" for switching workspaces and the minimize/maximize windows sounds.

[Termy]

Pedantically speaking. dist-upgrade is Debian's way of allowing a user to upgrade to the next release. For example version 9 to 10, or from stable to testing. etc. It's not a kernel upgrading tool, so in practice dist-upgrade doesn't upgrade the kernel on any up-to-date Debian based system either. To upgrade the kernel in Debian one must explicitly install it. IE apt install linux-image-5.8.0 In Linux Mint, kernels can be managed through the Update Manager => View => Linux Kernels.

I'm well aware it's not strictly a kernel upgrading tool but I'm thankful for the extra info. So Linux Mint are just being more Debian-ish, rather than taking the Ubuntu route with which I'm mostly familiar?

And ridiculous commands like this to shutdown the system:

Code: Select all

dbus-send --system --print-reply --dest=org.freedesktop.login1 /org/freedesktop/login1 "org.freedesktop.login1.Manager.PowerOff" boolean:true \n\

viewtopic.php?p=1923614#p1923614

Holy crap, no wonder that frustrates you. I just do sleep X; systemctl poweroff or something, where X is how long to wait before shutting down. Still, I suppose it would be cool to have a GUI for people not caring to do all that stuff via the terminal.

[Portreve]

Well, one thing I don't like is that the bankaccount-moneyadd-automatic automation tool is still broken. I'd have thought that if they can include Timeshift and even revive Warpinator, they could fix this useful and very important utility.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

What I don't like about Mint is that the documentation is lacking. The installation guide is outdated and there is no decent and up to date manual online.
I understand how these things happen (after all someone has to do it) but there it is...

Documentation
I'm going to second Moem on the documentation. It is out of date which I think leads to the same support questions being asked here on the forum for example. It might also be a deterrent for potential new users. I think it would be worth redirecting some of the donations, if necessary and if feasible, to get a technical writer on board, even if on a fixed term basis...

I'll third Moem on the documentation. One of my biggest frustrations is trying to find directions on how to do something only to have them leave out a step or few when I find some that aren't out of date.

...I'm happy that Mint doesn't bake cookies, for the sake of my waistline. I have one and intend to keep it that way.

I lost my waistline years ago and gave up on trying to ever find it again. I wouldn't be able to have the cookies anyway since I have to keep my sugar intake low.

[Flemur]

Holy crap, no wonder that frustrates you. I just do sleep X; systemctl poweroff or something, where X is how long to wait before shutting down. Still, I suppose it would be cool to have a GUI for people not caring to do all that stuff via the terminal.

That is apparently the needed string to shutdown automagically in a screensaver script; from a terminal I just run "shutdown".

[Portreve]

I'd like to roll my sleeves up and help on the documentation/instructions/tutorials issue. I have absolutely no idea where to start or how to get started, so if someone would be so kind as to show me the way, I'll see what I can do.

I mean, since I can't contribute on the code end of things, at least I can work on something I'm actually capable of doing.

[ajgreeny]

<snip>
And ridiculous commands like this to shutdown the system:

Code: Select all

dbus-send --system --print-reply --dest=org.freedesktop.login1 /org/freedesktop/login1 "org.freedesktop.login1.Manager.PowerOff" boolean:true \n\

viewtopic.php?p=1923614#p1923614

Surely nobody would actually bother typing that each time they wanted to shutdown!
Even with a long complicated command such as that it would take only a few seconds to create a keyboard shortcut and use that instead.
I use one for both suspend and shutdown on my machines, using xfce, where the commands are much simpler.
xfce4-session-logout --suspend - linked to the Pause/Break key
xfce4-session-logout --halt - linked to the Pause/Break + Windows Key

Are there any similar simple commands for the other DEs?

[Flemur]

Surely nobody would actually bother typing that each time they wanted to shutdown!
Even with a long complicated command such as that it would take only a few seconds to create a keyboard shortcut and use that instead.
I use one for both suspend and shutdown on my machines, using xfce, where the commands are much simpler.
xfce4-session-logout --suspend - linked to the Pause/Break key
xfce4-session-logout --halt - linked to the Pause/Break + Windows Key

Again, that string is to SHUTDOWN THE MACHINE AFTER IT IS IDLE FOR A CERTAIN TIME, USING XSCREENSAVER to handle the idle time.

As near as I can tell, you either have that funky command IN AN XSCREENSAVER CONFIG FILE or you have to INSTALL SPECIAL SOFTWARE to AUTOMATICALLY shut down AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF IDLE TIME.

The string IS NOT FOR JUST SHUTTING DOWN THE MACHINE FROM THE KEYBOARD OR FROM A BUTTON PRESS. "shutdown" works for that.

[Moem]

I'd like to roll my sleeves up and help on the documentation/instructions/tutorials issue. I have absolutely no idea where to start or how to get started

I looked at the installation guide, and it said 'Edit on GitLab' in the top corner. Following that link will help. If I wanted to do this, I'd make a GitLab account and then contact the existing contributors, and ask them how to best help them.

[Portreve]

I looked at the installation guide, and it said 'Edit on GitLab' in the top corner. Following that link will help. If I wanted to do this, I'd make a GitLab account and then contact the existing contributors, and ask them how to best help them.

Cool. Found it. I'll pursue this between the holidays, probably.

Thanks so much!

[Moem]

I'll pursue this between the holidays, probably.

That would be VERY cool indeed.

[Termy]

I'm loving all these replies. Thanks everyone. I'm learning all sorts about what people don't or do like.

from a terminal I just run "shutdown".

Yeah, that's a much easier version for sure! I showed you the 'modern' (SystemD) approach. The `shutdown` tool was from the old SysvInit days, but due to portability and no doubt ease-of-use, it was kept around by name.

I mean, since I can't contribute on the code end of things, at least I can work on something I'm actually capable of doing.

Never underestimate the power of helping with documentation. I wish people would help me with mine. Lol Writing man pages is not fun.

[Portreve]

Never underestimate the power of helping with documentation. I wish people would help me with mine. Lol Writing man pages is not fun.

I'm kind of an odd bird, to use an expression I'm sure is as dated as a Roman calendar, because no matter what it is I'm involved with, I've always got a foot in some other camp.

I'm a tech nerd who is a people person. I've been a desktop publisher and once worked at a news magazine, but I also was their system and network admin. I worked at Sony in their tech support call center for five years but wasn't a gamer, instead preferring to work on a science fiction crossover writing project in my spare time. Everywhere I've worked in my adult years, I've trained others. I've even produced my own training manual. I work as an auditor, but I build tools in Excel to automate the majority of the weekly paperwork process.

[CtrlAltDel]

Most people tend to be only too happy to sing praises, but what don't you like about Linux Mint?

The color green. Mint green is ugly; any green is ugly. linuxmint.com is an ugly site, not just because it is an unprofessional looking and outdated blog format but because it is green on top of that. Artwork for Linux Mint is not attractive because it has to have a green theme.

The only things that look good in green are money and grass and eyes. Even trees in the fall are prettier than when they have green leaves on them in summer. Green cars are a joke. Green shoes are virtually non-existent. Houses painted green should be immediately condemned.

Green is so bad that it has been historically associated with envy, a very unfavorable personality trait. When you have the flu, the mucous that is coughed up is green. Have you ever seen a green keyboard or a green computer or a green television or a green floor or a green sink or a green chair? No, you haven't, because green is------

[Termy]

I'm a tech nerd who is a people person. I've been a desktop publisher and once worked at a news magazine, but I also was their system and network admin. I worked at Sony in their tech support call center for five years but wasn't a gamer, instead preferring to work on a science fiction crossover writing project in my spare time. Everywhere I've worked in my adult years, I've trained others. I've even produced my own training manual. I work as an auditor, but I build tools in Excel to automate the majority of the weekly paperwork process.

Wow. You're hired! I mean, that's one hell of a CV. We needs a 'hats off' emoji.

The color green. Mint green is ugly; any green is ugly. linuxmint.com is an ugly site, not just because it is an unprofessional looking and outdated blog format but because it is green on top of that. Artwork for Linux Mint is not attractive because it has to have a green theme.

I don't like green, and now I hate it even more, thanks to your post! To be fair though, not everything green is gross. The grass is green and I'd argue that it's beautiful, especially when it's newly-grown.

[CtrlAltDel]

I don't like green, and now I hate it even more, thanks to your post! To be fair though, not everything green is gross. The grass is green and I'd argue that it's beautiful, especially when it's newly-grown.

I agree, Termy. In the I Hate Green post, I gave an exemption to grass.

[antikythera]

green floor or a green sink or a green chair?

Yes to all three, it was stuff from the 70s though

[Mick-Cork]

Green, in the right context, can grab your attention though. A little story...

Back in the 90s I worked for a communications firm with UK headquarters in Wales. I was based down south (London) but occasionally travelled up the M4 to the HQ. One evening I was leaving around 6pm and there was a distinctive (and rather good-looking) green Rolls Royce in the car park. I asked whose it was and was told it belonged to one of the office cleaners!

Intrigued, I enquired further. The founder of the firm, son of a coal-miner and by then the richest man in Wales, originally started small. The same cleaner used to get bonuses that were given in shares. She kept them and when his company got big enough she cashed in. Made about £1m if my memory serves. She'd stayed loyal and continued as one of his cleaners all the way through. I've never forgotten that green Rolls.

The moral of the story - things coloured green, if surrounded by the right story, stay in the mind