Linux MiNT v3.0 - User Opinions

[DSP8000]

Hi,

after reading reviews and trying LiveCD's of various Linux distros I came across Linux MiNT codename Cassandra. Based on Debian, started out as a fork of Ubuntu with added WiN32 codecs, multimedia support, FAT, NTFS read/write out-the-box and much more...
This distro is the current one that I'm using. PCLinuxOS 2007 is a very good one, but after a week of usage I got bored of the KDE and installed Linux MiNT instead. My first experience with Linux MiNT is just great.
There is a Lite version of the distro and XFCE based distro as well.
Runs fast, installs every driver and just works.
If anyone is on the lookout for a new Linux distro, give this one a go.
Anyone with similar experience?
Please share your thoughts :)

Here's a screenshot
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/7451/linuxdesktopey9.th.png (http://img527.imageshack.us/my.php?image=linuxdesktopey9.png)
Regards,
DSP8000

[RadicalEd]

Hmm... interesting, but nothing a quick apt-get install gstreamer-plugins-ugly gstreamer-plugins-bad win32codecs ntfs-3g couldn't fix on vanilla Ubuntu. Actually, there's really no need to even install the codecs, since Ubuntu automatically installs them when you play otherwise unsupported media. Still, nice find.

[M7S]

Don't dismiss linuxMint as simply Ubuntu with extra codecs and ntfs drivers. It has other features as well. Personally I like that they use a fork of Ubuntu System Panel called mintMenu instead of the default gnome-menu. I like Ubuntu's brown theme but Mint's green theme looks even better.

I use Ubuntu myself since I've customized it to my liking already, but I usually recommend Mint to new users.

This week's Distrowatch Weekly (http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20070702) had a great interview with the creator of linuxMint. Read it.

Regards,
M7S

[Sharktooth]

Linux-Mint is really nice, expecially the XFCE edition. however i dont like the default desktop theme... but that's nitpicking... :)

[Henrikx]

@DSP8000
Thanks for Info. I will try out.
PCLinuxOS 2007 is a very good one, but after a week of usage I got bored of the KDE and installed Linux MiNT instead.

Do you know Sam ? Based on PC Linux 2007, but...:)
Shots : http://shots.linuxquestions.org/?linux_distribution_sm=SAM%20Desktop%202007%20Test%202

[Hard Core Rikki]

SAM Linux is indeed more like a no-BS OS. Wine, Flash, proprietary drivers, codecs and other nice stuff is available since the start, so yes it is a nice distro for absolute beginners, and those who need fully a fontional live distro.

I would however advise sticking to PCLinuxOS 2007, for the likely more stable base. I believe some codecs arent supposed to be available for US masses, like the MP3 codec or so (US users are supposed to pay MP3 patent fees, I believe. This issue itself has been brought by MintLinux itself)

[shevegen]

I think the problem with distributions that are based on other distributions is that they lack originality... what i mean is...

They often do things better than their parent distribution.

However under the hood, its the same food just with another flavour :\

This isnt to say Mint is bad, its just that I as a user am not so much interested to use an "improved" distribution based on an existing one... i'd rather see design principles and philosophies applied.

I think one of the best distributions in this regard is PCLinuxOS, it is extremely usable and i think overall currently the best (although I'd like it to have more ideas included than currently ....)

[DSP8000]

@ Henrikx, I know SAM :) it is similar to the MiNT, fork of the original. I'll probably test b3 XFCE MiNT tonight. The main reason for me to choose MiNT is coz it is based on Ubuntu, so any tips and tricks related to Ubuntu are applicable to MiNT as well. Plus, the Ubuntu community is big and there is plenty of info and support on the net for the distro and forked ones. When the base is good, the customization can be even better :).
Any of the recent distros are really good, not complette replacement for WinXP but close. I still use WinXP for video editing.
Considering that Linux distros are free and community maintained you can't ask for more.