I'm sick of FUD and misinformation regarding Linux Mint

[pizzadude]

Every time I go on /r/linux and there's a thread about Linux Mint it will get dismissed by many users because of "security problems" or "frankendebian" or all these other inaccurate or outdated information. I've been using Linux since 2011 and I keep going back to Mint. I'm tired of correcting people on forums. There are elitist Linux users who think Mint is insecure bla bla bla because the wordpress got hacked once. Then there's people who say it's only for n00bs who are new to Linux. I am, what I would call an "advanced Linux user" ( I like fixing problems, even trying out bleeding edge software from time to time ) and I prefer Mint. ( and other ubuntu based distros but Mint is my favourite at the current moment of this day on 2018 ) But yeah...anyone else sick of the Mint hate?

[Moem]

No. It's outside of my view. I don't go any places on the web where I've encountered any negativity about Mint. Just my luck, I guess!

[pritesh]

Hi Pizzadude,
Yes, I have come across similar opinions.
I think Linux Mint is incorrectly thought of being a purely beginner's OS. Thing is, a lot of us need an OS that will be "ready to use" right out of the box, yet have enough power and freedom to let us tweak things the way we want. Linux Mint is a clear winner here. It appears that as much as beginners prefer it, a lot of working professionals love Linux Mint too. I was working on some Perl scripting 4 years ago, and was going through perlmonks forum. There was a thread where someone had asked a preferred version of linux and a enior level member there stated he is using Linux Mint. So to each his/her own.

[ArtGirl]

Every time I go on /r/linux and there's a thread about Linux Mint it will get dismissed by many users because of "security problems" or "frankendebian" or all these other inaccurate or outdated information. I've been using Linux since 2011 and I keep going back to Mint. I'm tired of correcting people on forums. There are elitist Linux users who think Mint is insecure bla bla bla because the wordpress got hacked once. Then there's people who say it's only for n00bs who are new to Linux. I am, what I would call an "advanced Linux user" ( I like fixing problems, even trying out bleeding edge software from time to time ) and I prefer Mint. ( and other ubuntu based distros but Mint is my favourite at the current moment of this day on 2018 ) But yeah...anyone else sick of the Mint hate?

I'd just read the thread you mean, and marked you up, then have seen your post. I agree; some seem to like to hate on Mint ... jealousy? not liking Linux being more popular and straightforward and accessible? or they'd be unpleasant whatever the subject? I got the feeling it was personal dislike and opinion going on, not anything factual that they could bring. The facts are that Mint works very well indeed, has been the top distro for ages now, and just works, enabling people to do anything they need to eg it's the only distro that has pressure sensitivity for artwork, in my experience.
I wouldn't let the b*st*rds grind you down or waste any time on it. Mint makes Linux really enjoyable, and I'm very glad to be able to use it.

[Pjotr]

Let those fools stew in their own juice. I know a good thing when I see one.

[thx-1138]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fox_and_the_Grapes
http://read.gov/aesop/005.html

[coffee412]

I was in the "Library" and I do visit /r/linux and go thru the posts. I did see this one just earlier today.

I think that these are people that if you do not agree or do things their way then you are frowned upon. To me, They are some pretty weird people. Kinda like, If you do not eat your pea's with a spoon like we do then your obviously an idiot. Conformists? Would that be a good word for them? I dont know.

I absolutely love Linux Mint and I have been around since the Dark Ages of Redhat / Slackware when they first came out. Having such stupid opinions concerning a really good polished operating system is pure jealousy I guess.

I love this Forum, Mint and everything it stands for. I recommend Mint above all other flavors depending on what your use is. If your setting up a server then you should use something else (HINT.... HINT ... Lets make a server version!!).

Well, Anyways - They are really weird people

[mwbworld]

Yup. I run into that in some subreddits for Linux and some telegram groups devoted to linux. I find them frustrating to say the least. Most of their arguments when I've looked into them are pretty hypocritical (other distros that they don't criticize do the same...) or lacking in useful substance.

But given the years I've been on line and seen different fandom groups - there is always some of this for no matter the topic. Some folks just seem to have it encoded in their DNA to be unable to like and support something without having to have something hate/rant about so to make their choice "RIGHT!"

[rick gen]

I'm probably one of the many or few who don't read articles about OSes.
And I don't get easily influenced by any user's opinion of what distro is better, worse, etc.
If the applications I'm using everyday, or occasionally, are working fine, that's all I care about.
Gimp, Inkscape, Krita, Blender, Screen recorder, Firefox, LibreOffice suite, text editor, calculator, image browser,
file manager, software manager, kmahjongg, etc.
OSes are supposed to be invisible, and not as if it's the main applicaton.
If it's becoming too distracting, I'll switch to another.
Ubuntu-based Mint is just right for me. It's stable. Don't really care about debian-based, arch-based, etc.
Life is too short to live your life worrying about unimportant things.

[Schultz]

I guess Mint gets a lot of FUD because it's the easiest OS (IMO) for a Windows user to switch over to. You know, you attack the one enemy that poses the biggest threat.

[Spearmint2]

along with Art Girl, I agree a lot is "window's jealousy" over the security, the control of updates, the ease of use compared to windows 10 and all it's problems, especially after updates that corrupt their OS yet again. It's like the guy driving the Yugo complaining about the Camaro or Challenger his neighbor is driving. It doesn't have to make sense. For most it's also ignorance, since most who bad mouth Linux have never used it, or last tried it years ago.

[Condorman]

Very interesting discussion and I'm glad someone here has started it. I too have noticed a lot of negativity in the Linux world, though I don't frequent Reddit. I do however, listen to one or two Linux podcasts and I have noticed some downright snobbery when it comes to Linux Mint that frankly baffles me completely. One particular podcast especially frustrates me with these types of comments.

In my opinion, the reason Mint is so popular is because we haven't really has a Linux like it before that ticks all the boxes. It's completely free with no enterprise edition. It's very open insofar as Clem takes on all comments and listens and responds to the userbase. It operates in an extremely user friendly manner - anyone can easily use it and get to grips with Linux from the get-go. An finally there's a brilliant community and it's easy to get help. Many Linux operating systems before it can tick one or two of these boxes, but only Mint can tick all of them. To my mind there is no one else in the Linux world today offering a decent home userspace Linux operating system that polishes off the rough edges, and yes that includes Ubuntu and even Solus at this stage. But it seems to me a lot of high profile Linux commentators don't like this and feel the need to bring it down.

To them I say, why are you worried about what Mint is doing? Why not get your own house in order and stop spreading dirt? Because otherwise it just sounds like bitterness, or at worst downright FUD. And neither is going to prove that your OS is better than Mint.

[Spearmint2]

There's a lot of envy in the Linux world, mostly old dinosaurs left over from it's early days. They liked being "special" and "different", so it's a mindset. All that is aimed at Mint from other distro users, has been done against Chrome, against Android, both of which are winners in the user markets. Ignore them. It's like the old "sour grapes" story.

[Arch_Enemy]

Every time I go on /r/linux and there's a thread about Linux Mint it will get dismissed by many users because of "security problems" or "frankendebian" or all these other inaccurate or outdated information. I've been using Linux since 2011 and I keep going back to Mint. I'm tired of correcting people on forums. There are elitist Linux users who think Mint is insecure bla bla bla because the wordpress got hacked once. Then there's people who say it's only for n00bs who are new to Linux. I am, what I would call an "advanced Linux user" ( I like fixing problems, even trying out bleeding edge software from time to time ) and I prefer Mint. ( and other ubuntu based distros but Mint is my favourite at the current moment of this day on 2018 ) But yeah...anyone else sick of the Mint hate?

I'm reading this, shaking from laughter. Not at you.

Go check out a thread titled "Adventures in Majaro" in "Other Linux" or "Linux General", IIRC.

I LOVE Arch because of the tweakability, but came back to Mint after 10 years when my manager said, "Either get something that WORKS, or go back to Windows!"

Every once in a while, when I'm a glutton for punishment, I load up a drive with Arch and then spend the next 3 weeks getting it to do what I want. Then, that 5th update comes along...

[Arch_Enemy]

Hi Pizzadude,
Yes, I have come across similar opinions.
I think Linux Mint is incorrectly thought of being a purely beginner's OS. Thing is, a lot of us need an OS that will be "ready to use" right out of the box, yet have enough power and freedom to let us tweak things the way we want. Linux Mint is a clear winner here. It appears that as much as beginners prefer it, a lot of working professionals love Linux Mint too. I was working on some Perl scripting 4 years ago, and was going through perlmonks forum. There was a thread where someone had asked a preferred version of linux and a enior level member there stated he is using Linux Mint. So to each his/her own.

When a friend or acquaintance complains about Windows, I tell them about Mint. I explain they can burn a DVD with it, and then run from the DVD and if they like it they can install it. I have made a few converts. I pick Mint (or, Ubuntu) because it works out of the box 99% of the time and gives them a taste of something different.

For people I don't like, I suggest Arch (no, not really!)

[Arch_Enemy]

Very interesting discussion and I'm glad someone here has started it. I too have noticed a lot of negativity in the Linux world, though I don't frequent Reddit. I do however, listen to one or two Linux podcasts and I have noticed some downright snobbery when it comes to Linux Mint that frankly baffles me completely. One particular podcast especially frustrates me with these types of comments.

In my opinion, the reason Mint is so popular is because we haven't really has a Linux like it before that ticks all the boxes. It's completely free with no enterprise edition. It's very open insofar as Clem takes on all comments and listens and responds to the userbase. It operates in an extremely user friendly manner - anyone can easily use it and get to grips with Linux from the get-go. An finally there's a brilliant community and it's easy to get help. Many Linux operating systems before it can tick one or two of these boxes, but only Mint can tick all of them. To my mind there is no one else in the Linux world today offering a decent home userspace Linux operating system that polishes off the rough edges, and yes that includes Ubuntu and even Solus at this stage. But it seems to me a lot of high profile Linux commentators don't like this and feel the need to bring it down.

To them I say, why are you worried about what Mint is doing? Why not get your own house in order and stop spreading dirt? Because otherwise it just sounds like bitterness, or at worst downright FUD. And neither is going to prove that your OS is better than Mint.

I got lucky very early on, when most info was on UseNet. I started with SuSE, and went into a Linux group to get some help.

Most of the folks there were either Pros or programmers, and were surprised that, even though I was a Computer Tech, that a "lay" person would venture into Linux to use as a desktop OS. I got a LOT of help and little snobbery, though there was some.

I did get a kick out of one guy's tagline, however: "Ubuntu:Old African word for 'too lazy to run slackware'"

[rick gen]

When a friend or acquaintance complains about Windows, I tell them about Mint.

Thread is not even about Linux vs Windows users.
It's about Linux Mint vs users of other distros denigrating Mint.
I doubt Windows users even care about distro differences, much less know denigrating terms used by so-called Linux elites.

[Artim]

I have read a little of that "It's a kiddie distro" sort of stuff from other Linux users, as if it's a bad thing for a Linux distro to be simple enough for kids and grandparents and other mere mortals.

My response is, "If you mean it's easy to set up and just put to work doing school stuff, web stuff, watching videos and listening to music - none of which is just 'kid stuff,' then that's a good thing!"

The paradox is that a lot of super-geeky techno-wizards have worked very long and hard to make Linux usable by the rest of us ordinary mortals. Funny how that works, isn't it?

More here on my technophobe's blog on why simplicity is so wonderful. Long live Linux Mint!

[Sir Charles]

The developers of Linux Mint should get all the credits for having created such an efficient, stable and elegant OS. Being user freindly is just another good thing about LM which adds to its appeal to Linux noobs as myself. Thankfully there are tons of Linux distributions out there for anyone to choose among to her or his liking. There is nothing to get fanatic about.

[majpooper]

I took one linux class at the local community college which used SuSe so I started there. A knowledgeable network engineer I know recommended Ubuntu so I tried that for about a year. Then at a wedding reception I met an IT security guy who worked for a BIG bank and he turned me on to Mint. So there are two computer eggheads that reccomend Ubuntu/Mint. So . . . I recommended Mint to my older brother a retired NASA engineer (yes a rocket scientist - a real egghead) who has worked with unix for years and years and years like 30 or even 40 - this is a guy that does stuff from the command line out of habit. And guess what, he really likes Mint.

So I couldn't care less what the naysayers have to say about Mint when experts I know personally not to mention some of the folks on this forum recommend it.