There are a number of different operating systems today based on the latest Linux kernel, and because Linux itself happens to be open source, anyone can monopolize on the concept and create their own Linux distribution, Ubuntu being one of the distros that rose from the dust of the once great Debian. Debian was an excellent distribution in it’s day, but it fell out of favor for a number of reasons:
Lack of interest from the development team: Debian was an excellent server operating system and could even be modified at a desktop solution for those who were truly dedicated, but the development team eventually failed to release any new packages. This update failure would go on to effect updates to the X11 window system and even reduce filesystem support. One great example would be the lack of support for EXT3 which is now the standard for nearly all Linux distributions.
Along with being irritating, this left Debian quite vulnerable to hackers or other individuals that wished to circumvent its once robust infrastructure. This of course was not the only thing that led to the downfall of Debian. Next we will explore the complicated installation process.
Complicated Installation: The installation for Debian has always been text based, and as a result many could not quite figure out how it worked. In addition to that some of the options were downright confusing, ultimately leading to what appeared to be a Russian Roulette type install where success was hit or miss. For power users this was generally no problem, but for those unfamiliar with the operating system or Linux in general, it could be a nightmare.
Luckily there was a revival for the Debian operating system and it came in the form of Ubuntu. This new operating system provided a simple, graphical driven installation that allowed users to easily partition their hard drive (a nightmare in the old days). Though Ubuntu was and is still a fairly amazing operating system, and there are still quite a few arguments regarding Debian vs Ubuntu, there are a few derivatives, one of which is Linux Mint.
But what is Linux Mint? Other than being a clone of Ubuntu and a bit green, what are its features? The most noteable feature is that it IS green and it does provide a very nice aesthetic alternative to Ubuntu. The other thing to take note if is that as of 2008 Linux Mint began to share the same development and release cycle as Ubuntu, which is to say that it adopted the same version numbers (month and year) as Ubuntu.
At this point you might be wondering just what the difference is, and there is one difference that tends to sway many people from the thought of actually using Linux Mint. That difference of course is that Linux Mint does not use the same repositories as Ubuntu. This seems like an inconvenience when you consider that the majority of Debian based distros use the same packages.
To put it quite simply, Linux Mint is Ubuntu for the Linux Purist. That is to say that the repositories are filled with open source software.
There was a time when Linux was quite literally nothing but open source, but as more and more developers took an interest in the open source scene, proprietary software began to pop up, the first of which was Cedega (WINE with DirectX). Later on other developers such as Adobe would follow, and their involvement in the open source scene would cause arguments, debates, and even turmoil due to individuals who believed the open source community should remain open source.
Like its Ubuntu sibling, this Debian variation focuses largely on user friendliness. It allows a user to test out the operating system with the Live CD first, and if it seems suitable it can be installed via a shortcut on the desktop. The installer will deal with hard drive partitioning, going so far as to clearly mark any partitions you may wish to avoid.
There are a few pieces of software that were developed specifically by Linux Mint for it’s users. For instance you have the software manager which will permit you to run .mint files which are exclusive to the Linux Mint operating system. Though it could probably be an easy workaround, .mint compatibility is a serious argument in the Linux mint vs Ubuntu argument.
That being said, this distro is useful for just about anyone from the power user to the standard everyday office user. There are other alternatives to Linux Mint however, some of which are not based on Debian at all. Naturally you will have the Fedora alternative, and you will undoubtedly have the option of using something like Slackware if you happen to be a power user. That being said there are a number of different distributions for you to check out, and there is without a doubt one out there that will give you the satisfaction you crave in open source software. Only time will tell which operating system you choose to utilize, just know that Linux Mint is without a doubt one of the better choices for everyone.
Download Linux Mint: Debian Edition
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linux mint is the not the operating system for programmers.It gives a lot of windows like feel when you use,which being the reason people want a switch from windows.you’ll hardly use the terminal if you are using mint,and doesn’t give you a programmer feel.
Not to disagree too vehemently with Voldemort, but I’m loving LMDE as a replacement for Ubuntu 10.10/64 in the Android Developer Mega-workstation (Virtualization host) role.
Terminal use is 100% user workflow and style, one would imagine that most developers can manage the gnome interface quite well at this point.
Nice that LMDE is a rolling distro so updates are taken care of on the fly.
If you want a CLI system stop Gnome from starting or find another OS or distro.
Like all Linux distros, Mint, whether Debian or regular, has a fatal flaw to ever becoming popular.
The interface is much harder to use than Windows FOR THE AVERAGE USER the way it comes packaged.
Admitted, with a LOT of time and effort it can be made more usable but it should be very, very usable, out of the box. This is actually a fault of Gnome or KDE not Debian as we all know.
Open windows are much harder to resize, they always open at the top blocking the main bar if you have it there as I do, copying text is much more difficult, and on and on.
The interface needs a lot of refinement, though it is better than it was several years ago.
Is there a reason why a right click on the desktop does not bring up a menu allowing all the adjustments there are in Windows?
Can someone PLEASE release an X-windows desktop that works smoothly and looks good!
Perhaps KDE, which looks more like Windoze can work on the bugs and make it more elegant rather than adding useless features?
All the talk about converting people from Windows and yet the interface has things in different places all the time. Why? I don’t like it when M$ changes things from one version to the next. Obviously a lot of others don’t either or there would not be so many apps to change Windows 7 start menu back to the way it is in XP.
Ever try to install a package such as XnView? Good luck unless you know your way around the command line, Superuser mode AND the file system. Even then it won’t run.
A good dual pane file manager, such as Double Commander, running in Admin mode makes it easy, but the default File browser Nautilus or even Gnome Commander are useless.
This is because it is not available in the software manager, which is a great piece of software and blows away anything Windows has.
This is of course the developers fault, not the distros.
For me, not anyone else, running Windows 7 64 as a host and LMDE as a Virtualbox guest works best.
If the GUI was better in any version of Linux, then Linux would be the host instead since it is a more robust OS. Till then I’ll use what lets me get my work done.
@LongTime – Can’t say I agree with all of this. There’s nothing about Gnome or KDE that makes them hard to use. Especially Gnome, it’s ridiculously simple. Perhaps what you mean to say is that when you’re used to Windows they are unfamiliar? If you took someone who had never used a computer before and introduced them to Gnome I doubt they’d have any more struggles than they would’ve learning Windows. Also, there are desktop themes available that make Gnome look almost identical to Windows — and I’ve set up several people with it and to this day they do not know they are not using Windows. Check out XpGnome.
I agree with @FettePS.
Gnome is not hard to use neither KDE.
The problem is the familarity issue.
For example; I was using Windows since 10+ years. Since 2008 I am using Linux (mainly Ubuntu) on my notebook.
It was hard to get familiar with Linux but now it is much difficult for me to work with Windows.
Ubuntu is great piece of distro. The best for desktop IMHO.
I have tried Ubuntu many times and always go back to Linux Mint. Debian is a headache trying to install with the partitioning tool and very much needs improvement. Debian and Ubuntu do not want their users to use SMPlayer to watch DVD’s. If they did, they would include the necessary files to view them. With Linux Mint, just install SMPlayer and configure your DVD drive. You are up and running in no time.
I have just installed Linux Mint Debian Edition and am very much impressed with the speed and simplicity. I guess it is what you are looking for in an operating system. For me, you can keep Windows 7, have it and do not like it. Windows 8, MS can keep that too. For me I will be looking for a good money and label program. When I find it, I will forget about MS Windows and just use Linux Mint Debian Edition.
I obviously don’t know what I’m talking about.
I agree with Dolores, about Debian. Also, I want to add something, I just left Ubuntu for good! They ruin what was a good idea (I use it for 5 years). Starting with annoying and necessary silly gadgets, with version 11.04 and the last drop with 11.10 I would not recommended to any body, or use it ever again. I change to Mint Debian, for that very reason. I want security and slow changes that work. I need to work to earn my living, paying is for children.
I’m running Debian right now, after struggling 2 days to get my wi-fi working and trying to determine why my video is so laggy, finding out I need to create an xorg.conf because the install process didn’t do it for me…
yes, well, after all that (and the fact the text on the screen looks like I’m working on an 8-bit piece of shit) I don’t see anything much different in Debian from Ubuntu (gnome) or mint. One thing I do LOVE is that the top right button in the gnome panel is an application selector like macos. I love that! I wish Ubuntu (gnome) had that feature.
I’m likely going to go back to Ubuntu, maybe try to install mate (I HATE UNITY AND GNOME3) they are both mistakes, big big mistakes. Unity overheats my machine and lags it out like crazy, gnome3 has absolutely no customizable features at all, I miss the ability to change themes so easily.
soooo, I’m going Ubuntu soon, especially if I can’t get my xorg to install.
ubuntu 11.10 with unity, gnome3 etc is a bit of a chore and not too friendly on reources and our computers hardware.. that being said Xubuntu 11.10 doesn’t suck and is fairly lean by default.. got decent hardware? install/enable compiz and its settings and go nuts..
got an ubuntu 11.10 desktop and tired of all the sluggishness from unity and dont want to do a fresh install? ie Xubuntu?…fine..
install the “xfce4-desktop” and its goodies, taksmanger, etc.. log out… pick xfce4 in lightDM and watch all the unresponsiveness resolve… or use mint debian.. or archbang, or crunchbang, or macpup, or etc etc.. nice thing about linux is the choices we have.. as lean or beefy as you like.. 🙂
Sorry have to agree,
Keep trying to install Mint 16 and just keep having issues!!!
Granted MSoft is absolutely SHITE, but when you have people trying desperately to move over onto Linyx, and it seems impossible – shudder to think how many potential fans have been turned away.
Sometimes people just need an OS without the BS…..
LMDE Five is not a good operating system it forces none drivers for printers that cause to many problems, it stops you adding ppa’s so that limits your software install of a software you could have in mint built on ubuntu.
All in all I found it anoying and frustrating, every time Linux is updated to a new version nothing works so you have to spend hours on trying to get things working again.
I think that soon I will rather sit outside and have a pint and forget all about Linux and Windows Life is too short to throw it away on getting any operating to work properly, it would be a good idea for linux to get a good op system than to have hundreds that are so problematic.