Linux Mint: Difference between revisions
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Most differences are on the desktop. Linux Mint has a stated focus on elegance, and it includes a number of applications that are not available in Ubuntu (see aforementioned [[Linux_Mint#MintTools|Mint Tools]]). Support for popular sound and video formats are installed by default in Linux Mint's standard edition, but there is a "patent-friendly" version intended for the U.S & Japanese markets. Visually, the distro has some [[GTK+]] themes not found in Ubuntu, and [[cowsay]] is enabled as of Mint 5 for terminal sessions. |
Most differences are on the desktop. Linux Mint has a stated focus on elegance, and it includes a number of applications that are not available in Ubuntu (see aforementioned [[Linux_Mint#MintTools|Mint Tools]]). Support for popular sound and video formats are installed by default in Linux Mint's standard edition, but there is a "patent-friendly" version intended for the U.S & Japanese markets. Visually, the distro has some [[GTK+]] themes not found in Ubuntu, and [[cowsay]] is enabled as of Mint 5 for terminal sessions. |
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== Politics == |
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In April of 2009, an article titled "Palestine" was briefly posted to the official Linux Mint website<ref>http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=773</ref>, before being reworded and moved to Clement Lefebvre's personal Blog<ref>http://eclelef.blogspot.com/2009/05/palestine_03.html</ref>: |
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"This is not the place to talk about this but I am deeply touched by what is happening over there. I feel disgust and guilt with us passively witnessing it and our money and weapons supporting it. I don’t want to use my name or this project to push my own ideas about this but I spend a lot of time working and giving away, sharing and receiving to and from a lot of people. |
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I’m only going to ask for one thing here. If you do not agree I kindly ask you not to use Linux Mint and not to donate money to it. |
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I hope for these people to be able to live decently in the future and for me not to have anything to do with the misery they’re in at the moment. |
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I promise not to talk about this anymore. I don’t want any money or help coming from Israel or people who support the action of their current government. |
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Thank you for your understanding. This is very important to me."<ref>http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:kJ1q6KrPT3gJ:www.linuxmint.com/blog/%3Fm%3D200905+linux+mint+palestine&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref> |
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== Critical reception == |
== Critical reception == |
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Revision as of 09:41, 5 May 2009
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| File:Linux-Mint-Felicia.png Linux Mint 6 ("Felicia") | |
| OS family | Debian GNU/Linux (Ubuntu) |
|---|---|
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | Free software / Open source |
| Latest release | Linux Mint 6 ("Felicia") / December 15, 2008 |
| Available in | Multilingual |
| Update method | APT |
| Package manager | dpkg |
| Platforms | x86, x86-64 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic |
| Default user interface | GNOME |
| License | Mainly the GNU GPL / Various others |
| Official website | www.linuxmint.com |
Linux Mint is an operating system for personal computers. While Mint is mostly based on (and compatible with) Ubuntu, the design of the user interface is considerably different. Design differences include:
- A distinct user interface, including a simplified bootloader, desktop layout, theme, and the custom Mint menu.
- A strong focus on full functionality out of the box (E.g.: Wireless drivers included, plugins required to play common media formats installed by default, screen resolution automatically set, etc.).[1] Linux Mint 6 also includes or features a free Flash player so users can view sites such as YouTube without having to install anything else.
- The Mint Tools, a collection of system tools designed to make system management and administration easier for end users.
Linux Mint is available for download in the form of ISO images, which can be used to create Live CDs or Live USBs. The latter can be created either manually or using UNetbootin.[2]
Branches
Like many other Linux distributions, Linux Mint has different repositories, or "branches". The branch with the newest features, or "unstable branch" of the repositories, is called "Romeo". It is not activated by default in Linux Mint releases. Users who wish to get cutting-edge features and help the distribution test new packages can add Romeo to their Advanced Packaging Tool (APT) sources.
New packages are first released in "Romeo", where they are tested by developers and community members who use it. After a package is found to be stable enough, it is backported to the latest stable release.
Editions
Linux Mint comes in many editions, the most common being the main GNOME edition. There is also a 64-bit version, called 'x64 Edition', which is designed to be as similar as possible to the main edition. There is also a universal edition, for users in countries in which the codecs that are distributed in the main edition are not freely available. The universal edition is distributed with no proprietary software included.
Mint is also distributed with the KDE architecture, and an XFCE version. There is a mini community edition for smaller environments, such as netbooks. It uses GNOME and Openbox to provide a lighter, faster mint. There is also a Fluxbox Community Edition (an even lighter alternative to GNOME), which can be used from a Live USB.
Repositories
Linux Mint has its own repositories for Mint specific or Mint customized tools but also uses Ubuntu's repositories for other software.
mint4win
As of Linux Mint 6 'Felicia', a Windows installer is included as one of the installation methods, a rebranded version of Wubi.[3] It is activated when the CD is inserted into a computer under Windows providing autorun is enabled.
Releases
Originally, Linux Mint didn't follow a predictable release cycle. The project first defined the goals for the next release,[citation needed] and when all the goals are achieved a beta is released and a date is announced for the stable release. Recently however, it has been decided that Linux Mint will correlate with the 6 month Ubuntu release cycle and Linux Mint releases now reach end of life when their corresponding Ubuntu releases do.
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Old release; not supported |
| Green | Supported release |
| Purple | Test release |
| Blue | Future release |
| Version | Codename | Edition | Code Base | APT Base | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | Daryna BETA 028 | Fluxbox CE | Daryna 4.0 | Ubuntu 7.10 | 3 January2008 |
| 5 | Elyssa | Fluxbox CE | Ubuntu 8.04 | Ubuntu 8.04 | 21 October2008 |
| 6 | Felicia | Fluxbox CE | Xubuntu 8.10 | Ubuntu 8.10 | 7 April 2009 |
| Version | Codename | Edition | Code Base | APT Base | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 | Barbara | Main | Ubuntu 6.10 | Ubuntu 6.10 | 13 November2006 |
| 2.1 | Bea | Main | Ubuntu 6.10 | Ubuntu 6.10 | 20 December2006 |
| 2.2 | Bianca | Main | Ubuntu 6.10 | Ubuntu 6.10 | 20 February2007 |
| 2.2 | Bianca | Light | Ubuntu 6.10 | Ubuntu 6.10 | 29 March2007 |
| 3.0 | Cassandra | Main | Bianca 2.2 | Ubuntu 7.04 | 30 May2007 |
| 3.0 | Cassandra | Light | Bianca 2.2 | Ubuntu 7.04 | 15 June2007 |
| 3.1 | Celena | Main | Bianca 2.2 | Ubuntu 7.04 | 24 September2007 |
| 3.1 | Celena | Light | Bianca 2.2 | Ubuntu 7.04 | 01 October2007 |
| 4.0 | Daryna | Main | Celena 3.1 | Ubuntu 7.10 | 15 October2007 |
| 4.0 | Daryna | Light | Celena 3.1 | Ubuntu 7.10 | 15 October2007 |
| Test | Debian ALPHA 023 | Debian | Debian | Testing | 3 January2008 |
| 5 | Elyssa | Main | Daryna 4.0 | Ubuntu 8.04 | 8 June2008 |
| 5 | Elyssa | Light | Daryna 4.0 | Ubuntu 8.04 | 8 June2008 |
| 5 | Elyssa | x64 | Ubuntu Ubuntu 8.04 | Ubuntu 8.04 | 18 October2008 |
| 6 | Felicia | Main | Ubuntu 8.10 | Ubuntu 8.10 | 15 December2008 |
| 6 | Felicia | Universal (Light) | Ubuntu 8.10 | Ubuntu 8.10 | 15 December2008 |
| 6 | Felicia | x64 | Ubuntu 8.10 | Ubuntu 8.10 | 6 February2009 |
| 7 | Gloria | Main | Ubuntu 9.04 | Ubuntu 9.04 | May 2009 |
| 7 | Gloria | Universal (Light) | Ubuntu 9.04 | Ubuntu 9.04 | May 2009 |
| 7 | Gloria | x64 | Ubuntu 9.04 | Ubuntu 9.04 | May 2009 |
| Version | Codename | Edition | Code Base | APT Base | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Ada | Main | Kubuntu Dapper | Dapper | 27 August2006 |
| 2.2 | Bianca | KDE CE | Kubuntu Edgy | Edgy | 20 April2007 |
| 3.0 | Cassandra | KDE CE | Bianca 2.2 | Feisty | 14 August2007 |
| 3.0 | Cassandra | MiniKDE CE | Bianca 2.2 | Feisty | 14 August2007 |
| 4.0 | Daryna | KDE CE | Cassandra 3.0 | Gutsy | 03 March2008 |
| 5 | Elyssa | KDE CE | Daryna 4.0 | Hardy | 15 September2008 |
| 6 | Felicia | KDE CE | Elyssa 5 | Intrepid | 08 April 2009 |
| Version | Codename | Edition | Code Base | APT Base | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | Cassandra | Xfce CE | Cassandra 3.0 | Feisty | 07 August2007 |
| 4.0 | Daryna BETA 008 | Xfce CE | Cassandra 3.0 | Gutsy | 2 November2007 |
| 5 | Elyssa | XFCE CE | Daryna 4.0 | Hardy | 8 September2008 |
| 6 | Felicia | XFCE CE | Xubuntu Intrepid | Intrepid | 24 February 2009 |
- As of "Elyssa," the minor version number has been dropped (i.e. "Linux Mint 5.0" is now "Linux Mint 5"). This is due to a decision to follow Ubuntu's 6 month release cycle; there should no longer be more than one release per Ubuntu base.[4]
- The Debian base release is released as an alpha because "it is not intended to be used as your main operating system but to give you a technological preview of how Linux Mint would behave if it was based on Debian."[5] Also note that the ISO acts as a "non-installable" live CD.
MintTools
Linux Mint comes with its own set of tools aimed at making the experience easier for the user.
- MintInstall: Lets you run .mint files, which are files containing instructions to install packages. As of Linux Mint 6, this tool has been revamped, and now lets you view all the applications on the Mint Software Portal offline, providing you have an Internet connection to download the information first. Also allows you to install any of the programs listed directly from the desktop, instead of going to the site.[6] The option to use the old MintInstall program is available, where you can go to the Ubuntu Repositories or the Getdeb.net website from a search.
- MintUpdate: Update-software designed specifically for Linux Mint. MintUpdate assigns updates a safety-level (from 1 to 5), based on the stability and necessity of the update. Updates can be set to notify users (as is normal), be listed but not notify, or be hidden by default. In addition to including updates specifically for the Mint distribution, the development team tests all package-wide updates. This system is designed to prevent inexperienced users from installing updates that are unnecessary or require a certain level of knowledge to configure properly. MintUpdate is currently in beta 1.5 and will be included in the next Mint release. If mintInstall is used to install a program from the default repositories, that program is able to receive updates via mintUpdate.[7]
- MintDesktop: A desktop configuration tool for easy configuration of the Gnome desktop. Also acts as a background process to do various tasks upon login. Also network browsing is made easier (through fusesmb). MintDesktop has received a major overhaul in Mint 4.0.[8]
- MintConfig: (Obsolete from Daryna.) A customizable control center. It gathers all the tools from "Preferences" and "Administration" and organizes them into categories. The purpose of mintConfig was to give users a control center since Gnome didn’t have one. In Daryna only the Gnome Control Center is present.
- MintAssistant: A customization wizard that appears during first log-in for users, asking a few questions to customize Mint based on the user's level of knowledge and comfort with various Linux components. It currently asks if the user wants to enable or disable fortune-cookies in the terminal, and if the root account should be enabled or disabled.
- MintUpload: An FTP client that uploads files to a server by right-clicking on the icons and selecting upload. The user will then be given a link he or she can give to other people for quick and easy sharing.
- MintSpace: The larger sibling of MintUpload. Provides an additional 1 GB of storage space and files stay on the server for seven days (rather than 2 days).[9]
- MintMenu: A python-coded menu that allows for fully customizable text, icons, and colors. It shares the same hotlinks to software as the Gnome main menu.
- MintWifi: Drivers for quite a few wlan gadgets and mintWifi.py. Located in /usr/lib/linuxmint/mintWifi
- MintNanny: A basic domain blocking parental control tool. Lets you manually add domains to be blocked system wide. This tool was introduced with the release of Linux Mint 6.[10]
- MintMake: A command line tool that allows you to make .mint files for programs.
Software from the Mint repositories can be installed in Debian and Ubuntu as well through APT.
Comparison with Ubuntu
Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu and the two distributions have much in common. Both distributions use the same software repositories. For instance, release 6 (“Felicia”) uses the package pools of Ubuntu “Intrepid Ibex” (8.10). Most packages are the same on both distributions, and as of Linux Mint 6 'Felicia', each Linux Mint release is based on Ubuntu, whereas before they were based on the previous Linux Mint release.[11]
Most differences are on the desktop. Linux Mint has a stated focus on elegance, and it includes a number of applications that are not available in Ubuntu (see aforementioned Mint Tools). Support for popular sound and video formats are installed by default in Linux Mint's standard edition, but there is a "patent-friendly" version intended for the U.S & Japanese markets. Visually, the distro has some GTK+ themes not found in Ubuntu, and cowsay is enabled as of Mint 5 for terminal sessions.
Critical reception
One of the main things that Mint is praised for is its user friendliness and out of the box functionality.[12] It is often complimented for providing multimedia codecs and Adobe Flash by default, saving the user from having to install them. It has also been praised for the large variety of utilities (called mintTools) available for it, adding extra functionality via a GUI.[13] Linux Mint consistently ranks highly on DistroWatch, which tracks the popularity of various Linux and BSD distributions based on the number of daily page hits which each distribution generates. As of May 2009, Linux Mint was ranked 3rd.[14]
Criticisms of Linux Mint are that it does not support enough media formats commonly found on the web, and that it still has some features of Ubuntu that are undesirable, such as the screensavers that come with Ubuntu, which are claimed to be resource hogs.[15]
References
- ^ http://on-disk.com/product_info.php/products_id/612
- ^ UNetbootin
- ^ http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_felicia_whatsnew.php
- ^ Minor version number dropped
- ^ Linux Mint Debian edition - release notes
- ^ http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_felicia_whatsnew.php
- ^ Blueprint: “Integration with mintInstall”
- ^ mintDesktop in Launchpad
- ^ "MintUpload tutorial and integration with mintSpace". Retrieved 2008-04-01.
- ^ http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_felicia_whatsnew.php
- ^ http://www.linuxmint.com/blog/?p=560
- ^ http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1271263&seqNum=2
- ^ http://linuxbsdos.com/2008/05/12/linux-mint/
- ^ http://distrowatch.com/stats.php?section=popularity
- ^ http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1271263&seqNum=2
External links
- Official Linux Mint Web Site
- Official Linux Mint Wiki
- Official Linux Mint Blog
- Official Linux Mint Forum
- Linux Mint on Distrowatch
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