Isn't Mint Lighter than Ubuntu and Windows?

[kh2b1]

I was using Discord (for an open source video game) and some guy was having problems with using Ubuntu. It sounded like his computer couldn't handle it so he decided to go back to either Windows 8 or Windows 7. Someone else suggested using Linux Mint and I couldn't really understand what they were saying, but it sounded like they were saying Mint would mess up the computer. I'm not sure if they were joking or not.

Isn't Mint lighter than Ubuntu? I don't understand how Win 7 or 8 would be better (lighter) than Mint. Considering that an antivirus and firewall would be needed with Windows, it would seem that Mint would be much better.

I think some of the guys that were talking are programmers or coders. Most of the people who regularly use that Discord server and play that particular game are very knowledgeable about computers. Pretty much all the regulars are involved in the development of the game. They don't even realize it but their attitude and the way they talk down to people is scaring off new players.

[Pjotr]

It's bollocks. It all depends on the desktop environment and even then also on things like having (heavy) visual effects enabled or disabled.

The Xfce edition of Linux Mint is the lightweight champion of the Mint family, but comparable with that (performance-wise) is Xubuntu.

Finally: Mint literally is Ubuntu LTS (for some 90 % or more), and it certainly won't mess up things that Ubuntu doesn't mess up.

In case you're interested: this is a collection of safe speed tweaks for Linux Mint:
https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.c ... -mint.html

[Neil Edmond]

No, not really. What do you mean by lighter? Mint is built on Ubuntu, so resource usage will be about the same. Windows may even be more efficient with newer hardware due to better driver support.

[Hoser Rob]

I was using Discord (for an open source video game) and some guy was having problems with using Ubuntu. It sounded like his computer couldn't handle it so he decided to go back to either Windows 8 or Windows 7. Someone else suggested using Linux Mint and I couldn't really understand what they were saying, but it sounded like they were saying Mint would mess up the computer. I'm not sure if they were joking or not. ...

I don't think you understood, if there was a problem with discord in Linux it'd have nothing to do with lightness.

[JoeFootball]

I'm not sure if they were joking or not.

Or perhaps they're talking unfounded nonsense. I would prefer better sources than gamers on Discord.

[karlchen]

<nuts>
Question:
Isn't Mint Lighter than Ubuntu and Windows?

Answer:
Actually once the ISO's had been burnt onto the DVD's here, the resulting DVD's had the same weight, irrespective of how large or small the ISO image file had been, which had been burnt onto the DVD's. Amazing. Windows 7, Ubuntu 12.04 and Mint 19.2, all the same weight.
</nuts>

[JosephM]

<nuts>
Question:
Isn't Mint Lighter than Ubuntu and Windows?

Answer:
Actually once the ISO's had been burnt onto the DVD's here, the resulting DVD's had the same weight, irrespective of how large or small the ISO image file had been, which had been burnt onto the DVD's. Amazing. Windows 7, Ubuntu 12.04 and Mint 19.2, all the same weight.
</nuts>

C'mon now. People don't use DVD's anymore But I'll have to admit the effect is likely the same with a USB

[kh2b1]

I was using Discord (for an open source video game) and some guy was having problems with using Ubuntu. It sounded like his computer couldn't handle it so he decided to go back to either Windows 8 or Windows 7. Someone else suggested using Linux Mint and I couldn't really understand what they were saying, but it sounded like they were saying Mint would mess up the computer. I'm not sure if they were joking or not. ...

I don't think you understood, if there was a problem with discord in Linux it'd have nothing to do with lightness.

That's completely my fault. I didn't phrase things correctly. I meant that the guy was having trouble with the video game on his computer (he was talking about it on the game's Discord server).

Interestingly, after I started this thread, the guy tried to upgrade to Windows 10 then complained that his computer was too slow. After he already had issues running the game in Ubuntu, which is lighter (uses less resources) than Windows.

Apparently, the people who work on/contribute to the development of the game are kinda snobbish in regards to operating systems. Everyone is super into Linux, but I guess Mint and other similar distros are a joke to them. But that seems to be a thing in the Linux community anyway. I've come across a lot of Linux users who are snobbish about their distro. I don't think I've ever seen Windows users act like that. But there's also not a lot to brag about when it comes to Windows, unless you like to brag about your BSOD.

[WriteF]

Upon boot I have noticed that W10 needs over 1GB of RAM and Mint uses less. But that does not really mean much since odds are your game won't use all of your RAM if you have at least 8GB. Which would be recommended for gaming or other intense use, regardless of OS. If a game is made to run Linux natively there can be 10-15FPS gain. Not that big a deal, just like the overhead from Steam Proton is not that big a deal. But considering that a lot of anti-cheat doesn't play ball that isn't really the best reason to switch to Linux.

As others have said RAM and other resource usage is almost entirely dependent on the Desktop Environment and what effects and other stuff you have enabled. By default setting there is about 200MB difference between the lightest the heaviest if I recall correctly. Best to stick what feels with best to you.

Long story short: I think it is not worth worrying about this.

[Glamtrains]

Some serious geek tests show that Mint Cinnamon use LESS resources than stock Gnome and that Mint has much less background operations than Ubuntu. Despite being merely based on Ubuntu, it is a different beast altogether.

My Windows 10 Pro ran very well on an Haswell i7 Quad 2.2GHz chip with 8GB RAM and a 250GB SSD. I use the KDE Plasma desktop and also Budgie on it, without having experienced any hassles thus far. My Mint is Cinnamon Ulyssa.