this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Definitely a valid approach and the most sensible. I think Mint may have some characteristics that people desire and so the distro is the first choice.
I would, however, be interested in knowing what those are, because although I have nothing against Mint and, in fact, used it briefly years ago, I don’t get the appeal. But I do have an interest in understanding where it differs significantly - if it does at all - from, let’s say, Ubuntu.
I've been using Linux Mint Cinnamon for years now, after distro-hopping for a decade. I think there's 2 main reasons Mint has stuck:
Cinnamon - I think it looks pretty while not being overly heavy (though I think that all DEs are pretty efficient nowadays, I'll take all the performance I can get out of this 14-year-old ThinkPad x201). It has good features while operating fairly stable. It's also stable in that there's few drastic changes.
Ubuntu, but slightly better - I like Ubuntu, and used it on-and-off for years (Warty through at least Precise), but Ubuntu's made a lot of drastic changes over the years which messed with my workflow. Other changes I just disliked (ex Snaps), and I feel like they keep trying to force these changes on users. Whenever something's hard or impossible on Mint, I feel it's a technical challenge, not the distro actively preventing me from doing it. It's nice to have a Ubuntu based distro because most instructions found online Just Work™.
Thank you.