why is Linux Mint going Debian?

Question

Linux Mint was based off Ubuntu, which is based off Debian. Why are they going to base it off Debian when it sort of already is? Also, where can I find Linux Mint 11 with KDE? I don't have anything against Gnome, it's a wonderful and stable DE but my eyes simply like KDE better.

Answer 1

Clem and the Linux Mint development team have made it clear that the two will coexist and there are no immediate plans to phase out the Standard (Ubuntu based) Edition. Linux Mint 12 is a highly anticipated release which will feature GNOME3 as default. The only mainstream distro. currently to offer GNOME3 is Fedora 15 which is well worth checking out on LiveCD

http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=fedora



The Linux Mint Debian Edition (LMDE) project is still in relatively early stages with RC versions of the second ISO. respins having just been released

http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=88



It is likely it will be some time until LMDE is up to speed with the Standard Edition however progress is encouraging. Debian and Ubuntu are very different distros. (as many Debian purists will go to great lengths to point out). The taming of Pure Debian in to a readily usable distro. is no mean feet as Debian is somewhat more complex than Ubuntu. LMDE still has some of the same bugs as when it was first released such is the complexity of integrating Linux Mint in to Pure Debian.





LUg.

Answer 2

As an Ubuntu hater I can tell you that since Karmic Koala it's diverged quite a bit from Debian. Lucid Lynx is an abomination. I am no fan of Unity but I have to admit that Meerkat and Narwhal have shown you can't be worse than Lucid Lynx. These are actually not uncommon feelings among those of us who've been around Linux for a while. When Ubuntu came out it was a fabulously stable development environment which seemed like it was for everyone. There were even "Debian" developers using it. It's become less so. This is perhaps inevitable given its focus on newbies, But it is something Mint users -- who seem to be at the techie end of the Ubuntu market -- would be more irritated by.



I don't see a KDE Linux Mint 11 on their web site -- just GNOME and LXDE. I would get the Debian version and use apt to download ktm and kde.

Answer 3

Key word is BASED. Ubuntu was BASED on Debian, (not so much these days). Mint IS Ubuntu with very little other than codecs added in. I'm sure LM12 will have a lot more of it's own identity though. LM does not make a version with KDE, you have to install it yourself.

Answer 4

That isn't happening. Linux mint has many different distributions such as debian, the main ubuntu derivative, kde and many more. Just go to the website and you will see them all. Just type Linux mint in google and the site should be there.