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View Full Version : What does "Linux Mint" have that Ubuntu doesn't?



Old Pink
August 9th, 2007, 04:06 PM
... besides a more Windows-like appearance.

I've heard it's just Ubuntu with a different set of default applications. What are the major differences? Why would someone choose it over Ubuntu? Is it worth looking at, having been a Ubuntu user for a year?

The screenshots look decent, like Ubuntu with a different theme, some desktop icons and a different panel layout. Actually, come to think of it, it looks like they followed my old guide, HowTO: Simply Stunning Linux Desktop (http://www.mbhoy.com/19-01-2007/howto-simply-stunning-linux-desktop), with a few changes, lol. It's actually kind of nice looking, the icons (Tango?), theme and splash screens. Not a fan of that layout any more. If it wasn't so branded I may have looked into getting some of that themeage on one of my current systems.

Anyway. Anyone got any experience with it? Or know any of the major differences?

- Matt

smoker
August 9th, 2007, 04:21 PM
there's a megathread of linux mint here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=491784

aysiu
August 9th, 2007, 05:42 PM
Here are the main differences:
* Different artwork and theme
* Evolution replaced by Thunderbird and Sunbird
* Rhythmbox replaced by AmaroK
* NdisGTK, Beagle, Envy, Beryl and Emerald, NTFS-config, and Xorg-Edit are all installed by default
* All the major proprietary multimedia codecs are installed by default
* The menu is cluttered up like Windows' Start menu
* There's a "friendlier"-looking menu for configuring Nautilus' desktop behavior (otherwise, you'd have to go into the uglier gconf-editor
* There are more folders in the Home folder

LaRoza
August 9th, 2007, 06:02 PM
It is just like a preconfigures Ubuntu, for those who want that kind of system. I personally didn't like it, but I see why others do.

jrusso2
August 9th, 2007, 07:49 PM
One other thing Linux Mint has that Ubuntu doesn't is that on the CD it has some wireless drivers and firmware that Ubuntu considers not quite open enough. So if installing wireless is your only method of connecting and getting to the repository Linux Mint maybe a better choice

aysiu
August 9th, 2007, 08:02 PM
One other thing Linux Mint has that Ubuntu doesn't is that on the CD it has some wireless drivers and firmware that Ubuntu considers not quite open enough. So if installing wireless is your only method of connecting and getting to the repository Linux Mint maybe a better choice
That's not true, according to the Linux Mint website (http://linuxmint.com/about.html):
Why does Linux Mint include proprietary drivers?
It doesn't. If it did, it would be legally wrong (because it would violate the GPL) or ethically wrong (if some dirty trick was used for the user to link the code to the kernel for instance). It includes proprietary codecs and applications, but not proprietary drivers.

But even Ubuntu includes non-free firmware, specifically wifi drivers. From Mark Shuttleworth's blog (http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/95):
We re-affirmed the Ubuntu policy of including proprietary drivers where these are required to enable essential hardware functionality.

We define “essential hardware” as functionality which exists widely and for which there are free software applications that are broadly useful, that we wish to include in Ubuntu’s default install, and which require full use of that hardware. The canonical example has always been wifi drivers, some of which only come in proprietary blobs, but which of course enable huge parts of the free software stack to Just Work. We have always shipped those, and intend to continue to do so. So it's kind of a sticky issue.

FuturePilot
August 9th, 2007, 08:52 PM
Here are the main differences:
* Different artwork and theme
* Evolution replaced by Thunderbird and Sunbird
* Rhythmbox replaced by AmaroK
* NdisGTK, Beagle, Envy, Beryl and Emerald, NTFS-config, and Xorg-Edit are all installed by default
* All the major proprietary multimedia codecs are installed by default
* The menu is cluttered up like Windows' Start menu
* There's a "friendlier"-looking menu for configuring Nautilus' desktop behavior (otherwise, you'd have to go into the uglier gconf-editor
* There are more folders in the Home folder


*Gaim replaced by Pidgin

Hex_Mandos
August 9th, 2007, 09:06 PM
I don't get what the Linux Mint people say about proprietary drivers being illegal or unethical. It may be against the GPL to distribute a blobby kernel, but installing proprietary drivers when necessary isn't illegal. And I don't see how blobby drivers can be less ethical than proprietary apps.

ThinkBuntu
August 9th, 2007, 09:13 PM
It has more loneliness and free space in its developer community, because Clem's the only developer.

vwbeamer
August 9th, 2007, 10:09 PM
I run and like it, I modified the panels to look like the standard Ubuntu- got rid of start menu and added the menu on a top panel like Ubuntu.

This was easy to do.

z0mbie
August 9th, 2007, 10:14 PM
I just switched to LinuxMint. It took care of a lot redundancies. I like Ubuntu though, but a lot of the times new projects and new releases aren't always in the repos. You always have to use third party apps, hunt down packages, or scavenge for repositories to get things to be where you want. LinuxMint took care of all of those issues for me.

jrusso2
August 9th, 2007, 11:17 PM
That's not true, according to the Linux Mint website (http://linuxmint.com/about.html): It includes proprietary codecs and applications, but not proprietary drivers.

But even Ubuntu includes non-free firmware, specifically wifi drivers. From Mark Shuttleworth's blog (http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/95): So it's kind of a sticky issue.

Linux mint does not include non free video drivers but it does include firmware that ubuntu does not consider to be open enough like Intel and atheros

vexorian
August 9th, 2007, 11:20 PM
nothing, just a bunch of things installed or set in a way by default.

Edit: Just saying, if you like those customizations go ahead and use them, I don't thus downloading mint instead of ubuntu doesn't save me any time. I am also not sure if mint follows the "this will always be free" manifest...