Linux Mint
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (December 2007) |
| Linux Mint | |
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 Linux Mint “Daryna” 4.0 running GNOME |
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| Website | www.linuxmint.com |
|---|---|
| OS family | Linux |
| Source model | Free and Open Source Software |
| Latest stable release | 5 Elyssa / June 8, 2008 |
| Available language(s) | multilingual |
| Update method | APT |
| Package manager | APT |
| Supported platforms | i386 |
| Kernel type | Monolithic kernel |
| Default user interface | Freedesktop.org (GNOME , KDE , Xfce) |
| License | GPL |
| Working state | Current |
Linux Mint is a Linux distribution for desktop computers based on and compatible with Debian.
While at the core Linux Mint is mostly based on Ubuntu, the design of the desktop and User interface are considerably different. These differences include a distinct desktop theme, a custom Linux Mint menu and the MintTools, a collection of system tools designed to make system management and administration easier for end users.
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[edit] Branches
Like many other Linux distributions, Linux Mint is available at different test versions or "branches". The branch with the newest features, or "unstable branch" of Linux Mint, 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 Romeo. After a package is found to be stable enough, it is backported to the latest stable release.
[edit] MintTools
Linux Mint comes with its own set of Mint tools aimed at making the experience easier for the user.
- MintInstall: A program to download software from Internet catalogs that distributes mint-files. A mint-file does not contain the software, but it contains all the information and sources to download that software. mintInstall allows users to add software through the use of .mint files.
- MintUpdate: Update-software designed specifically for 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 distro, 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.[1]
- 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.[2]
- 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 will be 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, if the root account should be enabled or disabled, and if Mint should use MintDisk or fstab to mount NTFS-partitions.
- 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 1GB of storage space and files stay on the server for 7 days (rather than 2 days). [3]
- 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
Software from the Mint repositories can be installed in Debian and Ubuntu as well through APT.
[edit] Editions
- Main Edition: The Main Edition of Linux Mint provides a GNOME desktop with multimedia codecs which fit on a single CD.
- Light Edition: Some of the codecs in the Main Edition are not freely redistributable in some parts of the world. For this reason, users who live in countries where the legislation doesn't allow them to use or distribute the Main Edition have access to a Light Edition of Linux Mint. The Light Edition is a copy of the Main Edition without any patented or proprietary component.
- KDE Community Edition: Linux Mint also provides a KDE Edition (mostly for individual users). The Gnome desktop is replaced with KDE. The default selection of applications is different and this edition usually comes with more software. The KDE edition doesn't necessarily fit on a CD and can be available as a DVD download.
- XFCE Community Edition: An attempt to create a version easier on system requirements. The GNOME desktop is replaced with Xfce as the default desktop environment.
- Mini Community Edition: Linux Mint using GNOME and Openbox to provide a lightweight, fast, and small mint environment..
- Fluxbox Community Edition: An extremely light and fast alternative to GNOME using Fluxbox as the window manager. It can be used as a Live USB
[edit] Repositories
Linux Mint repository can be added to /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://www.linuxmint.com/repository romeo daryna
[edit] 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
| Colour | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Old release; not supported |
| Yellow | Old release; still supported |
| Green | Current release |
| Purple | Test release |
| Blue | Future release |
[edit] Fluxbox
| Version | Codename | Edition | Code Base | APT Base | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | Daryna BETA 028 | Fluxbox CE | Daryna 4.0 | Gutsy | 3 Jan 2008 |
[edit] GNOME
| Version | Codename | Edition | Code Base | APT Base | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 | Barbara | Main | Ubuntu Edgy | Edgy | 13 Nov 2006 |
| 2.1 | Bea | Main | Ubuntu Edgy | Edgy | 20 Dec 2006 |
| 2.2 | Bianca | Main | Ubuntu Edgy | Edgy | 20 Feb 2007 |
| 2.2 | Bianca | Light | Ubuntu Edgy | Edgy | 29 Mar 2007 |
| 3.0 | Cassandra | Main | Bianca 2.2 | Feisty | 30 May 2007 |
| 3.0 | Cassandra | Light | Bianca 2.2 | Feisty | 15 Jun 2007 |
| 3.1 | Celena | Main | Bianca 2.2 | Feisty | 24 Sep 2007 |
| 3.1 | Celena | Light | Bianca 2.2 | Feisty | 01 Oct 2007 |
| 4.0 | Daryna | Main | Celena 3.1 | Gutsy | 15 Oct 2007 |
| 4.0 | Daryna | Light | Celena 3.1 | Gutsy | 15 Oct 2007 |
| Test | Debian ALPHA 023 | Debian | Debian | Testing | 3 Jan 2008 |
| 5 | Elyssa | Main | Daryna 4.0 | Hardy | 8 June 2008 |
| 5 | Elyssa | Light | Daryna 4.0 | Hardy | 8 June 2008 |
[edit] KDE
| Version | Codename | Edition | Code Base | APT Base | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Ada | Main | Kubuntu Dapper | Dapper | 27 Aug 2006 |
| 2.2 | Bianca | KDE CE | Kubuntu Edgy | Edgy | 20 Apr 2007 |
| 3.0 | Cassandra | KDE CE | Bianca 2.2 | Feisty | 14 Aug 2007 |
| 3.0 | Cassandra | MiniKDE CE | Bianca 2.2 | Feisty | 14 Aug 2007 |
| 4.0 | Daryna | KDE CE | Cassandra 3.0 | Gutsy | 03 Mar 2008 |
| 5 | Elyssa | KDE CE | Daryna 4.0 | Hardy | TBD |
[edit] XFCE
| Version | Codename | Edition | Code Base | APT Base | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | Cassandra | Xfce CE | Cassandra 3.0 | Feisty | 07 Aug 2007 |
| 4.0 | Daryna BETA 008 | Xfce CE | Cassandra 3.0 | Gutsy | 2 Nov 2007 |
| 5 | Elyssa | XFCE CE | Daryna 4.0 | Hardy | TBD |
- 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.[1]
- 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."[2] Also note that the ISO acts as a "non-installable" live CD.
- Linux Mint 5 will see the addition of a Professional Edition with a desktop targeted at the core professional desktop.
[edit] Comparison with Ubuntu
Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu and both distributions have a lot in common. Both distributions use the same software repositories. For instance, release 2.2 (“Bianca”) uses the package pools of Ubuntu “Edgy Eft” (6.10). Most packages are the same on both distributions and the two systems behave almost identically.
Most differences are on the desktop. Ubuntu and Linux Mint both focus on usability, but Linux Mint offers a different user experience, and it includes a number of applications that are not available in Ubuntu (see aforementioned Mint Tools).
Many popular multimedia codecs are installed by default in Linux Mint. Ubuntu, and many other gratis GNU/Linux distributions, do not distribute these codecs with the initial install media due to patent encumberment issues.
Ubuntu has a vastly larger support community than Linux Mint. However, the majority of Ubuntu help and advice is also applicable to Linux Mint. Ubuntu supports more languages from the LiveCD, and comes with better localization.[citation needed] Lastly, whilst Linux Mint only supports x86 architectures, Ubuntu also supports x86-64.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Blueprint: “Integration with mintInstall”
- ^ mintDesktop in Launchpad
- ^ MintUpload tutorial and integration with mintSpace. Retrieved on 2008-04-01.
[edit] 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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