What Mint is based on

[Husse]

Ubuntu
Edit by Husse January 2009
We now base each edition on the same generation Ubuntu and make the changes that constitutes Mint - it's very much scripted and is intended to be even more scripted. The description below was valid up to Elyssa, but is no longer from Felicia
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The main Gnome edition forked off Ubuntu with Barbara which was based on Edgy.
All the versions of the main edition is based on the previous version. Clem uses programming tools and "handicraft" to tweak Mint after the new Ubuntu and of course adds a taste of Mint - the Mint tools and the art work.
This means that it is not exactly the same as the equivalent Ubuntu version, Mint tends to be less buggy and mostly wifi works better. There may also be deliberate differences like in printing where Daryna kept it as in Celena while Gutsy is different from Feisty.
The other important edition is the KDE edition. It is based on Gutsy Kubuntu with the Mint tools (that are gnome) ported to KDE. To make the Mint tools work in KDE was a major undertaking.
The KDE edition will continue to be based on the previous version like the main edition, but here it is Boo that is "tweaking"

[GrayWizardLinux]

thanks Husse - I saw at least 5 posts the last 2 weeks from you about the many questions people seem to ask and keep asking re: this topic!

I feel for you!

[Husse]

at least 5 posts the last 2 weeks

That's why I made this post

[Paul_Vandenberg]

I am curious...if Mint is forked off of Edgy, how can Mint 4.0 be compatible with Gusty? I am just trying to understand how it works.

Thanks...Paul

[merlwiz79]

I am curious...if Mint is forked off of Edgy, how can Mint 4.0 be compatible with Gusty? I am just trying to understand how it works.

Thanks...Paul

Daryna is based off of Celena and the package base is upgraded to Gutsy's.
Elyssa will be based off of Daryna and upgraded to Hardy's package base.

[GrayWizardLinux]

Again - there are many threads about these scenarios. Husse was hoping to put an end to his answering the same thing over and over. (Sorry Husse, not speaking for you.) But 1. if you are happy with Daryna stay with it - this will be just as fresh 2 years from now as it is now; esp. if it works for you. 2. There is a great chance/reality that Clem and the rest of the team will make sure that Mint keeps going forward and not backward. I am very comfortable with working on the same linux version for a couple of years if it all works out well. WHY upgrade if it works.? No need to keep up with the Jones', if you get my drift.

also - remember all of the various systems that people own, run, and use are all different and there will be some that are worse than others. That is why I did my homework and bought a thinkpad with intel wireless. also that is the nicest thing about my Macs. the hardware and the software are made, in essence, by the same manufacturer and all is expected to work smoothly - which they do for my and my family 100%!!! oh yes --- the OS has been 100% rocksteady!

[kachilda]

I suggest you boot up the live distro and give that a go. most of the time if the live distro works the hard install will work to; although thats not 100# certain. if you do upgrade as always backup and save in case you have to reinstall your current version.
Of course staying with what works for you is good advice to. Good luck.

[Husse]

Mint main is based on Barbara forked from Edgy
But as Ubuntu changes so do we and unfortunately we have to use large chunks of code so many (but not all) the problems in Ubuntu finds it's way into Mint, but of course also the "goodies"

[runbei]

I recently visited a blog that published a lengthy, scathing run-down of the bugs in Hardy Heron. I'm sorry to hear that Mint follows close on the heels of the latest Ubuntu. This is not good news, because Canonical is looking more and more like Microsoft - far more centered on gaining market share than on producing really solid, great products. When you promise to upgrade every six months, and you do, it's madness. Microsoft is to be commended for <not> releasing on time. Their products may be buggy, but they'd surely be worse if they were released like clockwork, as Ubuntu is. I avoided Ubuntu after testing several very buggy unpatched releases. Now I learn that I can expect more of the same with Mint. My mistake, I'm a noob. I won't go back - I've invested far too much time installing Mint - with wireless, customized OpenOffice, VirtualBox and many necessary apps in WinXP. But I would surely recommend that the Mint team consider ignoring Ubuntu's flight path. Ubuntu is creating an expanding community of dissatisfied users. Meanwhile, "boring" distros like PCLinuxOS go their own way, not craving the hype of regular releases. If PCLOS's user base were larger, I'd go there in a day - or to PC-BSD; if you want to experience a rock-steady OS, there's one for you. You can tell when seasoned, gray-haired, bearded professional programmers are at work. The idea of Ubuntu is great - but where's the pride of craftsmanship? Bleh.

[dnmint]

Dear Husse
Should I migrate to the KDE version- I am ok with Elyssa as it is ( Gnome version), though, Dont know the advantage of KDCE version
Thanks

[Husse]

@ runbei
I think you exaggerate a bit, but the team would agree to it basically
We do our best to keep the Ubuntu bugs out and actually we succeed to an extent
You have to realize that we have to use something as a base and now Ubuntu probably is the given choice considering the large numbers of packages maintained and that some useful tools exist
But if it gets too buggy we could change the base, the debian alfa was made to demonstrate that

[nitehawk]

As a "newbie" (been with linux about a year now)....I have tried about a dozen distros (and PC-Bsd). I was looking for something based on Debian because of large repositories,...and ease of installation,...stability,...etc. etc. PC-Bsd has limited amounts of software,...and other Distros of linux (as Slackware types) are hard for older computers to port and "compile" the software,..etc.

So I tried Ubuntu,..Kubuntu,...Xubuntu,...Mepis,..

Ubuntu worked OK,....(but not the others, on this older PIII). I am pleased that Linux Mint is working so well! As a "newbie" I find that Mint being based on Ubuntu (and hence Debian) is a big plus for me,......It's working well,...has a large amount of available software,.. easy installation of the software,... .is based on Debian and Ubuntu (works for me).

[Husse]

Welcome to Mint nitehawk
Yes as long as it works and adds something extra.....

[Husse]

You can use about 95% of the solutions for Ubuntu
Obviously you can't use things for the menu as we use mintMenu and Ubuntu gnome menu and a few other things